• by whitley , August 12, 2005

When Adrian Moeller started Mass Appeal magazine in 1996, it was a stapled zine about graffiti and edgy urban culture published out of an apartment in Green Point, Brooklyn. Ten years later, yuppie moms (granted, those who wear hip-hop sneakers and gold jewelry) and baby strollers are taking over that turf.

Ironically, Mass Appeal now has mass appeal. Among the music and local Brooklyn clothing ads, there are ads from mass marketers such as Nissan, Puma, and Pepsi; the bi-monthly book now reaches 781,000 of what the marketers like to call "urban culture-artists and trendsetters."

I pride myself in staying on the edge of urban culture, but after reading the latest issue of Mass Appeal, I felt hopelessly out of it, which is exactly what the editors want - and what makes the magazine a success. In its style (Superlative Conspiracy, a Swedish active wear company), music reviews (Beck to Black Market Militia), interviews (Amy Sedaris), profiles (Rapper Edan), recipes (Slim Thug's Boss French toast), and sex (older women), the magazine is insider-hip and edgy. But, as soon as you open the book, you feel like you're invited to the party.

Sacha Jenkins is the editor-in-chief and was just given a financial stake in the magazine. He hails as the music editor of Vibe and co-producer of "Race O Rama" on VH1, so he knows how to speak to a diverse audience.

The cover story of the latest issue is about gator leather shoes -- the hottest thing around for the hip-hop playboy -- and the fabrication process. "Alligators are shaped in such a way that once split open, the bitches can't lie down flat."

Other features, which have great photography, include the graffiti gang DYM's latest plans to take over the outskirts of Brooklyn; a gorgeous black and white photo essay on chromed-out low rider bikes by Geoffrey Nicholson; and a page of eclectic book reviews ("Sneakers: The Complete Collectors Guide" and "Canceled Flight: 101 Tried and True Pigeon Killin' Methods"). While the writing is dense, once you pick up on Mass Appeal's voice, it makes you want don a little bling bling and grab a spray can.