Letter From the Editor | The Pivot

There’s power in a pivot.

Michael Jordan pivoted when he decided to play minor league baseball.

Shit, even Musiq Soulchild took a turn at rapping for a little bit.

We’re not saying pivoting always turns out favorable. But in our case, we hope that’s not true. The Richmond Seen is taking a collective pause from this issue—to regroup. To pivot.

We’re launching our new website! Which includes finally getting digital subscriptions your way (we still need your asses to go out and grab a physical paper from time to time though — still at Vinyl Conflict and Le Cache Dulcet). The site will also include exclusive video content for paid subscribers, discounts, music submissions, an online store, and a lot more. We’re searching for new reporters to expand our eyes and imprint around the city. Our pivot is building a media outlet that’ll make Richmond proud.

We’ll also have info coming soon on how to:

• Get exclusive interviews with us

• Access media packages for artists and businesses

• And most importantly, how to get SEEN

We’ll be back in a short while with the September/October issue — packed with more stories, more impact, and more of what’s happening on the Scene.

Editor’s Note Vol. 2: Mad Skillz, Fine Dining, Coffee & Needle Drops

As we prepare for the inaugural issue of The Richmond Seen, one thing has become increasingly clear: our mission isn’t just to provide quality stories about underground artists, but also to bring cohesion to the creative cliques in our city.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve joined in community with many of Richmond’s creatives as we prepare for our print launch in March. Most recently, we gathered for a panel discussion honoring Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist Mad Skillz and had the pleasure of interviewing James Ford of @just_something_i_ate. We first met James on a chilly evening at Penny’s Wine Bar, where we shared a beautifully chilled red and a conversation that spanned hip-hop, gentrification, controversy, Black people in fine dining spaces, constructive criticism, legacy—everything Richmond has to offer. And everything she lacks. As James simply put it, “Community… yeah.”

That same sentiment echoed through the panel, as Skillz’s closest friends all agreed—he has always included Richmond, Virginia his hometown, in every accolade.

It’s a reflection we’ve seen time and time again as we’ve laid the groundwork for The Richmond Seen, sharing stories, experiences, and the moments that shape our creative landscape.

It was our desire for community that led us to be part of The Internet Is Fake listening party last year at BHMVA. It was that same desire—and the calling to put our MF phones down and actually engage with news, events, and stories—that gave birth to TRS. We want to bring back the experience of walking into your local gas station, grabbing a soda and a newspaper. Or stepping into Country Style on Williamsburg Road, seeing the same elders at the counter, sipping coffee over a donut as they discuss politics, business, family, and local events—flipping through the newest publication of the Richmond Free Press.

That same desire brought us to the Le Cache Dulcet this chilly Sunday – a new record and coffee shop, and welcomed him into the community.

This is what fuels the stories we want to share through this newspaper.

The first edition of The Richmond Seen is just a couple of weeks away, where we’ll highlight the women artists, creatives and local businesses of Richmond.

We look forward to being the bridge that brings the creative community together.

Thank you for allowing us to be seen.

Editor’s Note Vol. 1: Rewriting the Seen After A Conversation with Silly Genius

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve had incredible opportunities to speak in community with several artists, creatives, and business owners in Richmond.

We vibed out with Shae La Soul at the Len and Hip Hop Henry at Get Tight Lounge on Wednesday. Thursday we headed over to Southside Contemporary Art Gallery to relish on the final days of the “Keep It 1000 Exhibit.”

We caught up with the Silly Genius later in the week to discuss the covering of the murals in Richmond at a new bev shop called Natroganix and had the amazing opportunity to meet the owner, Nat.

The visit to SCAG, in addition to chatting it up with Silly, led to conversations about art, the future of artists and Black creatives in Richmond, and a collective idea of how do we bring it all together.

The Richmond Seen initially was a vision for us. To bring to life that there’s plenty of shit to do in Richmond. But this week made us realize our calling is also to bring awareness via print and digital media to the call for community amongst creatives and artists alike. Richmond is a powerhouse if we are a collective. And it deserves to be seen.

So, with that said we’re taking a collective pause this week on news as we move forward to head to print in March. To say we’re nervous is an understatement. But we’re so honored to be a source of your stories. OUR stories.

We’ll see you later this week with new music and the start to our Monthly event calendar to keep us in the know.

Peace

The Richmond Seen

The Richmond Seen & Unseen

Welcome to The Richmond Seen!

We’re thrilled to bring you a fresh perspective on our beloved city. From the soulful beats of local Hip Hop to the aromatic wonders of our food scene, we’re here to highlight both the seen and unseen energy of Richmond.

Our pages will be filled with stories that matter – celebrating our diverse voices, uncovering hidden gems, and amplifying the creativity that makes our community unique.

Join us as we explore, celebrate, and grow together. This is your city, your stories, your Richmond Seen.

Our first print edition, hit the streets on March 13th, 2025.