Genre & Represenations

7/26/2019 Genre & Represenations

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Genre & Representations

Ruby Hooper


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na ys s o a yp ca p- opmagazine.

(VIBE!"e mast"ea# "as been slig"tly co$ere# by t"e main image but because of t"e popularity of t"e magazine% it is still clear an#un#erstan#able on t"e magazine company. !"e image an# t"e mast"ea# are still clear an# t"ey get aay it" it because t"e

magazine's target au#ience alrea#y "a$e a strong un#erstan#ing of t"e appearance of t"e magazine. !"e mast"ea# is also t"ebran#s logo "ic" is folloing t"e t"eme t"at is set across eac" issue "ic" maes eac" magazine recognizable) t"e "ouset"eme is set for t"is issue from t"e use of t"e colour blue. !"e colour sc"eme c"osen for t"is issue as #eci#e# base# on t"e

main images appearance% t"e blue appears rela*e# an# cool "ile popping out on t"e co$er. +n eac" magazine t"e coloursc"eme "as been selecte# base# on t"e mo#el% t"is maes eac" issue aest"etically pleasing "ile being attention grabbing.

!"e main image is of rap artist ,anye est"o is $ery popular amongst Vibe's target

au#ience% t"is is "y t"is artist as use# tosell t"is issue. "en looing at t"e

tec"nical assets be"in# t"e p"otograp"ingof t"e mo#el) "e "as been capture# on a

me#ium close up s"ot against a blan#bacgroun# "ic" appears to be s"ot in astu#io% t"e ay t"e articial lig"ting "its"is face also gi$es you t"e impression it

as taen in a stu#io in controlle#con#itions. !"e s"a#o creates a gentleseparation beteen t"e mo#el an# t"e

bacgroun#% t"is #ecreases t"e contrastan# maes t"e image appear softer. ,anyeis also looing #on t"e camera lens "ic"maes "im appear to be maing #irect eye

contact it" t"e consumer% t"is is e/ecti$ebecause it elcomes t"e au#ience to rea#

furt"er as ell as buil#ing a #irectrelations"ip beteen t"e artist an# t"econsumer. An# nally% t"e blue collare#

0acet follos t"e blue "ouse t"eme an#ties e$eryt"ing toget"er e1ciently.

!"e use of $isual "ierarc"y #ras t"eau#iences attention to t"e mast"ea# rst% it

is also "ere e naturally rea# from rst.!"e te*t t"at is notice# secon# is 2,ayneest' "ic" relates t"e main image to t"e

content furt"er. !"e t"ir# asset t"at isnotice# amongst t"e te*t is 234' "ic" "asbeen enlarge# to lea# t"e au#iencesattention #on t"e page. !"e colour

contrast emp"asizes #i/erent parts of t"ete*t "ile maing t"e page appear busy

"ic" lls t"e negati$e space on t"e mainimage. !"e colours are pin% blue an# blac%t"is ts appropriately it" t"e "ouse t"eme

"ic" maes t"e co$er loo fres" an#

mo#ern "ic" is appealing to t"e #esire#au#ience. !"e co$er lines "a$e beenaligne# using t"e rule of t"ir#s "ic"

up"ol#s t"e professional appearance% oneco$er line is a 5uote from ,anye "ic" says

2I am rap' "ic" emp"asizes t"e genre oft"e magazine "ile #iscreetly gi$ing t"econsumer a small piece of informationabout t"e content "ic" coul# interest

t"em into anting to purc"ase an# rea# t"emagazine.

!"e font "as mainly been presente# in uppercase because t"is maes it stan# out an# clear to rea# from a #istance% a small

part of t"e co$er "as been printe# in loercase an# t"at is because it is information t"at is #eeme# unimportant but stillbenecial to be inclu#e# on t"e co$er. !"e loercase font is also #i/erent% t"is is #iscrete but formal an# tting for t"epurpose% t"is maes it appear more professional an# not so 2s"outy' toar#s t"e au#ience.


