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Aliya S. King's True Hip-Hop Stories: That Time I Asked Ja Rule's Wife About His Affair With Karrine Steffans
In 2000, I wrote a cover story on Ja Rule for The Source. Ja Rule and his then-girlfriend Aisha, high school sweethearts who had already been together for ten years, lived about ten minutes away from me in Jersey so I was able to hang out at their home the day before we all left…
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Aliya S. King's True Hip-Hop Stories: That Time I Learned The Legend Of Biggie's Belt
In the winter of 1999, I was promoted at The Source from Staff Writer to Associate Music Editor. Honestly, I was less then excited about the new gig. All I wanted to do was write. Not edit. But after changes at the top, I had no choice. There was no longer a budget for a…
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Aliya S. King's True Hip-Hop Stories: That Time Sean "Puffy" Combs Made Me Hate Him
Each time I speak to journalism students or millennial up-and-coming writers, I’m always asked the same questions: Who has been your favorite celebrity to interview? And who has been your least favorite? My favorite celebrity interview is easy: Mariah Carey. In February 2005, I interviewed her over the course of two days in her NYC…
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Aliya S. King's True Hip-Hop Stories: That Time The Source Saved Me From Getting Shot
One of the magical things about The Source when I was there was the reaction from other people when they found out you worked there. I can’t imagine a media outlet you could work for today where you hand over your business card and people sincerely look like they’re about to faint. I didn’t have…
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Aliya S. King's True Hip-Hop Stories: That Time I Almost Worked For Blaze Magazine
Dear Aliya: I’m loving your stories about working in hip-hop journalism. The risks you took to get to where you wanted to be are really inspiring. Question: Are there career decisions you made where you still wonder if you made the right move? –Kim, from Somewhere Dear Kim: I’ve had more than just one moment…
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Aliya S. King's True Hip-Hop Stories: That Time I Lied My Way Into A Job With The Source
In the late ‘90s, I sat in the bookstore, flipping through magazines I could not afford to buy. I froze when I read the masthead of The Source. Marcus Reeves, who had graduated a few years before me at Rutgers University, was now the News Editor. I can’t even begin to explain what a big…
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Aliya S. King’s True Hip-Hop Stories: That Time Jay-Z Clowned Me For An Entire Summer
When I was working at The Source, I was freelancing on the side for a few mainstream publications. I couldn’t write for VIBE or XXL of course. But I would quietly write about rock bands for Seventeen and Teen People occasionally.I ended up writing regularly for Teen People and I became a go-to writer for…
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Aliya S. King's True Hip-Hop Stories: Lady Luck Speaks
When you’re 16 and signed to Def Jam and then dropped from the label while still a teenager—what happens next. Last week, I posted my first VSB story, on how I snuck into Teaneck High to cover rapper Lady Luck, who had been signed to Def Jam. I reached out to Luck this weekend to…
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Aliya S. King's True Hip-Hop Stories: That Time I Pretended To Be A High School Kid For A Story On Lady Luck
The year was 1999. I was hired as a Staff Reporter for The Source. (How I got on is a story of epic proportions for another day.) When I interviewed for the job with Selwyn Seyfu Hinds, the editor-in-chief, I came to him with a ton of ideas for stories and columns. One of the…
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Motherhood Resolutions for 2016
I have five resolutions for how to be a better parent to Emmy in the new year. Let’s go. 5. Be careful of the snap-back. I don’t necessarily lose my temper with Emmy. Wait. That’s a lie. I do often lose my temper with Emmy. Because her sister is 10 years older, Emmy functions as…
