Thomas Hobbs
@thobbsjourno
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writer 4 hire: guardian, stereogum, ft, pow, dazed, bbc, billboard, vice, spin, bandcamp, wired, crack, mixmag, p4k, telegraph, newstatesman, wallpaper, lwl etc
Joined March 2011
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Last Seen Profiles
Pinned Tweet
I profiled rap legend Nas for my
@FinancialTimes
debut. This will also be appearing in this Saturday's print edition, should you want to pick up a copy
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Ed Sheeran should be put on trial at The Hague for inspiring multiple generations of white men to half sing, half rap about Stella and Nando's over ukuleles and acoustic guitars. Man did unspeakable societal damage
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This is the real life equivalent of when Derek Zoolander goes home to work with his dad in the mines. Brilliant
Adrian Street, Welsh professional wrestler, pictured with his father, a coal miner (1974)
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When I was like 17, me and James Blake were in a call of duty 4 clan together. We spent about 10 hours a day for 1.5 years playing matches on Xbox live together, but one day he blocked us all because we kept teasing him about being posh and eating hummus. This is a true story
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when people say To Pimp A Butterfly sounds too white on Twitter, it's like saying John Coltrane or Miles Davis or James Brown or Jackie Wilson or The Isley Brothers or Funkadelic (all key influences) sound white. Just admit you're ignorant to jazz and funk and soul
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it sounds like MF DOOM's death was accelerated by poor hospital care and a lack of NHS staffing due to COVID-19. this is a very sad read; man deserved better. RIP to the legend
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I love how Fat Joe posts about supporting his autistic son. That type of visibility is important for a genre that's often so cruel. It's always powerful stuff; Joey Crack seems like one of the good ones from the 90s
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Shygirl deserves to be as big as Charli rn - Hope that happens. She started a lot of waves
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I hate it when British banking television adverts get spoken word poets to be the face of their brand and we are forced to listen to lines like:
Family is birthday dinners, graduation parties and growing pains
Family is a bank manager who helped me build my conservatory
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i saw someone quote the pitchfork maneskin review and try to make the case that it was an example of bullying. applying 'be kind' culture to arts criticism has to be the most clapped thing i've seen in a minute
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The idea that digital lasted forever and print was therefore irrelevant has never felt more like a fallacy. The digital world is a pretty terrible archive, period
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my fear is that culture journalism just becomes more & more of a pocket money activity for rich kids, because i 100% know i would struggle to afford to take the leap into freelance if i broke out today. this is why it's so important to show working class writers how to make money
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You can’t make jokes about British people eating baked beans for breakfast when your annual tradition is to eat sweet potato mixed with marshmallows. That’s some strange hypocrisy. I’d take beans on toast over this foul shit lol
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The awkward middle class white girl rolling her eyes while interviewing rappers genre is recession proof
Lil Yachty’s interview with Bobbi Althoff is dropping next week
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Sometimes you just have to play accordion by MF DOOM and Madlib really loudly. Good for the soul
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Fascinating that one of the greatest rappers of all time is a New York fireman who occasionally raps in his down time
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@teaforpterosaur
The Babadook set high unrealistic standards for horror characters becoming woke gay icons
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For the
@guardian
, I tracked down a bunch of real life rollercoaster designers to ask them how one of my favourite games - Rollercoaster Tycoon - changed their lives.
I also spoke to the game's creator, Chris Sawyer, and Atari's CEO. Proud of this 1:
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god this beat is beautiful
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Sad these puerile influencer interviews, where the questions aren't far off what a toddler might ask at a dinner table, often take an opportunity away from a real music journalist
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Okayplayer replaced all their editorial staff and freelancers, who were writing stuff with historian levels of detail, to become a showbiz gossip platform blowing kisses at celebrities. Seems like a smart pivot 🙃
Ice Spice looked amazing dressed as Betty Boop this Halloweekend! 😍
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Love to everyone succeeding in a creative role without a trust fund or generational wealth to tap into. Let’s keep going
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i'm feeling really depressed about the future of music and culture journalism in this country. i just don't see how the next generation of writers from working class backgrounds are going to be able to make waves with how things are set up. not enough people even seem to care
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Pete Davidson's torso looks like the artwork for a can of IPA that costs £9 despite tasting like liquid soil
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freelance journalism is so fundamentally broken right now. you can consistently do innovative stuff and still barely make enough to get by. to make it work, you either have financial security and it's therefore a hobby, or you have to hustle so hard it makes you ill
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Are we agreed that this is a classic album?
