4Real

The name '4Real' is taken from hip hop slang instantly relating the magazine to the genre and attracting the target audience. I have then used. Instead of using 'For' I have used '4' to show informality which is a convention of rap music. The word 'Real' has connotations of quality which shows that the magazine focuses on the most talented of rappers in the business, this is the theme that I am going for. I have used a red and black colour scheme as they have connotations of anger and violence, which are conventions of the rap genre. Also 2 coloured colour schemes are consistent in music magazines, again sticking to the conventions I have found in my research. I will use bold white writing for the text as it works well against the black and will be more appealing for the viewer. Finally, I have taken the use of an '!' from Kerrang! and used it for my design. It adds emphasis on the name and makes the magazine appear as more exciting and fun. 

Initial Name Hand Drawn Designs

I have now designed my 3 name designs which I will present to my target audience. I have 10 potential customers ready to choose their favourite and give feedback on how to improve it further. Around each image I have done a few annotations explaining the purpose behind each design to give them an idea of what I am trying to achieve. Because it is quite difficult to read the annotations I will now explain to you, in detail, the purpose behind each design. 

The Next Step...

Now that I have completed my research on all 3 sections, it is time to start designing my own music magazine. The first step is to use the knowledge I acquired from my research to create 3 hand drawn designs. However, before I do that I want to design the name and logo for my magazine so I know how to create my header and make it most effective in my designs.

To start off I am going to choose the name for my magazine. From my research I have noticed they all base their name around a convention, feature or stereotype of the genre they write about. NME (New Musical Express) and Q (Quality) write about the best and biggest modern music, so they use names that reflect this. Kerrang! is an onomatopoeia, which makes sense as the rock audience stereotype listen purely for the music so expressing it in the name will reach the target audience. The Source don't only write about rap music but also deliver news that would only be relevant to the main rap target audience. Because of this they think of themselves as 'The Source' for all important news, like hip hop shouting themselves out as the number one place to go to over every other magazine. Vibe refers to a convention of music, although vibe isn't just a convention of hip hop it still refers to the idea of quality music. Vibe focus more on the most successful names in rap instead of the underground MC's, so the name is suitable for the style of the magazine.

My initial name ideas are:

• 4Real
• DOPE
• Redrum

I will now create hand drawn designs for each name so I can undertake a short survey with my target audience. I will also listen to feedback on my winning design so I can make final changes for my magazine design.

XXL Double Page Spread Research

*I struggled to find a Vibe double page spread of good quality in which I can study, so instead I have chosen to study another of their biggest rivals, XXL. The double page spread will still help me to understand codes and conventions that are used in a hip top double page spread.*

The XXL double page spread I have chosen to study is written about the 'old school' infamous rapper, Nas. In the image he is wearing a watch, chain, diamond ring and a vest. These all carry connotations of prestige and wealth. In addition, Nas is revelling his tattoos on his arm, which is a common theme amongst urban street culture which reflects his statues of being a street rapper who prides himself on his urban background stereotype and image. I will have to use costume in order to reflect the rappers story and reveal features from his background as well as show off the position they are at now. This is done in the photography by using temporary items, watch, ring, chain, to show luxury which is only recent in his life and permanent details, tattoo, to show that there are still elements from his past that are still with him. My magazine could use this as this is the character profile my artist will have. The use of props is evident in the background with various gym equipment including Everlast punch bags, gym mats and weight machines. These pieces of equipment, for example the punching bag, carry connotations of training to fight. This is significant as it may reflect that Nas is preparing for a battle with his career, or against another rapper, which is conventional with rap as rappers see it as one big competition to be the best. Relating to conventions of the genre I am portraying will be vital when meeting the demands of my target audience. I will use props that stand out in my images to reflect the story being told and catch the eye of the reader. If the photography doesn't meet the expectations of the target audience they won't believe the story will be any better. The setting appears to be a dreary, old fashioned gym with windows looking out to the city Nas prides himself for being brought up in. Again this backs up the convention of raps battling to be top of the game, reflecting his 'Rags to Riches' background. The image has a lack of lighting on the left side of the rappers face and body , creating a dark and ambiguous side to his life which may be spoke about in the story. The setting of the photography plays a big role in presenting the style and characteristics of the artist. I will have to spend time searching for a location in which I can take my photography. I will then edit my photos to play around with the lighting and colouring to help reinforce the stereotype I am presenting. The most dominant text on the screen appears to be the artists name, Nas. The font used is old fashioned, carrying connotations of elegance and class which provides the reader a positive image of the rapper. It may also suggest XXL magazine is one of class and provides stories and news that people would not usually stereotype with rap. As I am slightly challenging some conventions of a rap magazine I will have to do the same. I will use conventions that are most appealing and important in rap magazines, but  then include features that fit my own personal style.

