Executives
at hip-hop magazine XXL
have responded to an ex-employee’s charges of racism
filed in a $10 million dollar lawsuit last week.
Donald Morris, whom the New York Post referred to
as a cofounder of the magazine claimed that Stanley
Harris and executive Dennis Page routinely used
anti-black slurs in the workplace, referring to
blacks as "n###### & monkeys."
Speaking on the issue for the first time in public
to Allhiphop, Dennis Page denied the allegations.
"First off, Don Morris is a disgruntled ex-employee.
He was the art director, not the cofounder of XXL,"
Page asserted. "His work began to slip and
he was fired." This was a sentiment echoed
by other employees at XXL, who have come to support
Page as a "stand up guy." “Morris is using
this to cover up for his incompetence,” Adam Matthews,
who writes for XXL said.
Page,
who said he has been very active in the community
said that Morris was simply playing the race card.
"We’ve been in business 20 years, (publishing
XXL for 5 years) have a multiracial staff, and have
NEVER had a single complaint. Not one advertiser
has pulled out due to this lawsuit and we will fight
this lawsuit in court."
Editor
In Chief of XXL Elliot Wilson also defended Page.
"I’ve been working for Dennis Page for the
past two years and he has treated me with nothing
but respect," Wilson said. "I’ve never
witnessed him using the N word. Bottom line: The
termination of Don Morris didn’t have anything to
do with racism. It’s as simple as that."
