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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: 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…
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Remember When Ralph Tresvant Went Solo?
It was only a matter of time. After Bobby Brown was kicked out of New Edition in 1985 and then put out his first solo record, the road was set for the other members of the group to venture out with individual projects. Expectations were high after Don’t Be Cruel, Brown’s sophomore album, became a…
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We Have Never Celebrated Christmas, but I’m Starting to Wish We Did
I’ve been having this Christmas fantasy for a few years now. Tonight my husband and I, along with our two daughters, should be putting the finishing touches on our Christmas tree, wrapping last-minute gifts and watching The Grinch Who Stole Christmas in matching brand-new pajamas while sipping hot chocolate. I never had that experience growing…
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Remember When Showing Black Women on the Silver Screen Was Revolutionary?
Like Star Wars, some movie releases are bigger than the actual film. They are touchstones. They are communal experiences. They are I-remember-exactly-where-I-was moments. And the opening night of the film Waiting to Exhale was exactly that. I can vividly remember, 20 years ago this week, rounding up my friends to hit the theater early because…
