#5 – Has Anyone Actually Read It?

By: Wayne Farry | April 30th, 2009

So for the past couple of months/weeks there has been fevered anticipation (not really) for Rio Ferdinand’s new online magazine, #5. I read it, and decided to share my impressions.

Now, Rio’s a different guy to what he used to be. Long gone are the stupid defensive mistakes, ‘forgotten’ drug tests and supposed adultery. He’s an entrepreneur now, he has a record label called White Chalk Music (clever, eh?) which has already signed two acts, in fact Rio is set to rap on his act Nia Jai’s newest release. He is also involved in TV and film. He famously presented Rio’s World Cup Wind-Ups during the 2006 World Cup and is also financing a new gangster film starring Danny Dyer and Fiddy Cent.

His most recent foray into the world of media is this new magazine, #5. From what I’ve seen/heard it’s effectively a lifestyle magazine, call it a trashier GQ, if you will. My first impression were mixed. You click on the link to bring you to the issue one and are immediately slapped in the ears by the sound of Fiddy Cent shouting “Get up!” at you. Not a great start. It gets better after this however, as you delve further into the mag you see that the presentation is top notch, when you got a page, the icons are at first on top of each other but then separate and move into their places, it looks cool, I won’t lie to you.

It does quickly go downhill again though. It’s filled with drudge. You have a video with some freestylers, something to do with Duffy (the Welsh songstress who no-one can decide if she’s attractive) and has West Ham’s injured defender Danny Gabbidon modelling the type of clothes that you know Rio wears.

We then move onto an interview with our cover-star, Fiddy! I won’t tell lies, I didn’t read the interview. My mind’s been made up, this magazine is no great shakes. You can see what Rio was going for but it’s just a bit stupid. Also, where is the fit Geordie who we were all told was the ~~boobs~~ face of this magazine?

So yeah, not great. But check it out, if only for a few laughs.