An
Eventbrite reservation is required. Seating at this event is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
With:
Keith Clinkscales
Rob Kenner
Joan Morgan
Scott Poulson-Bryant
Emil Wilbekin
In the early 1990s, Quincy Jones launched Vibe magazine, a hugely influential publication that forever changed the landscape of Black popular culture. With its cutting-edge journalism, bold photography, and deep coverage of hip-hop, R&B, and the cultural movements surrounding them, Vibe became the definitive voice of a generation.
This special panel will feature original music writers, critics, and editors from the early days of Vibe, reflecting on the magazine’s impact, legacy, and the evolution of music journalism. It is the final event in USC Thornton School of Music’s yearlong Quincy Jones: Beyond Category tribute series, as well as the Closing Night special event of the 2025 Pop Conference, with its focus this year on the connections between music, fashion and style.
Confirmed panelists include Joan Morgan, a pioneering hip-hop feminist and author who served as an original staff writer for Vibe Media Group's Vibe magazine from 1993 to 1996; Emil Wilbekin, a founding editor and former editor-in-chief of Vibe, and a key voice in shaping the magazine’s vision and influence; Rob Kenner, a founding editor of Vibe who joined in 1992 and whose nineteen-year run at the magazine played a key role in chronicling hip-hop’s rise to global prominence; Keith Clinkscales, who helped Quincy Jones establish Vibe in 1993 and was named president and chief executive officer, and founded the publication's digital counterpart, Vibe.com, in 1994; and Scott Poulson-Bryant, Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan, and a founding editor of Vibe who has written for Spin, Rolling Stone, the New York Times, The Source, and Essence. They will discuss the groundbreaking stories they covered, the artists they profiled, their connection with Quincy Jones, and the behind-the-scenes moments that shaped Vibe’s influence.
Vibe set the stage for today’s media landscape and its continued resonance in contemporary culture. Join us for an evening of storytelling, insight, and celebration of a singular publication that changed the way we see, hear, and write about music.
