Bloggers meet famous people, go to super dope events, and have tons of followers on twitter. So who are these people? Where did they come from? What makes them so cool? … After a month long search I found four amazing young guys who write for the top hip-hop websites in the nation. Find out why they’re the flyest dudes on the internet.
steveisDOPE
Blogger at InFlexWeTrust.com — has 200k unique visitors daily
Twitter: @steveisDOPE
Age: 20
Location: Boston, MA but I go to school in North Carolina
How Did You Get Started?
I got approached to start working at MissLs.net and from there I reached out to (Funkmaster) Flex. A couple phone calls and emails later I made it happen.
Give Us Your Greatest Post/Moment So Far.
It literally just happen. I put Smoke Dza on the Artist to Watch List of 2012 and he did a video to his freestyle and shouted out In Flex We Trust. It was cool because I kind of made that happen.
What’s Greatest Accomplishment?
Having the opportunity to have In Flex We Trust be a platform for my writing. Having that as a launching point… I couldn’t ask for any more.
What’s Your Ultimate Goal?
I want to run Def Jam!
Skoob
Senior Hip Hop Editor at HipHopWired.com — averages 5.5 Million page views per month
Twitter: @TheKidSkoob
Age: 29
Location: New York City, by way of Philly
How Did Land the Gig at Hip Hop Wired?
I graduated from Penn State got a job in advertising and that sucked, so I created a sports website for myself…. Throughout that time I started doing some on camera stuff and got picked up for a pilot on BET and I kept hustling. Bossip and Hip Hip Wired came calling and that’s where I’m at today.
What’s Your Personal Approach to Writing?
I like to mix it up. I write sketch comedy, so I kind of like to make stuff light and entertaining.
What’s Your Most Memorable Post?
The latest post that was memorable was probably the one on whether or not social media killed the diss record. It’s a shame that rappers will go on twitter instead of going into the booth.
What’s Your Greatest Accomplishment from Blogging?
TV exposer…. and to get paid for this coming from advertising. Now I go to work everyday and I’m not feeling like I’m at work!
Sherman
Blogger at YouHeardThatNew.com — About 20k views per day
Twitter: @ShermanUHTN
Age: 20
Location: Cheltenham, UK
How Did You Get Started?
I was always playing new music to people. I kind of went from there and decided to start my own blog at the age of 17. I owned three of my own websites before working for the likes of thenqm.com, yk2daily.com and now youheardthatnew.com.
What’s Your Most Memorable Post?
My most memorable post is probably my first on youheardthatnew.com. It was Trey Songz’ “Hunnadz” track. I was halfway through the post and I sat there and thought to myself, man I am posting on one of the most respected music blogs out there. I started at the bottom of this tree now I am posting on a website that influenced me to start in the first place. Hard work does pay off.
Where Do You See Yourself in the Future?
I like to keep my feet on the ground. Three and a half years ago I would’ve never thought I’d be blogging for a site like YouHeardThatNew.com so who knows what it holds for me. You never know what is around the corner, but ideally I’d like to be chilling in sunny Miami with a Corona working for YouHeardThatNew.com.
Alex Ciccimarro
- Alex & Al Lindstorm
Content Director at AlLindstrom.com — about 15k page views per day
Twitter: @Signiture718
Age:22
Location: Brooklyn, NY
How Have You Accomplished So Much At Such A Young Age?
I went to college Orlando at Full Sail University and I wanted to get into the music industry so bad…. It got the point where I was meeting a whole bunch of people that wanted assistance on blogging (including HypeBeast.com). Through that I met Al (Lindstrom) and the rest is history.
What’s Your Personal Approach to Writing a Blog?
I have no journalism background so I kind of just write whatever the hell I’m thinking.
What’s Your Most Memorable Moment From Blogging?
My most memorable moment was my interview was with Sway just cause (he) was just so open. Like I said I have no journalism degree. My entire knowledge of it comes from watching All Eyes On Me specials, so it was kind of crazy just to be in the room and interview him in the first place.
What’s Your Greatest Accomplishment From All of This?
It’s helping Al build his brand…. It’s just great when you can help people that you respect.
Moral of this post is if they can live out their dreams you can too. Five years ago none of these guys knew they’d have such extraordinary access and this is only the beginning for them… Just imagine where you could be in five years. Now take that imagination and add some hard work, consistently, and endurance and then BOOM you just may be living out your dreams.
Words By: Jazmyn Gilliard (@JazGill)
