The Team

For nearly a decade, Andreas Hale has been a culture, music and sports journalist. He has held positions as Managing Editor of HipHopSite.com, Editor-In-Chief of HipHopDX.com and Executive Editor of Music at BET.com.  After his departure from BET, Andreas has been lending his ink to a number of publications and websites including The Source, XXL, FIGHT Magazine, 944, FightNews, Black Enterprise, MTV, Vegas Seven, Jay-Z’s Life + times and a host of others with articles varying from perspectives on social issues and today’s music industry to boxing and mixed martial arts coverage.

After years of working with multiple websites and magazine, Andreas launched “TheWellVersed.com” On October 10^th, 2010 to bring together all of the subjects he has covered over the years. Best described as a mixture between Spike TV and MTV with a dash of political consciousness and a distinctive voice, TheWellVersed received placement on The Source Magazine’s “Digital Power 30” after only one year of existence. By utilizing his expertise in a number of areas on a new media platform, Andreas hopes to offer an alternative way of thinking for those who desire more than gossip blogs spotty journalism.

Follow Andreas on his Twitter

Hailing from the City of Sin, Las Vegas, NV, Anthony Springer Jr. came into the world with a pen in one hand and a microphone in the other March 28, 1984. He’s been recording since he could talk and began penning short stories once he properly learned to hold a writing utensil.

As the offspring of two educators, he learned the power of knowledge and critical thinking early and lived on a steady diet of black history via Roots, Malcolm X, the Black Panther Party, early Egyptian culture, and Sam Cooke.

Anthony’s career in mass media began in 2000 during an internship at Las Vegas’ only Black radio station, Power 88. After working his way up the ranks, he co-hosted a weekend radio show for seven years.

In 2005, Anthony began writing for Hip Hop DX and re-discovered his love for the written word. He quickly established a reputation at the site for hard hitting editorials and coverage of political and social issues. His work has been seen in Ultimate MMA magazine, Hip Hop DX, DaveyD.com, FightNews, UFC.com and Daily Fiasco and BET.com.

Anthony holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Journalism and Media Studies from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Having lived the life of a military brat, DJ Hourglass, born Jaleesa Ledbetter, has called Utah, South Carolina, Illinois, and North Carolina home at one point. She discovered quickly that aside from family and a few close friends, the only thing that was a staple in her life was music and her passion for it.

A 2011 graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, DJ Hourglass decided to use her degree in Marketing and Business Administration and strive for an alternative career rather than go down the route of her many colleagues being recruited by top financial firms. She was inspired to turn her hobby of sharing music with others and researching the business of the music industry into a career after meeting Barry Weiss and hearing him speak during her Entertainment Industry course.

In July of 2011, DJ Hourglass took matters into her own hands and founded GangstasUseEmoticons.com, an urban entertainment blog devoted to promoting new talent. In addition to cultivating G.U.E., she was named one of the editors and moderators of popular Hip Hop startup RapGenius.com, and served briefly as a contributor to CollegeDJ.net.

Currently the Music Editor of TheWellVersed.com, DJ Hourglass spends her time in both Atlanta, GA and Charlotte, NC honing her skills on the turntables by spinning at gigs along the East Coast and crafting mixes for both The Well Versed and Gangstas Use Emoticons.

To find out more about DJ Hourglass, follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and MixCloud. For music submissions, e-mail her at DJHourglassTWV@gmail.com.

From San Francisco’s Mission district, Danny Acosta is a veteran mixed martial arts journalist built on hope and hustle. His third fight story appeared on ESPN.com and after years contributing to Sherdog.com, became the lead writer at FIGHT! Magazine, penning stories from L.A. to London including consecutive cover features. Mini-documentaries and interviews written by Acosta alongside director and editor Rick Lee were featured on AOL and hit millions of views. He currently spends his time writing for award winning publications like mmajunkie.com and seeking progress in martial arts and stand-up comedy. In addition to fondness of fight culture, Acosta has worked with anti-dog fighting charities and for indigenous rights in Chiapas, Mexico.

Listen to the “Acosta KO” segment on Sirius Fight Club every Thursday at 2p.m. PST (Sirius 94, XM208), where he breaks down all the latest stories in the UFC and MMA. Follow him Twitter & watch his video interviews and mini-documentaries on Fighting Famous

Ismael AbduSalaam is the boxing editor for the TheWellVersed and the creator of Beats, Boxing & Mayhem, a website specializing in Hip-Hop and boxing culture. A member of the Boxing Writer’s Association of America (BWAA) and former staff writer/boxing columnist for AllHipHop.com, he has also published work with {C} Magazine and PlanetIll.com. He lives by the motto that journalism and ethics don’t have to be skills foreign to Hip-Hop and boxing coverage. Ismael can be followed on Twitter @Allahschild.