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Hip-Hop 6agazines"en e*amining t"ese t"ree magazine co$ers% it is clear t"at t"ey are Hip-Hop magazines) t"is is ob$ious t"e t"e rea#er because oft"e ay it "as been structure#% t"e c"oice of 0argon an# t"e ay t"e main image "as been presente#. It is clear t"at t"e au#ience ismainly ma#e up of males an# t"e ma0ority of t"em ill be of an African American bacgroun#. Because of t"e nature of t"e musician

"o "as been presente# on t"e front of t"e magazine% it is e*pecte# t"at t"e au#ience is typically o$er t"e age of 78. All t"ree oft"e magazines follo t"e tra#itional co#es an# con$entions of magazines but it" a tist "ic" maes it appeal to t"e genre. !"e

"ouse t"eme for eac" magazine is #i/erent but t"e layout is similar% t"is is "at maes t"e magazines more recognizable as a Hip-Hop piece of material. Eac" magazine "as t"e mast"ea# positione# at t"e top of t"e page% t"is is "ere t"e rea#er naturally rea#sfrom rst% t"e use of $isual "ierarc"y also maes t"is t"e bol#est piece of te*t. !"e riting is in bol# an# uppercase as t"is #rasattention "ile maing is $isible from a #istance% it also "elps "en magazines are in a rac as t"ey are typically #isplaye# in t"is

ay) t"e large magazine title coul# also be #isplaye# in t"is ay to represent t"e male au#ience% males generally lie to be big an#poerful. !o emp"asise t"is point% t"e main image of eac" co$er is of a male musician "o "as control an# poer. !"e image t"at is

use# "as a "uge impact on t"e sales an# interest of t"e au#ience% it #enes t"e genre of magazine "ile attracting an au#ience.!ypically% t"e mo#el t"at "as been feature# on t"e "as a large section of t"at issue about t"em% t"is ranges from t"eir lifestyle%

gossip or ne releases% usually t"e main image is t"e uni5ue selling point an# it is "at maes eac" issue an# magazine #i/erent toeac" ot"er. Eac" mo#el "as been p"otograp"e# in a stu#io in a controlle# en$ironment% t"e articial lig"ting allos t"e

p"otograp"er to capture t"e artist in a ay t"at gi$es t"em con#ence an# poer% capturing t"em in a me#ium s"ot also increases"o signicant t"e artist appears. Eac" mo#el is also maing #irect eye contact it" t"e au#ience% t"is creates a connection

beteen t"e rea#er an# t"e mo#el "ic" can intrigue t"e rea#er to purc"ase t"e magazine. It is non t"at rap music is #irectlyline# to crime9gangs an# t"e ma0ority of rap music contains $iolence or se*ual content t"at is inappropriate for younger people to"ear% t"is is because t"e artist "as a substantial amount of in:uence on t"eir fans an# t"is is unacceptable amongst young people

as t"ey coul# act in a similar manner to t"e artists.


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Eac" magazine uses t"esame mo#el for #i/erentissues because t"ey are apopular icon in "ic" t"e

target au#ience areintereste# in. All Hip-Hopmagazine typically inclu#ean image of a celebrity or amusical icon% t"is attracts

t"e au#iences attention an#t"ere is usually a reason as

to "y t"e artist "as beenselecte#% t"is coul# be

anyt"ing from being spoenabout in t"e nes to "a$ing

a ne album or clot"ingrelease. "en a celebrity is

feature# on t"e co$er% itinforms t"e au#ience t"at

t"ere ill be a lot ofinformation about t"at

person. Eac" magazine "asits on style an# t"is ismaintaine# t"roug"out

eac" issue% it maes t"emagazine itself


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;;R?E

VIBE

!"e me#ia pacs for eac" magazine pro$e t"at t"ere is a $ery similar target au#ience. !"e me#ian ages are @8% an# @C% t"ese are not massi$ely #i/erent from eac" ot"er an# it s"os t"at t"e content can be similar because

all t"e au#iences are at a mature age. !"e me#ia pacs s"o t"at t"e ma0ority of t"e au#ience is male% t"ismaes it more un#erstan#able as to "y t"e main images are prominently male an# s"oing t"em in a strong

an# #ominating ay. !o remin# t"e au#ience t"at t"is is targete# at females% VIBE create# VIBE Vi*en% a magazineaime# at 2urban min#e# females'. E$en t"oug" t"ere is a stronger male maret% t"e colours an# layout is gen#erneutral "ic" eeps a female au#ience intereste#. African-Americans are t"e most #ominating race t"at rea#s t"e

magazine% t"is is not surprising #ue to t"e nature of "ic" Hip-Hop music is an# t"e associations ma#e it" it.!"e percentage of rea#ers "ic" are college e#ucate# is pretty split an# t"is applies across ;;< an# =+>R?E% t"is

information says t"at "alf of t"e au#ience is furt"er e#ucate# "ic" maes t"eir preference in music interesting.All t"ree magazines can be a$ailable in t"e >, an# cost beteen D.74 an# D3.3 per issue. ;;< an# =+>R?E area$ailable online at esstan# "ile VIBE is not on t"is site. +t"er et"nicities are still part of t"e au#ience% @F.of t"e au#ience of =+>R?E is "ite "ile t"is maes up 78 of ;;