The Source Double Page Spread Research

I have found a double page spread from The Source Magazine which is written about the rapper Rick Ross. They use a simple black and white colour scheme, although it isn't colourful it still stands out effectively as it matches the tuxedo Rick Ross is wearing. This reflects the lifestyle of the artist, rich and classy, a colourful colour scheme would not suit the personality of the rapper. After I take my photos I will experiment on them by changing the hue on the clothing worn to match the colour scheme of my magazine, and seeing which ones offer the same effect as this double page spread. This will ensure that my magazine fits the style of my artist, again relating to the target audience for personalisation and diversion. I like the way Rick Ross has been positioned on one side of the page and the text on the other. Not only does it make the text clearer to read, it makes him appear dominate on the page which is a quality of Rick Ross and rap of being the best in the business. Again I will follow this convention as this is what the audience of rap music will be expecting to see. Making sure it fits the requirements of the target audience is essential as they will be reading the magazine for personal identity and diversion to escape from reality and into the dream world of the rapper. I think the way a bold drop capital has been used is effective as it fits the qualities of Rick Ross, big and powerful. Also the introduction paragraph is a feature which is also very effective as it gives the reader a basic idea of what the article is going to be about. The quote 'You ain't seen nothing yet' has been used as a short sentence that grabs the reader's attention and urges them to see more. Also the slang 'Ain't' gives the reader an idea of the artists idiolect and maybe targets younger age groups (16+). The phrase, 'He arrested speakers nationwide', relates to the rapper stereotype of violence and lawlessness, however it subverts where Rick Ross is doing the 'Arresting'. What makes this quote clever for Rick Ross fans is the fact Rick Ross was once a corrections officer, again personalising the article to the target audience. When considering the language styles for my double page spread I will have to think into what will fit into the magazine effectively, as well as what will seem realistic in relation to the artist. Personalising language features to the target audience will also help fit the conventions of a successful magazine. Not only will it be understood by new readers, but have qualities aimed at the fans making them feel special in contrast. Rick Ross is dressed in a smart black suit which presents him as being someone of power and class. The way he is casually holding a champagne glass and lifting his head high, not looking towards the camera, demonstrates his wealth and masculinity. I think the use of props, balloons, champagne, sunglasses, expensive suits and jewellery reinforces his dominance in the music industry and defiantly portrays the high life that he lives. When taking the photos of my model, I don't want to challenge the conventions of clothing too much as the qualities of my artist won't be the high life, but the opposite side of rap involved around hoods and grit. I have to make my styling realistic to the artist so I will be using clothing such as hoody's and caps. This way I will expect people who are more interested in hip hop to be more intrigued to read the article.

Kerrang! Double Page Spread Research

This is the Kerrang! double page spread that I have chosen to research, it stood out from the rest and I liked it's unique style. The title of the main story is very upfront and stands out because it is scribbled down on the page, this reflects the characteristics of Blink 182, immature and childish. This is then reinforced by linking it to dinosaurs and Mark's childish pose impersonating a dinosaur. In terms of connotation the main story title is very upfront and stands out because of the way it has been scribbled on the page. Again this is important for the target audience as the rough and rebellious qualities of the article reflect the characteristics of the band. By designing the double page spread to the bands personality it will match the expectations of existing fans, having a close link with your favourite band is stereotypical of a rock fan. I will follow this  idea and design for my double page spread so the target audience can read it for personal identity and diversion to escape from reality and into the world of the band. After analysing the article for lexical features I noticed "Getting Naked." and "Dick Jokes." These make the artist sound like he has a wild lifestyle as he discusses how life differs away on tour from his home life. Again this makes the information suitable for the target audience, creating a chance for personal identity and diversion to escape reality. Instead of using Standard English while writing my article I will use specific informality. Using the language of the band not only helps to personalise the article to the band but also targets the demographic. Targeting the demographic will make the article more interesting to read and give new readers an insight into the band and their fans. The two main colours for the text are red and black, these colours could connote emotions such as hate and depression. this will be suitable for the target audience of teenagers as they are stereotyped as rebellious and usually depressed. They will see music as a place to escape to so relating to their feelings is something they are searching for. I will use my colour scheme to fit the stereotype of my target audience which is around the same age. In terms of semantics the red dinosaur claw tare through the page will attract the target audience through the same stereotype. The strike of a claw has connotations of anger and violence linking to the idea of teenagers being rebellious to the point they are most likely involved in criminal activity. Using graphology to target the stereotype of the target audience will attract them into the article as they believe they can relate to it. Because I am going into a more sophisticated style I won't be using much imagery on the double page apart from my photography. Therefore I will look to relate features of the photography to meet the interests of my target audience.

Q Double Page Spread Research

The Q double page spread focuses on Jay Z which will help me understand how an article of a rapper is created without using all the conventions of a rap magazine. The image of Jay Z takes up one page of the double page spread like the NME one did, this enforces his identity on the article. He is wearing black sunglasses along with a black t-shirt. This is consistent with his overall image, he is known for wearing 'all black everything'. The sunglasses completely conceal his eyes and give a feeling that there are many things that remain untold about him and could possibly be told in the article. The sunglasses also add emphasis to his trademark mouth and lips which have helped make his career and fortune, which is then reinforced by his necklace being a symbol of wealth. The image also appears like the Obama campaign poster suggesting similarities between the two world figures. It relates to some of Jay Z's songs about trying to achieve equality, power and wealth as a black American.  Telling so much information through the image adds significance to the article and makes the reader want to find out more. It also adds a lot of attention to the artist themselves and their personality making them the centre of attention. Concentrating on portraying information through my photography will be one of my aims in order to add the same effect Q do. The image is cast with a red wash effect on his right shoulder, as well as red being the colour of the Q logo, it also has connotations of passion, love and blood. The other side is white which has connotations of purity and cleanliness, suggesting Jay Z is now tainted and his purity is disappearing as he has now sold his unsavoury past through music. This adds an insight to the story inside the article and draws the reader in to want to find out more about the life of the world superstar. Like the last feature this can only be understood by fans of Jay Z making it personal for them and letting the article appear with knowledge and relevance. The large red J behind the text is a mirror image of the Q logo, however it is made into a J because the interview is about 'Jay Z'. The text used is classy and upper-end which reflects the qualities of Jay Z and the conventions of Q magazine. Across the double page spread Jay Z and other key words are in a red font to add the connotations of power, passion and then Q magazine. For my magazine I will add conventions of my magazine design to the article and help it link to the artist. However I don't want to go as far as Q have as I want to bring all the attention of the double page spread to the artist.