Jonathan Shecter is a music/media professional with more than 25 years experience as an editor-in-chief, executive producer, and programming director. Best known as founding editor of The Source magazine and the creator of hip-hop journalism, Shecter emerged as a pop culture tastemaker and industry trendsetter in media, publishing, and music programming across a broad range of platforms.

In 1988, while an undergraduate at Harvard College, Shecter co-founded The Source, ʻthe magazine of hip-hop music, culture and politics.' The magazine achieved millions of readers and a broad, supportive advertising base, serving a crucial role in the development of hip-hop artists and brands, disseminating influential ideas, annexing television, film and fashion.

In 1997 “Shecky Green” founded Game Recordings, a music and video label that produced early hits with Eminem and 50 Cent. In 2003, he relocated to Las Vegas and created a talent booking agency representing DJ AM, Mark Ronson and other pioneering ‘Celebrity DJs.’ In 2008, he became Director of Programming for Wynn Las Vegas nightclubs, overseeing music/talent programming, content creation, marketing and business development for four of the biggest nightclub/dayclub venues in America.

In 2014, Shecter launched Cuepoint, an innovative music publication living on Medium, the writing platform founded by Ev Williams (Twitter). Cuepoint is a home for ambitious music journalism—recruiting top music writers and curating user-generated content from the Medium community. Cuepoint features original first-person writing from recording artists, producers, DJ and music executives. The publication garners millions of unique visitors each month.

Most recently, Shecter launched Playback Prodigy—intelligent music curation. The hardware/software/content platform provides background music solutions for upscale resorts, casinos and restaurants. Clients include MGM Resorts and Wynn Las Vegas.

Author of HIp-Hop in Houston: The Origin and Legacy

Maco L. Faniel, a native Houstonian, is an emerging scholar, writer, speaker and advocate.

Maco’s book, Hip Hop in Houston: The Origin and Legacy, examines the history of Houston’s hip-hop culture from its beginnings in the early 1980s to 1991. He explores the nature of Houston hip-hop to discover how it came about, why it’s notable, and what it reveals about the life experiences of urban young people in Houston during the 1980s.

Maco is a doctoral student in history at Rutgers University. He holds an MA in history from Texas Southern University and a BA in speech and communications from Texas A&M University. He researches and writes about twentieth century African American culture and the late twentieth century carceral state. He is particularly focused on writing histories of how those considered invisible, deviant, worthless, or marginal made meaning of American life. More, specifically he will now be investigating the political economy and lived experiences of the War on Drugs in Houston, TX.

Maco is also contributor to the book Religion in Hip Hop: Mapping the New Terrain edited by Anthony B. Pinn, Monica R. Miller and rapper Bernard “Bun B” Freeman. His chapter, “Mapping Space and Place in the Analysis of Hip Hop and Religion: Houston As An Example,” insists that questions about the role of religion in hip hop must also interrogate the intersection of space, place, and time as significant domains of hip hop cultural practices. From there he analyzes Houston’s hip hop culture to point to what may be religious about it.

Most recently Maco taught courses at Hunter College, Northern State Prison and East Jersey State Prison (part of NJ-Step), and Lone Star Community College. Prior to his work in the academy, Maco worked as an affirmative action consultant, college recruiter, corporate recruiter, professional development and career development specialist, and as a middle school teacher.