The FADER’s 50th issue (that’s 10 years, homie) is now on newstands in bold gold, thicker than u-ju-al vaingloriousness. It’s fitting for a magazine that rarely pats itself on the back, sitting in stark contrast to every other 1000th issue celebration/Top 50 list/8 Ways To Save A Dying Squirrel Issue that some magazines *ahem*Rolling Stone*ahem* be droppin’ every other day. Aside from cataloging some of their top stories and articles over the years, the new FADER features a couple of great editorial/publisher letters that made me think back to my days as an intern @ the mag/promo company, when they were on the 9th Fl instead of 13th, and around the time that Nas dropped “Ether.” Damn, just the thought of my first listen of that record makes me say flinch – sorry Hov. I was like somethin-teen, and I took mad pride in being in the first in the office to hear it (and subsequently, got props for playing it for my bosses in the radio room). Annnnyway, props to The FADER for being consistently up on fly ish, diverse and for being one of few publications that for the most part, I’ll pick up regardless of the cover story. You can cop yours on newstands now, and it should be available as a free pdf in the itunes music store hella soon.

P.S.: Rolling Stone, we kid. We loved that 85th Pink Floyd cover. Now how ’bout that Astreet feature? Huh? Yeah, that’s cool, we’re a little busy too. Another time! Smooches!