The Source is a hip-hop magazine founded in 1988 that covers hip-hop music, politics, and culture. It was started by two students at Harvard University as a concert newsletter but grew in popularity after interviewing LL Cool J. While primarily read by teenagers and adults interested in urban music like hip-hop, the magazine also provides background information on the culture and politics of hip-hop. The Source has held influential hip-hop music awards shows but faced financial difficulties in recent years, emerging from bankruptcy with new ownership.