"Of Those to Whom Much Is Given, Much Is Expected”

This saying is becoming more than just words; it's becoming my mantra. My folks came to me a couple of months ago with the opportunity to guest edit an issue of KING. My first response was bet: no problem. It's only right—the magazine is named after me. Then I returned to the studio to wrap up Paper Trail, not yet realizing or understanding the honor and responsibility of the task. I was told no other individual has ever really guest edited the magazine, so I would be the first. I had been in KING plenty of times before, and Jermaine is my partna, so how hard could it be to edit an issue? Well, first I had to find out what exactly that meant. I didn't want to be on some prima donna shit and just put my name on the magazine and that's it. I needed to find out what the hell went into putting a book together. My book, my way.

This is the Politics Issue, so several of the columns have a political swing to them. My first assignment was a TAG fashion shoot, which had a presidential feel to it. Then I had to jump into a political panel discussion consisting of Kevin Powell, Yung Berg, Valeisha Butterfield and Gbenga Akinnagbe, which was moderated by Erik Parker. At the last minute, the cover model dropped out, so I reached into my Rolodex to find the perfect person. My girl Reagan Gomez, from the Robert Townsend sitcom Parent Hood, was a no-brainer. We had just finished my video for "Whatever You Like,” and everybody was feelin' her!

Much props go out to Jermaine and the staff. It's much harder than you might think being the editor in chief of the hottest mag in the biz.

T.I.
Guest Editor

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