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Age & Gen#er!"e content of t"e magazines is almost alays about males. !"ere is $ery rarely a female being

#isplaye# on t"e front co$er% t"is reac"es out to a male au#ience an# maes sense as t"e $ast ma0orityof rea#ers are males. !o remin# t"e au#ience t"at t"e magazines are aime# at males% t"ere is almost no

feminine content. Hip Hop is mainly ma#e up of #ominating males it" $ery little females so t"is isreinforce# an# portraye# it"in eac" magazine. !"ere is a repetition of style an# artists "ic" createst"e Hip Hop genre an# maes it i#entiable. !"e magazines also mainly only inclu#e artists t"at arealrea#y establis"e# an# popular it"in a community% t"is is unrear#ing for upcoming artists but it

gi$es t"e au#ience t"e opportunity to focus on current celebrities an# a#mire t"eir ac"ie$ements "ilegat"ering information on ne releases an# learning more about t"em.

VIBE magazine is slig"tly #i/erent% VIBE inclu#es more content t"at is about females t"an ot"er R&B an#Hip Hop magazines. VIBE #oes t"is because it appeals to a larger au#ience% e$en if t"e front co$er is of a

female artist% o$erall t"e magazine still "as a male #omination. !"e image #isplaye# is appealing furt"erto omen but t"e sub"ea#ings are still e*plaining t"e male-appealing content it"in. !"e image of ici

6ina0 s"os poer an# control but still ts it" t"e genre because "er music is of t"e Rap genre.

!"e content of all t"ree magazines typically ten#s to be about artists t"at areo$er t"e age of @4 an# fre5uently it"in t"e 4-4 age gap% t"is #oes not

represent t"e age group t"at rea#s t"e magazines. !"e reason as to "y t"eage #i/erence beteen t"e content an# t"e au#ience is $arie# is because t"e

magazines only inclu#e information about establis"e# artists an# t"is "appensto be t"e age t"ey are at. Rap an# Hip Hop music appeale# to t"em "en t"ey

ere younger an# it caug"t t"e attention of a younger generation% ol#erpeople ten# to "a$e less interest in t"e sub0ect an# younger people i#olize t"e

artists being mentione# "ic" maes t"e magazines furt"er appealing.ounger people are rea#ing about artists "o are possibly ten years ol#er t"an

t"em% t"is is in searc" of inspiration from an ol#er generation it" similar

interests.Alt"oug" t"e age of t"e content is #i/erent an# not so relatable for t"eau#ience% t"e gen#er t"at is t"e most courageous is male "ic" is relatable


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Representation!"e representation of t"e genre is portraye# similarly across all t"ree magazines.

!"e negati$e representation is t"at rappers an# Hip Hop artists are often associate# it" gangsterlifestyles. !"e content features musicians "o create music about e*plicit t"ings lie guns% money%

#rugs an# #egra#ing omen. It s"os a negati$e representation because t"is is not a lifestyle t"at is

accepte# amongst ot"er communities. !"e people being feature# li$e a lifestyle t"at is #eeme#inappropriate an# un"ealt"y. Because of t"is negati$e representation% it #is"eartens a lot of peoplebecause t"ey #islie t"e sub0ects t"at t"e i#ols tal about aay from t"e magazine. !"e magazines

also glamourizes t"e gangster lifestyle "ile it is closely associate# it" negati$e opinions% antisocialbe"a$ior an# $iolent crimes.

!"e positi$e representation is t"at t"e artists being feature# regularly tal about t"eir bacgroun# an#upbringing% t"is ten#s to be spoen about negati$ely an# t"ey often spea about t"eir roug"

c"il#"oo# in places lie Broolyn% ?ompton% Jueens an# Ketroit. Leople lie Eminem% !"e otoriousB.I.G.%


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=ocial GroupsBeteen t"e t"ree magazines being looe# at% t"e social group it is aime# at is $ery clear.

