B.Informed Open House and Open Call

by Ain Ardron-Doley

The magazine business is a tough one. Add music-centered content, the "urban" label and full-fledged independent production and it gets that much tougher. Earlier this year Philly saw the birth and quick death of Square Bizand Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson's The Jawn. Defunct hip-hop mag Philly Word lasted on and off for a few years, troubled by a good deal of controversy looming over its young head. Then there's the veteran, eight-year-old indie art, music and culture magazine Audiogliphix (a.k.a. AG), whose most recent cover features the dancing sistahs of MontÖzh.

While we wait for the next issue of aG or for The Jawn's resurrection, there's a new quarterly zine hitting stores this week. Arriving with little fanfare yet plenty of praise, B.Informed magazine is the brainchild of two incredibly creative Temple University dropouts (for now), Amani Olu and Jeanine Lee. With Baby Blak plastered on the cover of the premiere issue, continuing his reign as worldwide and local media darling, the pages inside deliver insightful prose, interviews and photography. From art to culture to politics, social commentary, literature, music and lifestyle, B.Informed tackles all that is overlooked by the mainstream media, or attempts to top the media's often-superficial coverage of our culture. Always striving to challenge society's definitions of art and enterprise, B.Informed is independent and thoughtful, standing firmly outside of the city's numerous cliques. Check out B.Informed's digs this week at their open house and open call for writers -- if you want to get your name in print, be sure to bring a writing sample and résumé.

B.Informed Open House and Open Call, Sat., Jan.10, noon -3 p.m.,1213 Vine St., 215-569-2337.