Boss Man, Benjamin Moody also known as BE’N Original is living up to his nickname! As the Editor & Chief Publisher of his own hip & innovative Magazine simply yet ever so strongly titled Urban Magazine.
He quickly began building up a name & reputation for himself as being the talented, gifted writer & business person that he is. His career path began its meteoric rise in the late 90’s when he started publishing an online Newsletter entitled New York Underground while interning at Stress Magazine. Merely six months later this led him to receive the call that he refers to as an opportunity of a lifetime which seemingly fell in his lap when he was asked to complete an assignment conducting an interview for non-other than living Rap legend Ludacris for the Source Magazine. This one chance encounter led him to his career working as a journalist for that very publication that spanned over a decade. However, he knew that he still wanted more as the publication began to fade & he wanted to put his years of studying & gaining vast knowledge since his teen years to work at a greater capacity. This led him to begin working for the now defunct Source’s rival Magazine XXL as well as contributing to several other publications such as King and Vibe before going on to step out in a major way as the captain of his own ship launching the popular publication he now is blessed to spearhead.
When did you first realize you had a passion & gift for writing?
I first realized I was a talented writer when I wrote a dedication for my mentor’s 12th Anniversary when a guest at the celebration recognized my gift & encouraged me to use it for good.
When did you decide to launch your own magazine & what was the inspiration behind the name Urban Magazine?
One of the first opportunities I had was writing my own column at Allhiphop.com. The sense of empowerment it gave me fueled me to become driven toward obtaining my own platform.
Tell us about your previous magazines you worked for such as Vibe & the Source. How did that experience prepare you for becoming your own boss?
I learned from my experiences how to direct the editorial content and meet professional standards. It is a broad misconception that blogging and journalism is the same thing. There is an editorial and ethical standard that applies to the latter whereas the former is mostly opinionated. Once I learned the industry standard, I was able to ensure they are met with my publication.
You have your own book publishing company I understand tell us about expanding into publications.
While helping a client successfully launch a publishing company, I learned all the different steps to creating a commercial–ready book including typesetting, graphic design, and editing. I released a book from a friend several years ago under my imprint but mostly I consult people on how to do it for themselves.
Why is it important to keep telling urban stories from your viewpoint?
I think that we should be the ones to tell our stories since we experience being Black in America firsthand as opposed to someone trying to imagine what our journeys are like. There is a certain responsibility that comes with representation. It needs to be honest and delivered to the masses with love & care.
Check out the Full Interview with Benjamin Moody by ordering your copy of our JAN| FEB Black Love Issue!
