I am going to create Hip Hop magazine.
The plus side to this genre is that there are various means of media conventions can be used to connote the same feelings which are linked with this genre of music.
My Target Audience
Jicnar Scale = C2 + D
Social Values = Materialists and Hedonists
Psychographics = Aspirers and Radicals
Age Range = 16 - 25
Consumption Profile
They listen to programmes such as MTV Base, Flava and Channel U.
They spend their time buying jewellery and clothes similar to what they see on people wearing on videos but for a fraction of the price.
Radio 1Xtra is the radio station of choice which pioneers in the mainstreaming of black music.
Their job is just a way of bringing in the money and the nights out and underground gigs are what really matter.
Conventions of Hip-Hop Magazines
The Hip Hop industry is often represented through the media proxemics of smart dress, big sunglasses, expensive and brash jewellery and fancy cars as this connotes wealth and power and prosperity.
As this project requires me to take all of my own pictures I feel certain aspects of hip hop will be difficult for me to recreate. I do feel however I could create the same connotations of hip hop by using a different approach with similar aspects involved.
The magazine cover sticks to the conventional approach to hip hop magazines as the artist (Jay-Z) is shown looking smartly dressed in a suit and the mid close up shot makes him seem imposing and due to him being the main focus of both front covers It connotes success, power, respect and financial success.My Idea
I believe a close up shot of somebody dressed smarty in a suit or something similar will always create connotations of sophistication and class which hip hop artists seek to do. The difference from the stereotypical magazine and mine however will lie in the background of the picture. Another aspect of hip hop completely contrasting to the posh, expensive lifestyle is the working class housing estates which many influential hip hop stars grew up in. In many hip hop artists’ lyrics they relate and mention they’re upbringings and the connection and love that many of them feel they share with their childhood homes. An example of this is in Lil Waynes 2008 song "Mr Carter". "Like I'm from Colli Park but I'm from Hollygrove". The impact of this lyric is that the artist is showing pride in his neighbourhood all these years on now he is an internationally renound musician. Another example is from Lil Wayne's 2007 song "La La La". "Born in New Orleans, raised in New Orleans, I will forever remain faithful New Orleans". The shows how Lil Wayne loves and respects his neighbourhood and feels that it was key in shaping the way that he is, which in turn has led to his massive success. This shows his appreciation for his upbringing, no matter whether it was good or bad.
More often than not the lyrics are speaking of poverty, having no money and very working class homes. I feel that a picture of somebody dressed very smartly representing a hip hop artist would connote the same hip hop image. I feel that a shot of somebody in front of a wall of building which has been vandalised or has graffiti on it would be a good example of this.
This would also allow me to connect with my readers because my target audience is going to be living in similar circumstances as portrayed on the cover of my media text. Hopefully this will help the reader connect with the magazine and see a bit of themselves in my main focus on the cover of the magazine.
This is the sort of image I am looking to recreate as it connotes feelings of financial prosperity and success aswell as making the artist seem as if he has not forgotten his roots and still respects his upbringing and the environment he grew up in which will appeal to my target audience.Stereotypically in Hip Hop magazines they have double page spreads which have the same colour scheme in the background that follow the same structure. They tend to keep the background colours very simple and use more bright and noticable colours for the font such as red and yellow. There is a tendancy to have large pictures with the main focus being very prominent and noticable in the foreground of the shot. This is all linked in with the idea of hip hop artists being dominant and strong figures.
For my magazine I feel a link could be created between the magazine and the brand called "Star In The Hood" which is endorsed by a popular grime artist "Tinchy Stryder". I believe a link between my magazine and this brand would make the magazine a lot more attractive and give it credability as it would be linked with a popular and well documented brand which has a very successful artist affiliated with it.
The style of clothing which "Star In The Hood" concentrates with is hoodys and t-shirts with a bold logo with very bright colours as the logo. The clothing is very "Bling" which is associated with hip hop but also has elements of sophistication and style which i feel my target audience will be attracted to due to their materialist and hedonist social values.
For my front cover I am going to fill the page with coverlines offering freebies and promotions. This will appeal to my materialist target audience. I am going to use bold serif font for them all with either black or gold colouring to make it stand out and look classy. I am going to reverse out as many of the coverlines as possible to make the magazine stand out compared to the rest. I am going to give away freebies such as chains which are seen to be bling and similar to those which hip hop artists would wear. I am also going to promote a discount on Star In The Hood clothing if people subscribe to the magazine as I feel it will be an added bonus to the magazine.I am going to keep my straplines short but catchy to give the attitude an informal and easy to read approach so it will appeal to all types of readers and help fit in with my target audience who are on the lower end of the Jicnar scale predominantly.
I feel that if I can effectively use all of these media conventions then I can create a magazine which could rival all of the already functioning hip hop magazines such as Hip Hop world and Grime Scene magazine.
Time Plan
2nd February - Completion of Research and Planning
9th February - Have found a suitable location for shoot
16th February - Get a good shot for cover.
23rd February - Begin Photoshopping
2nd March - Begin to plan layout on Quark Express
9th March - Complete Cover And Contents page.
16th March - Complete evaluation of project and get magazine printed out.
