2. It’s Multicultural...
• Real media texts from the hip-hop genre are not white, middle class based
magazines. It is the norm that there are mixed races in the magazine, and
also their social background varies.
• My product includes artists from different ethnic backgrounds, and also
different classes. It doesn’t discriminate between anyone, this reflects the
attitude in hip-hop music that you shouldn’t care where someone is from.
RUCKUS
LADY ICE S TO THE B
3. Women Are Powerful
• Women are empowered in my magazine. They are represented as
respectful, successful artists as opposed to being used for the “male
gaze”, sexualizing women to attract the male audience.
• This challenges the dominant ideology that women have to be sexualized in
order to be recognized in the industry. The women in my magazine are
successful within the hip-hop scene, and not for baring all in a music video!
Pose isn’t sexual
Heavy jewellery
Pose connotes Connotes
Power and Wealth and
authority success
Clothing
Covers
everything
Minimal make-up
4. Men Are Tough
• As the dominant stereotype is, I have represented the men in my magazine as
conforming to this to look like the “alpha male”. Hip-hop music is mainly ruled
by male artists so I felt it would be more respectful to represent them this way.
• They are not shown to be arrogant in any way though, not reflecting the
“gangster” side of hip-hop. I varied the levels of sincerity, some artists were
posed in a more light-hearted fashion, connoting the care-free attitude of my
magazine, and that they are more modest about their fame.
Covering the
face connotes
modesty
Folded arms Chin pointing up
Red connotes power create a barrier, shows the tough
Jokey pose
and strength. Toughens image attitude
the “Alpha male”
5. Working Class, So What?
• The working class is always being shown to never progress with wealth or
success, a vicious circle. They don’t have the money to access luxuries that will
help them in education, therefore have less chance of getting a good job and
in turn, won’t earn much money and will still be working class.
• There is no discrimination towards the working class in “BOOM”. In fact, my
magazine highlights the working class and connotes that they can definitely
succeed in the business as most of the artists featured are from a poorer
background.
• This challenges the stereotype that people from a wealthier background are
more likely to succeed in life. There are other opportunities than just academic
based careers for the working class. As my target audience was in fact people
from a lower social status, this can relate to them and it makes them feel more
welcome and familiar.
Owen B originated from a
working class background.
6. Youthful Fame
• All featured artists are still young. This shows my readers that if they want to
succeed in the music business, they can start now. This also makes the
magazine more relatable to the reader, making them want to read it more.
• The backgrounds on all my photos are plain, this gives the artists a more
professional image. Some photos of hip-hop are set against a wall with graffiti
on it, but I feel that gives the artist a somewhat amateur aura.
Professional
plain background
is more sophisticated
Graffiti wall
connotes
amateur status
7. Absent Representation
• There are particular social groups that I haven’t included in
my magazine, such as the disabled, the elderly or those from
a different sexual orientation.
• These groups are rarely connected with hip-hop music in real
media texts so I didn’t want to roam too far away from the
conventional representation.
• Their absence could connote to my audience that these social
groups aren’t “cool” in society, and I am excluding those in my
audience who are part of those social groups.
• However hip-hop isn’t popular among the elderly, so it is no
surprise that they aren’t a feature in my magazine.
