About Me
There must be something in Thanksgiving dinner that helps Will Major come up
with successful business ideas.
The Sacramento-based publisher can't pin it on the turkey, mashed potatoes
or gravy, but there's something that happens when his belly is full after
the holiday dinner.Two years ago while flipping through the pages of Ebony and The Source,
Major decided to create (916), Sacramento's first hip-hop periodical. And in
November, he decided to expand his publishing business by printing two more
magazines focusing on the Central Valley and East Bay.
Apparently, the food creates a mood that allows him to focus on his mission
-- the Northern California rap scene.
"I knew (916) would transcend the city's borders; I just didn't know it was
going to happen this fast," he said. "I wanted the new magazines to come to
areas where people are rapping. And everybody knows everybody raps in
Stockton."The Valley's new magazine, (209), focuses on San Joaquin County's hip-hop
culture, but it's also the latest example of Major's vision to bring
attention to the often-overlooked Stockton entertainment community.
Major makes no bones that his 30-page, bimonthly magazines -- (916), (209)
and (510) -- focus on the "little guys" -- regional rappers, DJs, b-boys,
graffiti artists and fans.
"These independent artists bring so much more to the game than major
artists," he said from his home office, where he produces the glossy pub.
"They struggle, yet they just refuse to give up. They refuse to go away. And
to me, that's a soldier."
And just like a military general, the 41-year-old San Diego native, who
lived in Stockton before moving to the River City in 1996, is bent on
accomplishing the orders he's set for himself. The first thing was
establishing a brand that potential readers and clients can recognize.
"The area codes force (readers) to learn a little bit more about the area,"
he said. "I want the music industry to start looking this way and start to
realize that they are sitting on a gold mine. They just need to drop a well,
and the oil will flow."
So Major is playing the role of entertainment entrepreneur by using his
three publications to explore the music, fashion, social behavior and
politics of Northern California's hip-hop generation.
::: Advertisement :::He keeps costs down by doing everything in-house. He's the head
photographer, editor, writer, distributor, advertising salesman, bookkeeper
and mailroom clerk. He's never operated a magazine, but Major relies on his
writing ability, love of music and business acumen.
"I make sure that the money that you make after expenses goes back into the
business," said Major, who prints between 7,000 and 10,000 copies of every
issue at a total cost of about $50,000.He offers low advertising rates for a glossy music magazine -- $300 for a
full page. In The Source, that same ad would cost $9,000, $12,000 in Vibe
Magazine and $1,500 in Bay Area-based Showcase Magazine.
"It's not about pushing a Lexus or Escalade, it's about building an empire,"
Major said, adding that the magazine is available at local Tower Records and
music stores in Sacramento.
Readers find parts of his kingdom appealing. Inside each issue are profiles
of Ice Cube, Obie Trice and other major stars, but there are also sections
that focus on area up-and-comers.
For instance, "On The Come Up" spotlights the region's best unknown and
unsigned artists, while "What To Do ... Boo?" is a Dear Abby-like column
with a hip-hop perspective. And there's a bit of cheesecake, too. At the
back of each issue, there's a photo spread of a regional "Ghetto Goddess."
He has several volunteers who take photos, write and sell advertising.
Leticia Ford has been penning "What To Do ... Boo?" for a year. She said the
magazine simply offers hip-hop fans a choice."My column is not like Dear Abby; I just say what I say," said Ford, 26, of
Sacramento. "People are comfortable with (how I write it). They're not
writing to some old white lady that don't know nothing about being on
welfare or having a baby daddy. I answer each letter as though I was talking
to one of my girls."
Most of the letters come from women.
"A lot of these people need to get to know themselves, then they wouldn't
attract so much garbage to themselves. Then they wouldn't end up with these
crazy men," she said.
Still, her column has a universal message that doesn't only speak to
hip-hoppers.
"I don't care if you're into country or rock 'n' roll music; the bottom line
is that everybody knows the difference between right and wrong. Are you
going to choose to do right or wrong?" Ford said.
Articles not only cover entertainment, but also discuss social issues that
are important to the hip-hop community: violence at rap concerts,
gentrification of the culture and absence of radio airplay for local
artists.That only made starting the two additional publications easier.
February's issue will be the first time he publishes three different covers,
which will feature artists from the three different area codes. For (916),
he'll feature Ghetto Titans; (510) will have Stack House Records; and (209)
will feature KGB, he said.
"Northern California's hip-hop generation can read about their peers and
find out how they're pursuing their careers," he said.
Ricky Richardson, CEO of Stockton-based rap label 2 Da Face Records and
Films, said the magazine puts a face on the region's hip-hop movers and
shakers."It's going to make the scene more interesting for people who follow the
music," said Richardson, 27. "Because they won't only have something to
listen to, now they'll have something visual. It's not going to be just the
big names, but local people -- people doing hip-hop business in the 209
area."page edited by Hyphy in 916
