Eyes open.

This is it, launch, day one, where it all begins. And yet it’s not. In many ways, this is just the next step in a process that’s been going on for a long time now.

For starters, the work that’s gone into this behind the scenes has been incredible. I could go on and on about the people involved in this – the writers, the board of Sphere Magazine, and of course managing editor Noah P. Hood. What you’re looking at when you see SphereMagazine.com is the product of countless hours of commitment from people with whom I’m honored and privileged to have worked.

But there’s another reason why this isn’t really “the beginning” per se. You see, when we say we are the new voice of urbane culture, we’re really just picking up and carrying the torch that’s been burning for a while now. You may notice that catchall term “urban” hidden in the word urbane. In its archaic roots, urbane was a nod to the sophisticated and cosmopolitan nature of the city, of all things urban. Yet, somewhere along the way, “all things urban” became “all things Black” and as such, that “urban” was a divider between ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. SphereMagazine.com is not about that “urban.”

Society’s use of that term has needed a makeover for a while now, because the culture has evolved with our generation. Our world doesn’t construct divisions; it breaks them down. Black versus white, rock versus rap, haute versus low – the traditional is now past tense. So, you may have Young Jeezy and Clipse on your favorite playlist, but you might also have the new Bloc Party and Arcade Fire albums right behind them, with a little Tabi Bonney and Jeff Buckley for good measure. And music is just one dimension of how the way you consume media pushes the envelope. You search for the boundaries of what’s already been done and break through them, regardless of genre. Ours isn’t “urban culture” anymore, it’s urban culture becoming urbane. SphereMagazine.com will show the rest of the world what our generation of urbane global citizens has known for years now. We are the future.

When Sphere Magazine launched on the campus of Yale University in 2004, we declared our mission for re-examining the issues shaping the world around us through a new, provocative lens in order to prepare us as the next generation of global leaders. Our work at SphereMagazine.com is no different, bringing the same level of close examination to the culture that we consume and, by our consumption, help create. The print edition of Sphere will continue publishing in the fall of 2007 and will maintain its in-depth analysis of global issues. On the web, we will keep pace with the culture we passionately consume just as quickly as it evolves, and as such hope to become the destination for all your information on the rapidly changing urbane culture. Yet, our purpose is still greater than that.

We don’t want to just talk at you; we want to be the bridge between your passion for culture and the industries that drive them. So while we review and report on movies, television, music, and literature, we’ll also be telling you about the business moves that are determining where the entertainment industry is going. While we will cover fashion and lifestyle trends, we’ll also be pointing you in the direction of opportunities for you to be a part of these rapidly changing fields. Feeding your passion is a crucial part of what we do, but giving you the information you need to turn your passion for culture into involvement is just as important.

We are the voice of an emerging generation whose growth will not be slowed. We are the destination for all of your news and critique of media, lifestyle, entertainment, and all matters of urbane living. We are the link between your passion and the information you will need to turn that passion into a professional reality. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to SphereMagazine.com.

So that’s it. Introductions are over. If you’re as excited as we are, then come in, look around, comment, and take part in something that aims to change the way we look at and talk about culture. This is as much your place as it is ours. And if all of this talk about urbane culture sounds strange, all I can tell you is this: Tag. You’re it. Catch up.

Zac Soto
Editorial Director, SphereMagazine.com

P.S. We’ll release Sphere’s Urbane Issue (#15) next week, but click here for a sneak preview!

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007 at 1:28 pm and is filed under Voices. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.