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I interviewed billy woods, one of the greatest rappers alive.
we spoke about Cormac McCarthy, the rise of artificial intelligence rap, legacy, the gross expectations youtube gossipers sometimes force onto rappers, and perseverance.
read here, thanks:
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In what is a very rare opportunity, I spoke to the great Mach-Hommy for
@Dazed
.
We explored the beauty of Haiti; Shakespeare; rapping like an instrument; assimilation; chasing the perfect mango, and a whole lot more. This was beautiful to do.
Read below:
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LA's most inventive rapper (and my favourite artist, period),
@03Greedo
, is losing his life to a non-violent drug charge. For this
@Dazed
long read, I spoke to Greedo from prison, as well as his friends (
@kennybeats
&
@Upandon1
), about what comes next
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What a thoroughly depressing year for culture journalism. But my instinct tells me there's still a hunger for it, it's just we're going to have to figure out new ways to deliver it that are built around full independence and not allowing any vc firms within 100 miles of them
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(FYI: we were at the launch of a BHS Food store, which he promised me was a long-term strategy... he sold BHS less than a year later. Here he is staring me down in his far superior suit, looking a little silly tbh)
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I don't mind the "boring" takes. There's always going to be people who don't connect with a left field switch by an artist sonically. But when you say TPAB is for white people musically, it's a being dropped on the head repeatedly, dumb level of hot take
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In the UK, creatives from working class backgrounds have to nearly kill themselves by overworking just to compete / put their health on the line just to catch up. It's a shitty climate
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giving everything 4/5 and describing everything as "cathartic" isn't kindness, it's cowardice
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anyways, I hope he’s doing well and I just want to state publicly that I’m sorry for the time I called him a dickhead for accidentally killing me during an important CoD 4 match. he was always a nice bloke and it’s wild he’s gone from being a Xbox nerd to working with Beyoncé 👏
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I wrote this for everyone bored of reading about why Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West albums are so important for the 300th time. Instead, for
@highsnobiety
, I wrote about 25 of the decade’s most underrated rap releases
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I think freelancers should have more of a say on headlines on their pieces, because when they are controversial we are the ones who have to contend with days of angry / confrontational messages from stans. It should be common practice to have us look at the headline once
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I tried to bring it up when making an interview request to interview James few years ago, but his manager never replied to me. Sad
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.
@PeteRock
telling me why that it is imperative these hip hop 50 features remember the contributions of Heavy D. means a lot to get this on the guardian
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It’s been a long time since
@rootsmanuva
has spoken to any journalists, so it was the greatest honour to be asked to write this biography/profile for his website.
I hope this writing can give clarity on where Roots has been and why he’s the UK’s greatest
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I am still planning to launch my own editorial platform next year. We need something new in the culture journalism space built around empathetic and thorough writing, which isn't just a reflection of the same handful of major labels or the byproduct of yuppies
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what breaks my heart is how the pitchfork thing is going to mean so many innovative underground artists are going to struggle to pick up coverage, get disheartened, and end up giving up their dreams. there truly is barely any places left with the budget to commission these pieces
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I get the awkward white girl reacting to enigmatic black rappers comedy act, and fair enough if there’s people who find it charming, but the whole ‘I don’t even want to interview you’ thing is just lazy and boring tbh; the very essence of middle class mediocrity. Aesthetic(y) bs
“I couldn’t google you, you’re not there yet” LMFAOOO WHY OFFSET READ HER DOWN😭😭😭😭
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Any writers who follow me here ever want contacts for anything then hit me up - thobbsword
@gmail
.com - whenever. I'll share happily. Don't hesitate. Keeping that shit to yourself like they're nuclear codes is weird to me. I want everyone to win 🫡
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Some of the British music press proudly announcing they had never heard of SZA over the last few weeks has looked real silly imo. That's nothing to be proud of. Widen your horizons pls
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Born 5-6 weeks early, so currently in ICU to help with breathing, but he’s in good condition (6’12 lbs) & whenever I’m with him he won’t stop squeezing my finger. Mother doing well too.
What I will say is this whole thing got me ugly crying like the Six Feet Under finale; damn
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I seem to remember him awkwardly calling every young woman in attendance “darling” too. Anyways:
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Jeff is the goat to me.
