XXL MAGAZINEOCTOBER 2010

FRONT COVER

USES A POWERFUL AND CONVENTIONAL RED-WHITE-BLACK COLOUR SCHEME. CONNOTES POWER AND SERIOUSNESS.

FRONT COVER RESEMBLES A PLAYING CARD WITH MODEL KANYE WEST BEING REFLECTED EACH SIDE. THIS COULD PORTRAY HIM AS A KING, GIVING THE CONNOTATIONS THAT THIS MAN IS VERY POWERFUL. THE HEAD OF HIS REGIME (HIS RECORD LABEL?)

THE RED OF THE XXL MASTHEAD COULD BE TO SYMBOLISE HEARTS OR DIAMONDS. IT COULD BE TO CONNOTE THAT THE MAGAZINE HAS INFORMATION ABOUT HIS LOVE LIFE, OR DIAMONDS COULD REFLECT THE MASSIVE CHAIN AROUND HIS NECK.

THE MODEL IS SHOWN IN BLACK AND WHITE – A COLOUR SCHEME USED TO CEMENT SOMEONE AS LEGENDARY. COULD CONNOTE MR. WEST IS OF THIS STATUS.

DON’T KNOW WHETHER MODEL IS LOOKING AT THE CAMERA OR NOT DUE TO SUNGLASSES, ADDS A SENSE OF MYSTERY TO HIS PERSONA.

SYMETTRY OF PHOTGRAPH MAY CONNOTE THAT THERE IS TWO SIDES TO THIS MAN. THIS IS REFLECTED FURTHER IN THE CAPTION ‘LOVE HATE’.

DOESN’T ABIDE BY CONVENTIONS OF MAGAZINES SUCH AS COVER LINES, PUFFS. CONNOTES THAT THE MAGAZINE COULD REVOLVE AROUND THIS MAN. (THERE IS A 20 PAGE FEATURE ON HIM). WHILST THERE IS OTHER ARTICLES IN THE MAGAZINE IT REVOLVES AROUND THIS MAN IN PARTICULAR.

CONTENTS

The contents page is quite sophisticated looking. It is a black background, with a sophisticated ‘Times New Roman’ text at the top. This connotes that the magazine is quite sophisticated and is for sophisticated people – even though the genre is seen to be one that is less sophisticated. This means the magazine breaks the conventions of traditional Hip Hop magazines. Each of the headings has a reference to recent pop culture, whether it is song names like ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’ or film names ‘Monsters Inc’. This implies that the magazine is aimed at people who would recognize these alusions – therefore younger people. However, the genre’s sophisticational convention is broken again, the text on the page is very intellectual. Words like ‘voloptuous’ and ‘extraordinaire’ appear – conveying high intellect and perhaps a more intellectual audience than on 1st glance.

Double Page Spread

Colour Scheme: - the colour scheme is a very plain black at white. This connotes clarity, sophistication and perhaps status in the form of who the article is centered around (Kanye West). Especially seeing as the article is written by himself.Photography: - the photography is very studio based and resembles a full body shot of West in a dancing position holding a glass. This with his suit resembles him at a social event perhaps party, perhaps showing the class and power he has. However, he is also wearing white shoes – he puts his own spin on things.Writing style: - being written by Kanye West himself it is very autobiographical – rather than the typical interview in a magazine, it is his recollection of the last 6-12 months of his life. It’s well written, and again, not what you’d expect from your archetypal rap magazine.Overall look: - the look is neat, clean and classy. In a rap magazine you’d almost expect an array of different pictures and it to be messier, but it’s not. The classy black and white just makes it look newspaper. This connotes that possibly the magazine is aimed at a certain type of sophisticated rap listener – not just anyone. There is an indent in the middle of the page, and because of it’s centrality it just fits perfectly. The page is slick, it’s a gentlemen’s magazine -not a boy’s.