‘XXL’ Magazine Sold, Lil Wayne Covers Last Issue
Longtime hip-hop magazine XXL has been purchased from Harris Publications by Townsquare Media, which announced they would be shutting the magazine down.
However, XXL will continue as an online entity as a digital-only publication. The upcoming October-November issue, featuring Lil Wayne on the cover, will be the print magazine’s last.
Fortunately, 11 staffers in the sales and editorial departments of XXL will be offered jobs with Townsquare.
“We incubated something digitally, but the Townsquare people can take it to the next level with their digital expertise,” said Ben Harris, president of Harris Publications, which launched XXL in 1997 as a rival to VIBE.
Townsquare already has a hip-hop site in its network after purchasing The Boombox (hip hop), The Boot (country) and Noisecreep (heavy metal) from AOL music last year. It gets a bulk of its revenue from 331 radio stations in 66 small to mid-sized market segments, reports The New York Post.
The company also hosts music festivals and live events, including Taste of Country.
News of XXL magazine’s new ownership comes just weeks after VIBE’s parent SpinMedia announced they will no longer be printing magazines, but will be available online only.
(Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images/XXL Magazine)