I’m not sure we will get another piece of “this sucks” criticism of a major pop artist quite like this ever again; these things rarely, if ever, get commissioned now. But boy am I glad the Washington post said yes to this one
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Support an article from a writer that doesn’t have 30 thousand followers, a blue tick, and a friendship circle exclusively made up of guardian and conde nast writers. They need the retweet much more + it could just be the thing that pushes their work in front of the right eyes
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P.S. if I dissapear then James Blake sent the goons to go get me for revealing his / our terribly uncool secret.
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I profiled Usher for the Evening Standard.
We spoke about growing up amid racism, being vulnerable musically, sharing a stage with Biggie + 2Pac, feeling re-energised ahead of the Super Bowl, and being the "Aristotle of baby-making music".
Read below:
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I profiled pop superstar Wizkid for the Evening Standard. We spoke about reinventing royalty, being raised around strong women, Fela Kuti, and a whole lot more
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We can learn so much from the radical way Odd Future approached marketing, particularly the independent artists. Revisit my piece exploring how they tore up all the rules
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I have my first (!!) ever print cover in today’s
@guardian
, so please make sure you purchase a copy. I spoke to 11 figures throughout hip hop history on memories that beautifully and powerfully reflect why the culture remains so special. I’m very proud of this one
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underground rap has prospered in the 2020s and led the way when it comes to innovation. it feels like a glorious time
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I really did free calls with 150+ writers (most of whom are from working class backgrounds and had no resources), telling them every single thing I know and staying in touch as a mentor, over a 4 year period. Most of them are flying today. Fuck a byline; that’s my legacy
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I profiled the greatest rapper alive, Roc Marciano (
@rocmarci
), for
@stereogum
.
We covered a lot of ground from changing the meaning of a family name, to rapping with your nose up + whether a collaborative album with Ka is likely to happen.
Read here:
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Hasn’t aged much at all. So much of Azealia’s music is wayyyy ahead of its time. Others have tried to achieve the same sound, but it’s never quite the same as the way she puts it down
12 YEARS AGO TODAY: (Sep. 12th 2011) 🎥 Azealia Banks released the music video for her debut single, 212
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For a long time I've wanted to write a feature that makes you see through the eyes of a bodyguard keeping your favourite rapper alive. Today that happened!
I spoke to four hip hop security guards about "the most dangerous job in america".
Read online:
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i'm doing everything i can to keep this culture journalism dream alive, but freelancing when you don't come from wealth is insanely difficult in 2023.
Realistically, I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this energy up. Being a Dad and waiting over 30 days for pay is hell rn
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too many big budget rap albums sound like playlists rather than albums rn. on the major label side it feels like the ability to structure a project has been lost :-(
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Earlier this year I did Zoom calls with culture journalists I admire, so the people tuning in could learn useful tips on everything from pitching to avoiding cliches. I’ve edited them into 5 episodes, which you can dl for free(!) by filling out this form
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My problem with these video interviews is when they replace real music journalism, which is 100% happening rn. There’s lots of major label artists who have a policy of only being interviewed by these figures over music writers, cos they can control the edit / narrative etc.
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i read something that said Kid Cudi was an innovator in rappers talking about depression. really? literally the very first rap songs were about anxiety and mental solitude, then in the 90s rap dealt with suicide clearer than any other genre. rap has ALWAYS dealt with depression
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I interviewed Busta Rhymes on behalf of the
@guardian
' readers. We spoke about artificial intelligence, J Dilla, kicking Halloween's Michael Myers and surviving, ODB, and some of the secrets behind his legendary flow
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Just like there's "director's cuts" for movies, there should be "journalist' cuts" for articles
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i can't respect a music journalist who is taking money from independent artists in exchange for pitching / writing about them and is then taking a fee from a publication too.
hey, maybe that's why i am broke, but i will never ever exploit an artist in that way
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Will VICE commission a writer to go see Cocaine Bear while high on cocaine and dressed as a bear? That's the real question
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I asked John Cale why his song "Spinning Away" with Brian Eno sounds like it's being beamed in from a desert island. Turns out it was the weed and they were actually in Essex
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Looooooooool. Some of the Swifties have been smoking crack
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Interviewing big names when you're a freelancer and not a staffer at somewhere huge is such an intense process. Lots and lots of negotiations, things falling through, a huge work rate that doesn't synch with the low pay. It's a hell of an effort. Each one takes a few years off me
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Making Jameela Jamil the poster child for large women is as tone deaf as making The Rock the poster child for short men. Rather than have a beautiful thin privileged Hollywood type do cringe photos smashing scales why not let a real plus sized woman edit
@StylistMagazine
? 🤔
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anyways, apparently the corporate mindset of the chief marketing officer at a major label has filtered through into how the public looks at art criticism. this is why you should support the writers keeping real music journalism alive with all of your chest
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I find it really weird when journalists who are 40+ get jealous / hostile towards peers in their 20s or early 30s for succeeding. you should be opening doors, not closing them. when you're that threatened by someone coming up, it's proof you're a blood sucker
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Stop letting jealous weirdo peers dictate how you share your work or position yourself online. Most of them come from money so don’t have to worry about self promotion. Financial security means they can post an article once with a slogan ‘I did a thing’ and not return to it
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Kool Keith and Roc Marciano
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Can't believe I'm typing this... but I profiled Rakim, the God Emcee, for
@stereogum
.
