In today’s day and age we see print media is becoming less and less prominent. Although most of our entertainment is consumed online, Mike Weisman or ‘Magazine Mike’ and his business partner Billy Slater, strive to bring physical art and media to the masses.
Enter 4GOT10 Mag, an in-print magazine that focuses on upstart artists and creatives in the music space. With such an influx of music content on the internet and social media, these creatives are oftentimes left out and forgotten, or in Mike and Slater’s case, ‘4GOT10’.
The magazine showcases artist profiles in tandem with vibrant graphic design pages, reminiscent of the colorful and detailed style found in publications like Mad Magazine. Mike selects and conducts interviews with various subjects, transcribes the conversations, and then sends them off to Slater, who manages the magazine’s page design and layouts.
In regards to the art direction of the vibrantly assembled ‘4GOT10’ Mag, the pair are influenced by the video games, magazines, and cartoons of his youth. They prefer to collaborate with graphic designers who share this sentiment, dedicating multiple pages in each issue solely to this art style, while Mike remains the magazine’s sole author.
Mike and Slater have always had an interest in physical art. They met and started working together on a series of Pokemòn cards, designed by Mike, that featured some of the biggest rappers in the world, namely Lil Uzi Vert. After their artisanal Pokemòn cards went viral, even catching the eye of famed music journalist Nardwuar and Uzi himself, Mike and his business partner decided to double down on their passion for art and music by way of a physical magazine.
“I pursued the journalism route for the magazine, simply because I know how to talk to people,” Mike explained. “Today, that is a lost skill, and I chose to use it to my advantage.”
Mike grew up in very close proximity to the Chicago rap scene, a scene that developed and eventually dominated the hip-hop world during Mike’s teenage years. This diverse tapestry of music emerging from his own backyard encouraged Mike’s artistic curiosity.
“I was obsessed with Chicago rap and I wanted to find my own way into the industry,” professes Magazine Mike. “I also saw Chicago as a city of talent with a lack of infrastructure. I wanted to lend a helping hand in weaving together the many stories of the city’s music scene.”
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Alongside their commitment to music journalism and art, the ‘4GOT10’ duo also pays close attention to the physical design of the magazine. “We want to make a product that lasts,” says Mike. “A lot of magazines that came before us were built on a profit-maximizing model, sacrificing the quality for bigger margins. We take the opposite approach and would rather make a piece that lasts”
Now after eight issues and countless interviews, Mike and Slater have taken the magazine beyond the city limits of Chicago. Issues are being purchased from all over the world and the ‘4GOT10’ duo has many ambitious goals for the future. With an upcoming website redesign that will “take the brand to an entirely new level” and multiple clothing drops with innovative clothing designer Shmuie, stay updated with 4GOT10 Mag by following them on social media.
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