Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Latest with Loren LoRosa
Host: Lauren LaRosa
Episode Title: Vibe merges with Rolling Stone! But how do we feel about that?
Release Date: October 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Lauren LaRosa reacts to and unpacks the significant news that Vibe Magazine, a legendary Black-focused media outlet, is merging with Rolling Stone. Lauren explores the implications for Black media representation, the potential for both positive growth and cultural dilution, and the mixed feelings about legacy Black brands partnering with larger entities outside the culture. She also grapples with issues of job loss, media gentrification, and evolving content landscapes, while encouraging her listeners to sound off and engage with their own opinions on the matter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Announcement Details & Initial Reaction

• Vibe Magazine joins forces with Rolling Stone (03:00)
  • Rolling Stone aims to bolster its Hip Hop and R&B coverage, invest in Vibe’s content across various platforms, and empower Vibe to reestablish itself as a force in cultural commentary.
  • Vibe plans for collectors’ print editions and a new interview series highlighting influential musicians, athletes, and style icons.
  • Quote (Lauren LoRosa, 03:00):

    “How do you guys feel about the legendary Black...staple magazines and platforms, Vibe Magazine, becoming a part of Rolling Stone?...Vibe will bolster Rolling Stone's hip hop coverage and allow the brand to go deeper into the genre.”

2. Concerns about Black Cultural Ownership

• Whose business is Black media?
  • Lauren questions: Why is Rolling Stone getting into "Black people Business"?
  • Notes that while non-Black companies have historically owned Black-focused media (BET/Paramount), this editorial move feels “different.”
  • Recognizes the visibility brought by Rolling Stone but is apprehensive about cultural dilution.
  • Quote (Lauren LoRosa, 05:00):

    “The first thing I thought of when I saw this was why is Rolling Stone in black people Business?”

3. Industry Layoffs and Internal Fallout

• Reports seeing journalists on social saying they lost their jobs post-merger (12:03)
  • Raises concerns about whether the merger means positive growth or loss for Black creatives.
  • Quote (Lauren LoRosa, 12:10):

    “Because of the Vibe and Rolling Stone merger...I now no longer have my job. Thank you for the three years of this...So that made me to be like, am I supposed to be apprehensive about this?”

4. The Gentrification Analogy

• Lauren compares the merger to gentrification of neighborhoods (15:30).
  • Asks whether Black culture needs to be “gentrified” to increase its value or reach.
  • Weighs the business sense (“business is business”) against community ownership and authentic representation.

5. Legacy Black Media in a Social Media Era

• Highlights how legacy outlets (Vibe, Jet, Ebony, Essence) struggle to compete with everyday creators who go viral (13:30).
  • Praises Essence for adapting its social outreach.
  • Wonders how timeless brands can innovate without losing identity.
  • Quote (Lauren LoRosa, 13:55):

    “With the way that the landscape is changing in media...People gotta really believe it to even want to support. And I think those legacy magazines. I've always wondered, what was the. What's the fix for them?”

6. Strategic Perspective: Growth vs. Authenticity

• Recognizes the business logic for both brands:
  • Vibe gets resources, extended reach.
  • Rolling Stone gains credibility in Black music/culture coverage.
  • Lauren questions whether Rolling Stone’s platform is truly suited to Vibe’s deeply rooted community relationship.
  • Quote (Lauren LoRosa, 17:08):

    “Business is business. But I don’t know, it just. I'm kind of stuck in the middle here because as a businesswoman, I understand, and I'm like, oh, that was kind of smart for them...But with black culture, leads, media trend, all of the things, period, you need a real strong force in trust.”

7. Open Questions to Listeners

• Lauren turns it over for listener feedback, asking:
  • Was this a smart move for Vibe?
  • Are you, as a consumer of Black media, going to keep supporting Vibe?
  • How does this impact job security and community trust?
  • Quote (Lauren LoRosa, 18:28):

    “Let me know how y'all feeling. I want to know, was it a good idea? Was it not a good idea? Were you shocked?...Will you continue to support Vibe and what they do?”

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• 03:00 – Lauren on the news:

  "How do you guys feel about the legendary Black, you know, staple magazines...Vibe Magazine, becoming a part of Rolling Stone?...Vibe will bolster Rolling Stone's hip hop coverage..."

• 05:00 – On Black media ownership:

  "First thing I thought of when I saw this was why is Rolling Stone in black people Business. And I get it...But historically, we know that those outlets, the Vibes, the Ebonys, the jets, the Essence magazines, those outlets, they're ours, right?"

• 12:10 – Industry layoffs post-merger:

  "Because of the Vibe and Rolling Stone merger...I now no longer have my job. Thank you for the three years of this..."

• 13:55 – Media competition & adaptation:

  "With the way that the landscape is changing in media...People gotta really believe it to even want to support. And I think those legacy magazines. I've always wondered, what was the. What's the fix for them?"

• 15:30 – On the “gentrification” of Black media:

  "It feels like Vibe is about to be gentrified. Like, what is going on here?...Like, why does a. Why do. Why do our neighborhoods have to be gentrified for the price to go up? That's how I thought about this."

• 17:08 – Business logic vs. authenticity:

  “Business is business. But I don’t know, it just. I'm kind of stuck in the middle here because as a businesswoman, I understand, and I'm like, oh, that was kind of smart for them...But with black culture, leads, media trend, all of the things, period, you need a real strong force in trust.”

• 18:28 – Call for listener feedback:

  “Let me know how y'all feeling. I want to know, was it a good idea? Was it not a good idea? Were you shocked?...Will you continue to support Vibe and what they do?”

Memorable Moments

• Lauren’s authentic internal debate—weighing the excitement of more resources for Vibe against the fear of losing Black editorial perspective.
• Comparison to classic brand collaborations and acquisitions (like music distribution deals and Rihanna with Fenty).
• Personal anecdotes about working in both mainstream and Black-centered media, highlighting differences in tone, energy, and representation.
• The call to action for community feedback, setting the episode apart as a two-way conversation on an evolving cultural landscape.

Conclusion

Lauren closes the episode reflecting both her pride in Vibe and her worries about its future—inviting listeners to process their feelings and join the conversation. Her nuanced exploration of business growth, legacy, and identity stakes in Black media ensures an engaging, thoughtful perspective right at the heart of current pop culture dialogue.

(For full context, skip to 03:00–20:24 for the main discussion on the Vibe and Rolling Stone merger.)