September 25, 2025
Emil Wilbekin’s career has truly shaped an industry and our culture.
A journalist and magazine executive who has consistently operated at the vanguard of cultural discourse, Emil Kraig Wilbekin has dedicated his career to elevating the voices of Black and LGBTQ+ communities.
A Cleveland, Ohio, native, Wilbekin’s journey from an inquisitive “Mr. Reporter” to a celebrated media luminary highlights the maven’s contribution to the culture and journalism.
Wilbekin’s formative years were defined by his relentless pursuit of knowledge, a passion that blossomed despite an undiagnosed dyslexia.
He recounted rigorous summers of study and his parents’ unwavering support — his father, Harvey, a lawyer and structural engineer; and his mother, Cleota, a law judge and sociologist — instilled in him an intense work ethic and a deep appreciation for education.
“My parents were superheroes,” Wilbekin expressed, crediting their example for his drive.
His academic path forged a foundation for his career. In 1989, Wilbekin earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Media Arts from Hampton University, where he served as editor of the Hampton Script.
He then went on to receive his M.S. degree in journalism from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in 1990. Wilbekin credits his time at Hampton with instilling a “real sense of community” and a deep understanding of Black history. Upon graduating from Columbia, he felt his HBCU education “was up to par,” proving his readiness for the rigors of the Ivy League.
Pioneering a New Era of Media
Wilbekin’s career took off in the early 1990s as a founding editor of Vibe magazine, where he quickly achieved the coveted title of editor-in-chief in 1999.
Under his leadership, Vibe received the prestigious National Magazine Award for General Excellence in 2002, a landmark achievement.
“Winning this award… was one of my greatest professional accomplishments because it was the first time an urban magazine had won, beating out Jane, Wired, The New Yorker, and Gourmet Magazine,” Wilbekin said.
During his tenure at Vibe, Wilbekin played a pivotal role in several groundbreaking moments. He worked with artists like Aaliyah and Maxwell, styled iconic photo shoots, and, notably, helped usher in a long-overdue conversation about homosexuality within the hip-hop community. He was also a consultant for Microsoft and Marc Ecko Enterprises, a contributor to Complex magazine, and managing editor of Essence.com before becoming editor-at-large for Essence magazine.
As a media maverick, Wilbekin’s career arc from music to style to editor-in-chief was not conventional, even for an ever-changing industry. He credited his success to his ability to discover and break emerging talent, as well as a keen eye for culture that transcended a single genre. While at Vibe, he was an early champion for artists who would become icons, including Mary J. Blige and Maxwell. It was his deep immersion in hip-hop culture, coupled with his journalistic instincts, that enabled him to bridge the gap between music and fashion.
In the mid-90s, he created the position of Style Editor, a title he pioneered to gain experience in a field that was not yet widely integrated into urban media.
This bold move paved the way for his eventual role as Editor-in-Chief. He styled groundbreaking photoshoots, including the iconic October 1995 cover featuring Faith Evans and The Notorious B.I.G., images that he says “changed everything” for the magazine’s aesthetic and influence.
In 2014, Wilbekin began a new chapter as an independent consultant and editorial content executive, culminating in the founding of Native Son Now in 2017.
Native Son is a platform and community created to inspire and empower Black gay and queer men.
The organization’s mission, he notes, is to “harness the collective power of Black gay/queer men…to ensure that our voices, visibility, and lived experiences are elevated in all of the communities in which we exist.”
A Legacy of Activism and Influence
Wilbekin’s proven dedication to social justice is as integral to his identity as his editorial prowess.
His work on Native Son, inspired by James Baldwin’s Notes of a Native Son, creates a safe space for dialogue and fellowship, filling a critical void for a community that has historically been marginalized. His activism extends to his service on numerous boards, including those for the Black AIDS Institute and The Stonewall Foundation.
His impact has been widely recognized. Baldwin’s impact and influence penetrate deep into Wilbekin’s spirit. He celebrated the prolific writer’s “heavenly birthday” on Instagram.
“Happy Heavenly Birthday, James Baldwin. Baldwin has been an inspiration for me since I was a teenager, when I was introduced to his words through my parents’ library — ‘Giovanni’s Room’ and ‘No Name In The Street’ resonated with me. When I witnessed Baldwin in real life, when I was in college at Hampton University’s Ogden Hall, I was mesmerized. His powerful words, his commanding presence, and his savoir-faire were a revelation, a reflection of sorts. It’s the knowing when Black gay men see one another — clock each other. But it was more than that.”
He continued, “When I created the early ideas of Native Son, the movement, community, and platform I founded in 2016, there was a singular figure who I felt embodied the vision — the visionary, the icon, the indomitable James Baldwin. His debut collection of essays, Notes of A Native Son, represented what I imagined this platform could (and would) be. Bold, audacious, unapologetic, and brave. The name Native Son spoke volumes.“
“This quote from the book would become the realization and manifestation of the dream. ‘The place in which I’ll fit will not exist until I make it.’ — James Baldwin. Today, I sit in gratitude for Baldwin’s life and legacy because he and his words are the gift that keeps giving, speaking truth to power, serving as an unyielding roadmap, and breathing life into generations of Black gay, queer, and gender nonconforming men today and in the future. Who else would say being a Black homosexual was hitting the jackpot but Baldwin? He owned it. Speak Life.”
“Rest in Peace and Power, Mr. Baldwin,” Wilbekiin concluded the post.
He was named one of the 100 most influential gay people in America by Out magazine in 2002 and was inducted into the Hampton University Mass Media Arts Hall of Fame in 2007.
Wilbekin’s career has truly shaped an industry and our culture.
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