We spoke about surviving the crack era, putting people in a trance with alliteration, being an icon for bald men, Eminem being a goat, and a whole lot more.
Read here:
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I wrote a new feature for
@BBC_Culture
exploring how GTA 4, and the character of Niko Bellic, took the important step of rooting its storyline in the immigrant gaze and experience of America. I’m very proud of this one and hope you will read it:
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for a long time I was made to feel like I would never be good enough to write for a broadsheet, mostly by teachers who should have been encouraging me. Well, today, which is also my birthday, I picked up a copy of the Financial Times with my interview with Nas on the front cover
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I wrote this new feature for
@okayplayer
exploring the deaths of MF DOOM and Baba Zumbi (of Zion I), speaking to their loved ones + UK / US healthcare experts about whether their poor care in hospital might be representative of a wider trend
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to the big, big artists doing interviews on platforms like the chicken shop date or barstool sports, it's a no brainer. rather than be properly questioned and challenged by a journalist, they get to crack jokes with an influencer and have a say on the final edit. beyond easy
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Make PDFs of your articles as soon as they’ve been published! Websites come and go, same with article formatting and imagery. Don’t assume what’s on the internet today will still be there tomorrow.
That folder / hard drive filled with web article PDFs is precious. Keep it safe
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I've got some of the biggest pieces of my career coming, yet i'm barely getting by each month. this industry is feeling pretty broken rn. solidarity with my peers who are having similar thoughts
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it's about having a cross-section of projects (from copywriting to working with brands to having 3/4 regular titles that you can rely on for features commissions)... that's how you get the big lump of money that makes freelance culture writing feasible to live on. it's a hustle.
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No other feeling like it. He’s a fighter and very handsome (not sure where he got it from) to boot. Out the ICU early! Love to the NHS for their amazing work. Should be home fr by next Mon / Tue. He has me more motivated as a writer too; Having a mouth to feed hits different
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I'm going to keep pushing this one. Isn't every day you speak with an all time great. How Mach-Hommy is changing perceptions of Haiti is so radical, and I hope as many people as possible can read about his story
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best advice i ever got about freelance culture journalism was not to expect any loyalty and to always have a revolving list of publications, so you're not too negatively impacted when someone inevitably treats you like you're disposable. having a wide pool is crucial
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A lot of labels don't realise that there's so many artists whose initial career elevation depends entirely on music journalists championing them. By not supporting the journalistic eco system, there's going to be a legacy where their artists just aren't going to break through
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There aren't many more consistent or creative artists from this era than Pink Siifu (
@PinkSiifu
). I interviewed this brilliant artist for the new cover of
@Patta_NL
's magazine.
You can pick up the magazine inside Patta's stores in London, Milan, and Amsterdam right now!
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I'm starting to feel like we should just pitch things to multiple places at once. This year I've noticed pubs taking a very long time to acknowledge or reply to emails. As freelancers, therefore, we can't afford to wait, so pitching around should be accepted given the economy etc
Etiquette dictating that freelancers can’t pitch one story to multiple outlets simultaneously reeeally slows down our planning timelines. Spend months trying to place a story that could have taken weeks.
I get that it’s unprofessional but god it would make life easier.
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Jamie T too. Maybe Example. Throw all of them into a cell
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Support
@stereogum
dot com with all your chest. Not many music publications left letting writers have those type of word lengths and that amount of space to be vivid.
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we're in a new golden age of jazz samples in rap music. it's like those years where a tribe was making the low end theory. how beautiful
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i hate how normalised it is for freelance writers and journalists to become burned out and not feel part of anything that makes them feel less alone / supports them mentally when things go wrong. when you're a team of one, it can be a lot. i wish i could create a solution somehow
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journalism job market is so dead. i'm def at the point where i'm open to a staff role again, but when you look at what's available and the low ass pay, it seems pointless even applying :-(
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