THE SOURCE - MUSIC MAGAZINE HISTORY

The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988.

The Source was originally started by two Harvard University students in Cambridge, Massachusetts who were influenced by Hip-Hop and wanted to give praise by devoting coverage to the rising music genre.

Jon Shecter and David Mays decided to hire their college friends James Benard (as senior editor) and Ed Young (as associate publisher), and the four men immediately became shareholders in the ownership of the magazine. At the time, Mays handled duties as the publisher for the magazine, and Shecter was the editor-in-chief. The magazine's offices were moved from Massachusetts to New York City in 1990, a move that was made with the intention to expand the magazine into a mainstream market publication.

The magazine featured cover stories on the crack/cocaine ^, police brutality.  The publication has over eight million subscribers worldwide and remains one of the most popular hip-hop magazines in the world.

The source has now engaged many young readers into rapping and politics , and has evolved into a modern magazine full of the latest news in the rap world.