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Vanessa Satten

The Rising: Future’s XXL Cover Story
Future has turned himself into hip-hop's latest superstar. Read XXL's full Fall 2015 cover story right here.

Editor-In-Chief Vanessa Satten on XXL’s Future Cover
XXL Editor-In-Chief Vanessa Satten speaks on Future being on the cover of our Fall 2015 issue.

Bobby Shmurda Speaks From Jail, Asks Fans to “Pray For Me”
What's Goin' On
The Big Apple's latest rap hopeful Bobby Shmurda speaks from the pen.
Words Vanessa Satten
Images Phil Knott
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the Summer 2015 issue of XXL Magazine featuring our 2015 XXL Freshman Class...

Editor-In-Chief Vanessa Satten on our 2015 XXL Freshman Issue
Freshman issue. It's finally here. And it took even longer than ever to put out. We are actually about two to three weeks later than usual with the release of the cover, but things switched up a little with our schedule in 2015 so we were stuck coming out later than usual...

Editor-In-Chief Vanessa Satten on our Meek Mill and Rick Ross Cover
It’s been a while since we have had Rick Ross and Meek Mill on the cover; about three and a half years. There hasn’t been any particular reason, it just hasn’t worked out. So when the opportunity popped up for this issue, it was a no-brainer...

Read XXL’s Exclusive Meek Mill Cover Story
We Be On It
With legal drama behind him, a new album and the baddest chick in hip-hop on his arm, Meek Mill is the man of the moment.
Words Vanessa Satten
Images Zach Wolfe
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the Spring 2015 issue of XXL Magazine...

French Montana Wants To Work With Taylor Swift
Living Life
With his name now regularly in the mainstream gossip blogs nowadays, French Montana’s stock is going though the roof.
Interview Vanessa Satten
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the Winter 2014 issue of XXL Magazine, on stands now...

Editor-In-Chief Speaks On XXL’s New G-Unit Cover
I think I was meant to be the member of a hip-hop crew. See, I’m a team player, I pick sides, I’m ride or die, and I’ll take on my buddy’s beef, holding grudges until the end of time. Those were some of the qualities I always loved about G-g-g-g-g-g-G-Unit...

Editor-In-Chief Speaks On XXL Issue 152
Forty years of hip-hop is truly amazing. It’s hard to believe it’s really been that long. Sure, the game has changed tremendously since it was birthed in the Bronx in 1973. But it’s cool to see how hip-hop is now old enough for fathers and sons to talk about it, share music and put each other onto artists and trends
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NYC Street Drummer Kills Drake’s “I’m On One” in Vegas
New York-based musician Darion "Dpocket" James hit the Vegas strip banging his street kit to Drake's "I'm on One" and "Hold On, We're Going Home" at 5:34 in the video.

Editor-In-Chief Speaks On XXL’s 150th Issue
Images Jonathan Mannion
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the September 2013 issue of XXL Magazine.
I can’t believe XXL has reached the 150th issue. Obviously, we have and accomplished a lot along the way, with many different people’s help...

Chief Keef Mixtape Sneak Peak
Check out a sneak peak of Chief Keef working on his new mixtape: