The Daily Swarm

Page 6:

RAPPER Nas was shocked when Maxim gave his new album, “N – - – - r,” a 21/2-star review – because it isn’t even finished yet. “I’m finishing the album now, and it will be out April 22,” Nas told Page Six. Maxim has since apologized for the premature review, but Nas doesn’t care. “I’d prefer [a review from] Playboy,” the rapper said. “That kind of stuff doesn’t reach my radar or effect anybody around me. I don’t know what a music rating from Maxim is . . . I don’t know what it even means really.” Maxim also reviewed the Black Crowes’ album, “War Paint,” without listening to it in its entirety.

UPDATE: Black Crowes:

Maxim magazine has issued a formal “apology” for publishing a negative review of The Black Crowes’ new album by a writer who hadn’t listened to the CD.

Pete Angelus, manager of The Black Crowes, stated, “In my opinion, Maxim’s fabrication of an album review is highly unethical and indefensible. This issue potentially pertains to all artists and their craft, and a publication which apparently has no respect for either.”

Maxim’s Editorial Director, James Kaminsky, issued this statement to the media: “It is Maxim’s editorial policy to assign star ratings only to those albums that have been heard in their entirety. Unfortunately, that policy was not followed in the March 2008 issue of our magazine and we apologize to our readers.”

Angelus responds, “Maxim seems to continue in their attempt to deceive the public with their usage of the word ‘entirety.’ At the most, Maxim could have only heard the one complete song that has been released to radio,
before publishing their ‘album review.’ It comes as no surprise that Maxim has elected to apologize to their readers now that the world has been informed of their deception; however, that is not full accountability.”

In closing, Angelus said, “In my opinion, Maxim’s ‘apology’ is self-serving damage control by failing to mention The Black Crowes. The appropriate action from Maxim is to immediately issue a public apology to The Black Crowes for disparaging both the band and their soon to be released new album ‘Warpaint’ without having heard the material.”

AP:

Maxim editorial director James Kaminsky responded Tuesday with this statement: “It is Maxim’s editorial policy to assign star ratings only to those albums that have been heard in their entirety. Unfortunately, that policy was not followed in the March 2008 issue of our magazine and we apologize to our readers.”