Vibe was founded in 1993 by Quincy Jones; Smith was a music editor from 1994-96; became the editor-in-chief in 1997; left in 1999 and had recently returned. Smith married a former co-worker, Elliot Wilson, who ended up becoming the editor-in chief of XXL — meaning a husband-and-wife team were competing for magazine covers.


Though Vibe was very successful in the late '90s and early '00s — even branching out with a title aimed specifically towards women, Vibe Vixen — lately, it had reduced its circulation and cut salaries, suffering in the recession. We suspect that this also means there won't be any more new issues of Vibe offshoot The Most!.



Vibe Magazine Shutting Down [Daily Finance]
Danyel Smith Biography [Answers]
Earlier: 8 Reasons Why We Sorta Love New Gossip Mag The Most!

1. Where else will you learn that Ice Cube shops? And "today was a good day" is the best caption ever. He didn't have to use his AK at the grocery store. Phew.

2. Dave Chappelle's kid looks like a tiny, part-Asian Dave Chappelle. Who knew?

3. There is nothing wrong with eye candy.

4. In In Touch, Serena Williams in a bikini was on the "They Could Use A Little Work" page. Here, she's celebrated as being "built for contact." As it should be.

5. Believe-it-or-not stories are always awesome and stranger than fiction.

6. "Dope or Nope" is our new favorite game.

7. Houston — who had a hit song in 2004 called "I Like That" — gouged out his own eye in 2005; may or may not have gone to a mental hospital in 2008 and is currently "on medication." Plus: Updates on R&B stars of the '90s, like the ladies of SWV, Adina "Freak Like Me" Howard and the guys from Next.

8. When your magazine brands itself as "the definitive voice of urban culture," book selections will include a story about a stripper; a novel detailing a "secret sorority" in which ladies have nicknames like "Ride Em High" and "Lick Em"; a "Vixen Manual" and the Sex Games Bible. Who needs Oprah's book club?


Earlier: New Kid On The Newsstand