RESPECT. Magazine

The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture

Founded in 2009, RESPECT. is a New York-based quarterly hip-hop and photojournalism magazine. The publication covers hip-hop culture and focuses on music, photography, and style.

As opposed to more mainstream hip-hop magazines, RESPECT.'s aesthetic is more highbrow, targeting "sophisticated and intelligent" readers. Its print circulation was approximately 250,000 per issue before switching to digital in 2019.

Spencer was instrumental in managing RESPECT., a critically acclaimed print and digital magazine that celebrates the greatest creatives to have documented hip-hop music and culture, from photojournalists and writers to editors and graphic designers.

At RESPECT., his responsibilities have included:

Managing social media accounts
Organizing, debugging, and updating content management systems, servers, and databases
Managing subscriptions database, fulfilling back issue orders, and performing customer service/retention when necessary
Organizing and adding new content to RESPECT.’s website and iOS app
Overseeing and managing editorial and advertorial projects with brands such as Casio/G-SHOCK, K-SWISS, and Crown Royal
Resolving all support requests from end-users

The hip-hop nation demands respect.

Launched in November 2009, rap aficionados worldwide got it—a magazine that doesn’t care about the latest beef or how much cash your favorite rapper has in the bank.

With the print game changing and the ever-growing amount of free urban content on the Web, there is a need for a publication that raises the quality standard, delivering world-class editorial and images by some of the most celebrated photographers in pop culture.

RESPECT. Magazine targets sophisticated and intelligent readers, who desire a publication that visually has soul and speaks to them with class.

Welcome to the new old school.

RESPECT. X Twenty Grand Advertorial Video with Seth Dynomite

RESPECT. X G-SHOCK Advertorial Video with Dae Dae (Project Managed by Spencer)

Highlight reel of the 20th Anniversary Celebration of XXL Magazine's “Greatest Day in Hip-Hop

“XXL’s Greatest Day” 20th Anniversary Event in Harlem

On November 7, 2018, RESPECT. headed north to Harlem, where hip-hop fans from all over New York converged upon the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture to reflect upon the 20th anniversary of XXL’s “Greatest Day In Hip-Hop,” a moment in history made even more important due to its photographer, the legendary Gordon Parks. Organized by author Vikki Tobak and RESPECT., the packed auditorium listened to vivid stories of how the Greatest Day went down, complete with timeless video and photos to match.

Spencer was brought on to successfully manage this special event, from start to finish.

Along with fans, folks who were a part of making that photo happen and the people in the actual photo excitedly filled up the seats of the Schomburg Center. The panel included the founder of XXL, former editors and writers who were there that day, hip-hop icon Fab 5 Freddy, and legendary rapper Styles P.

On November 7, hip-hop fans from all over New York gathered at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture to hear about that memorable day. Along with fans, folks who were a part of making that photo happen and the people in the actual photo excitedly filled up the seats of the Schomburg Center. As the panel began and swapped stories, you couldn’t help but get yourself wrapped up in all of it. Even people in the crowd had their own stories about that day.

As Styles P put it, “There were no egos that day.” And that ego-free environment inspired others to continue to celebrate “A Great Day in Hip-Hop” even 20 years after it happened.

All in all, the 20th anniversary celebration of “A Great Day in Hip-Hop” was a massive success. People from all parts of hip-hop culture connected, and the mood in the room was confirmed by Styles P: “Our culture runs the world. It breaks every barrier.”

New York Sky Blues

The Greatest Day