Validated Magazine Issue #25

Featuring 

Salute Da Kidd:

Our cover story shines on The Wisenmens’ Salute Da Kidd, whose new album Time Heals All Wounds embodies growth, resilience, and reflection. His message reminds us that healing and hustling often walk hand in hand.

We sit down with Staten Island legend Kool Kim to discuss his recent project Th3rd Eye, and Rian Wyld, a rising “Rap Soul” artist channeling pain into power while redefining authenticity in hip-hop. From Brooklyn’s Kevin Sutton, who pens motivation through his book Dreams Don’t Work Unless You Do, to Ellenville’s own LIYM Capital, who uses truth and purpose as his lyrical foundation—the spectrum of creativity in New York continues to shine strong.

Terror Van Poo reflects on Bronx roots and upcoming projects, while Queens’ Nutso reminds us what it means to stay hungry with his latest record, Gotta Get It. UnLearn The World discusses the responsibility of using hip-hop as a tool to educate, empower, and restore the culture, and Slidebeatz takes us from the underground of Poland to international stages, proving that hip-hop’s global heartbeat has no borders.

In our feature essay, Tamal of Carrying The Culture breaks down The Crack Epidemic’s undeniable impact on hip-hop—how pain, poverty, and politics shaped not only the music, but the mindset of a generation.

Our resident critic JB Pryor rounds out the issue with an in-depth look at some of the recent most powerful releases—from Locksmith & Heatmakerz, Mobb Deep, Slaine & Statik Selektah, Joell Ortiz, Lloyd Banks, RJ Payne, Ransom & DJ Premier, Ashthon Jones, Big L, Blaq Medici, and the ever-consistent Agallah the Don.

Twenty-five issues later, our mission remains unchanged: to document the culture with integrity, celebrate its creators with respect, and remind the world that hip-hop is more than music—it’s validation through expression.