Redrum

The third design I have created is again based on a term from my key genre, however this time I have been more specific. The main style of hip hop I am focusing on is Horrorcore so I have chosen a popular term found there, 'Redrum'. The noun 'red' in the name has connotations of war danger and blood which all link to the genre of music, attracting the target audience. Redrum also includes the word 'Drum' which is the main instrument used in a hip hop beat, most MC's just use a drum line to put their lyrics over. The final word that has been included is 'Rum', which is an high percentage alcohol. The rappers that I will be focusing around will be them from a bad background, who used alcohol as an antidepressant. Making the name relate to the contents, purpose and audience of my magazine helps to create a specific idea on what to expect when reading the magazine, reaching the expectations of my target demographic. I have made the text bold so it stands out to the viewer as strong and powerful, which reinforces the rappers mentality I will be writing about. The red font with a thick black outline is used for the same connotations as I talked about in the '4Real' logo design, anger and violence which are stereotyped into the street life of early rappers.

DOPE

This is my second name hand drawn design, 'DOPE'. Instead of an O I have used a microphone. The microphone is a main feature in rap music and has connotations of skill and lyrics, which is what rappers pride themselves on. The target audience will see the microphone and instantly associate it with hip hop. I have used the word 'Dope' because it is commonly found in rap slang. This way I am directly targeting fans of rap music and they will appreciate it as they are reading for personal identity and diversion. This time I have stuck to a plain black colour scheme. This is to reinforce connotations of poor and dark backgrounds many of the rappers I will be writing about will have come from. Again the microphone shows that they used skill and lyrics to get out of that dark place. 

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.