African American 6ales are t"e main au#ience% t"e social group ill present t"emsel$es in asimilar ay "ic" ill most liely be to #ress t"e same (typically baggy 0eans it" "ats an#

:annel s"irts N lie a gangster. !"e social group ill also use slang #ialogue t"at is only

un#erstoo# by people it"in t"e social group an# it is rarely un#erstoo# by people "o are notit"in t"e community. !"e musicians also use t"is #ialogue it"in t"e music t"ey pro#uce% t"is

creates a stronger un#erstan#ing beteen t"e artist an# t"e au#ience an# en"ances t"estrengt" of t"e social group t"at "as been create#. =ome or#s t"at are use# by bot" t"e artistan# members of t"e au#ience can be foun# "ere "ttpM99.mriggles.biz9g"ettoOslang."tm.

+t"er et"nicities% ol#er people an# females are often e*clu#e# from t"ese t"ree magazines.!"ere is occasional content t"at t"ey can relate to closely but t"is is rarely #one to attract t"eir

attention an# assist t"em 0oin t"e social group.=ocial con:icts outsi#e of t"e magazines content an# actually it"in t"e community% t"ey occur

fre5uently because of t"e nature of t"e music. !"e au#iences #emograp"ic an# personalityclas"es beteen people are "at causes issues. it"in t"is social group% t"ere ten#s to be smallclusters of people "o "a$e ri$alry it" eac" ot"er. !"e magazine "as no in:uence toar#s any

social problems as it attempts to pre$ent t"em from occurring. All t"ree magazines "a$eac"ie$e# t"is by stating facts an# celebrity opinions "ic" s"oul# not cause any problems

amongst people. !"e only social issues t"at are mainly #iscusse# is t"e negati$e c"il#"oo#s t"ata lot of artists% t"e issue #iscusses po$erty an# "o normal it appears to be in t"e areas t"at a

lot of t"e artists gre up in. Anot"er issue t"at is foun# it"in all t"ree magazines is t"at itstereotypes t"e rapper lifestyle an# gi$es t"e rea#er t"e impression t"at t"is is t"e lifestyle t"ey

all "a$e. It also furt"er lea#s t"e rea#er to belie$e t"at t"e same applies to blac people an#t"ey "a$e poer% t"is issue causes tension an# false accusations about ot"er social groups.
http://www.mrwiggles.biz/ghetto_slang.htmhttp://www.mrwiggles.biz/ghetto_slang.htmhttp://www.mrwiggles.biz/ghetto_slang.htmhttp://www.mrwiggles.biz/ghetto_slang.htm


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?"anges +$er !ime!"e style of t"e magazines "as not c"ange# $ery muc" as time progresses.=ome of t"e e*amples use# pre$iously are ol#er images of magazine co$ersan# t"is is only clear because of t"e 5uality of t"e image an# t"e ay it "as

been e#ite#% t"is is also #ue to e#itorial preferences an# #e$elopment oftec"nology "ic" allos us to create t"ings t"at loo #i/erent an# e "a$e

more options in t"e ay e manipulate an image. +l#er icons are still use# ont"e front co$er of magazines% t"e image "ere is of =noop Kogg an# is from anissue t"at as release# in 7. !"e co$er is noticeably #i/erent to one t"atas release# a lot more recently but t"e style remains $ery similar% t"is issue

as release# aroun# t"e same time as =noop Kogg release# P"o am I("at's my nameQ an# t"is as an issue "ic" spoe it" t"e artist about

t"e release as ell as raising aareness of t"e ne song. !"e content remainssimilar but t"e c"oice of language "as a#apte# to a #i/erent social group it"#i/erent appliances a$ailable to t"em. !"e genre an# t"e style are still $erysimilar but neer% younger artists are being recognize# an# feature# on t"e

co$ers. !"e #ecease# are still recognize# for t"eir talent an# t"ere is anoccasional issue t"at features an artist "o "as #ie#% t"ese eep an ol#er

generation of people intereste# "ile eeping t"eir name acti$e an#remembere#. !"e c"oice of p"otograp"y sills is $ery similar to "at

magazines currently use% t"e page layout from ol#er issues in comparison tomore recent ones% t"ey are $ery alie an# t"e use of $isual "ierarc"y is use#to attract attention as ell as placing t"e mast"ea# at t"e top of t"e page.

!"e font c"oice for t"e mast"ea# "as staye# t"e same% t"is eeps it originalan# creates an iconic loo t"at "as laste# t"roug" "istory. Hip-Hop music "as

c"ange# o$er time% bac in 7 "en t"is issue as release#% t"e artistsrote music about gangster lifestyles "ic" typically inclu#e# money% alco"olan# substance abuse N t"is is less popular amongst Hip-Hop artists in @47F as

t"is lifestyle is not as popular amongst t"e social group an# it is not a popularlifestyle c"oice anymore.

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