XXL Jay-Z cover. Hip-Hop connection 50 Cent cover.
Hip-Hop Connection, under the editorship of Chris Hunt, published its first issue in July 1988. In 2009 the magazine published its final and 232nd issue. The target audience for Hip-Hop magazine are young adults mainly male.
Front Cover
Masthead: The masthead XXL is white in block capitals with a red background which makes the letters in white stand out, emphasizing its name “XXL”. The masthead HipHop is also in block capitals but in red. Both of these magazine’s masthead connote a dangerous, powerful feel, because of its red colour. This also relates to the target audience who are mostly male readers, ageing from 18 - 30 years old, because men at that age want to feel strong and fearless, therefore the masthead will attract them to the magazine.
Main Image: The main image of XXL is Jay-Z, who is a rapper and a HipHop dancer, fitting very much to the magazine. He is one of the most successful Hip-Hop artists in the world, and has many many fans. Therefore, the audience will be able to relate to him from the Blumler and Katz theory, by being informed and educated about Hip-Hop and rapping, and also entertain themselves.
He is dressed in black from top to bottom, with a coat covering himself, and a white background with white buildings with Jay-Z towering them all. His black clothing connotes a firm and tough feel, his cape-like coat connotes a heroic feel, and his hands clutching his belt, gives a fearless impression. He is covered in pitch black clothes, with no jewelry or any silver, showing that although he is rich and famous now, he came from a poor and tough background, stating the fact that anyone can be rich or famous even if you come from a poor lifestyle. He claims in his lyrics that when he was younger, he shot his older brother in the shoulder for stealing his jewelry, which may also be why he has no jewelry on him. The shot is a low angle long shot because it emphasizes his how big he has become over the years, and again, giving it a heroic image.
His mode of address is looking towards the sky but with his shades on, as if he were hiding something behind them; possibly his tough past. He is looking at the sky to state the fact that the “Sky is the limit”. He has a straight face on him, making himself look fearless.
The background is white buildings and the sky, making the black Jay-Z stand out. The white colour can also relate to the fact that Jay-Z is a black man living in a white country, making him look as if he were standing towards racism.
The main image of Hip-Hop is a black and white shot of 50Cent, a rapper, again relating to the magazine. He is topless, and is showing his abs, looking very strong. It is shot at a low angle making him look big and powerful, and towering above us.Unlike the XXL magazine, Hip-Hop is giving a darker connotation because it has a dark background emphasizing on the main image, and because it is a shadowy image. The dark background colour is also emphasizing the fact about 50Cent’s tough life he had before fame and fortune, for he was shot 9 times, and survived. The first 12 pages of the magazine is about him, so the main image is helping us to be informed and educated relating to the Blumler and Katz theory. His body is shining because of the camera angle, which connotes shining metal, as if he were made of steel. His fists are been hidden which connotes a threatening image, for we can’t see what he may be holding. He may be holding a weapon. His crucifix chain connotes death and being on top of the world because a cross at a church is always on top of the church roof. His hat shows as if that is the only weapon he needs to defend himself.
His mode of address is looking behind his back, or possibly his past tough life, or his enemies who shot him. He is looking back, which can also mean that he has regrets about his past.
The secondary image underneath him are of other rappers or Hip-Hop dancers. They all look serious and scary, pointing their fingers towards us as if they are talking directly to us, which relates to the Blumler and Katz’s theory of the audience identifying with the image. They are in an arrow shape, and are all overlapping, as if they are blocking 50Cent from his enemies. They all have chains and some have bandanas and shades covering their face as if they were criminals, giving a frightening image.
Layout: The XXL magazine has 3 columns which are skyline and masthead on top, sell lines in the middle, and anchorage text on the bottom. Both the masthead and the anchorage text are in large fonts, making us focus on both of them at once. They are also both on the left side of the page, and is easier to focus on it.
The Hip-Hop magazine also has 3 columns with the skyline and masthead on top, sell lines in the middle, and a secondary image on the bottom. The masthead has the largest text, making it very obvious.
Layering: The XXL magazine has around 4 layerings, including the background of the sky, the buildings, Jay-Z and the masthead and sell lines. The image of Jay-Z is covering a bit of the masthead XXL, showing how big and powerful Jay-Z is.
The Hip-Hop magazine has 4 layerings, including the black background, 50Cent, the secondary image of rappers and Hip-Hoppers, and the masthead and sell lines. The black background is emphasizing everything on the page, and once more, the main image is covering a bit of the masthead, HipHop.
Fonts: Both magazines use sans serif font, but in XXL, the letters “Jay-Z” are in italic, making it stand out, and most of the letters are capital letters. Bald letters connote a tough feel, like a tough guy, relating to the main images of both Jay-Z and 50 cent.
Sell Lines: Both magazines have information about the main images, and both include famous names such as Beyonce, and Papoose.
Languages: The XXL magazine include languages such as “14 albums deep” which is an unusual phrase to use, as if Jay-Z were in a pool of fame. There are questions that are interacting with the audience, which relate to Blumler and Katz’s theory of identifying ourselves. The Hip-Hop magazine include languages that intrigue the audience, such as “FREE!” with the exclamation mark, and “New York Special” and “2pac magazine” in white. the colour white with the black background is standing out very much, and catching people’s eyes. The colour white also relate to heaven and death, again relating to 50Cent’s background. It includes quotes from other rappers which attract the audience and fans.
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