The document discusses the effectiveness of combining a rap artist's main album product with ancillary texts like a music video and magazine cover. It analyzes how each element fulfills its purpose and relates to the target audience and other pieces. For the album, the name and cover featuring the artist in different poses effectively brands the debut album. The music video captures relevant social issues while focusing on the artist wearing luxury clothing as in the magazine cover and album. Together the elements highlight the artist and genre conventions to promote the new album release.

1. How effective is the
combination of your main
product and ancillary texts?
By Benny & Jeremiah

2. Questions regarding main product and
ancillary texts
CD
1. Does it fulfil its purpose?
2. Would it be appropriate for your target audience?
3. How does it combine with your music video?
4. How does it combine with the magazine cover?
Music Video
1. Does it fulfil its purpose?
2. How does it combine with magazine cover and CD?
3. Is it appropriate for your target audience?
Magazine Cover
1. How does it link with your CD?
2. Would it be appropriate for your target audience?
3. Does it fulfil its purpose?

3. Original idea for our album cover
The original idea we had for our
album was significantly different to
our end product. The idea we
envisioned in our first cover didn’t
really compliment what we were
trying to achieve in our music
video. The use of too much
animation would give it a cartoony
feel, we felt it would be too simple
and amateur, looking more like a
mixtape rather than an album.
After heavy consideration we
scrapped this idea for another one.
This is an example of the
mixtape format we didn’t
want to emulate.

4. Album Cover
The ‘parental
advisory’ label shows
that swear words are
going to present
which is common of
many rap albums.
Whilst making our CD
we decided to change
the name from ‘Man Of
The Year’ to ‘Future
Lights’ to become more
interesting.
The album cover itself
represents being British
and the artist being in
the limelight.

5. Back Cover When making our
album we decided to
research songs we
could include on the
tracklist from current
artists. Slang terms are
used to show reference
to the specific target
audience.
‘AlwayzRecording’ is a UK based
record label which rappers like
Wretch 32 and Chipmunk are on.
The use of the landmark ‘Big
Ben’ is maintained from the
front to the back of the
album.

6. Album Questions
1. Does it fulfil its purpose?
I think our album fulfils its
purpose as I believe the codes and
conventions within the rap genre
have been maintained. We could
have used one individual pose
from the artist but we used 4 in
total for the album cover, showing
creativity through inspiration from
artists such as Andy Warhol. I also
feel the name of our album is
interesting being named ‘Future
Lights’ as it his first album he’s
hoping it will bring him stardom to
see the flashing lights of celebrity
life.
2. Would it be appropriate for
your target audience?
I feel it will be appropriate for my
target audience as they will be
fascinated by the album cover. The
use of the landmark ‘Big Ben’ will
immediately relate to those
consuming the album who are
British but is also recognised
internationally. As the target
audience we have identified as
being between the ages of 13-25 we
have catered to the technological
advances today by making the
song available on music sites like
iTunes as shown at the end of the
video.

7. Album Questions
3. How does it combine with
your music video?
Our CD combines with our music
video firstly because the rapper is
shown wearing a gold watch on the
album cover whilst in the video he is
filmed wearing a gold chain putting
emphasis on the luxury of a rappers
lifestyle. Also there is a link in
editing techniques with the use of
multiple pictures in the album cover
and also been used in the actual
video as an editing technique.
4. How does it combine with the
magazine cover?
The album cover combines with the
magazine cover because the same artist is
featured on the front of the magazine as
the album cover. The central image
dominating the front page coincides with
the album covers portrayal of the artist
showing that he is the main focus. Also
texts feature the artist posing agreeing
with the stereotype of rappers being self-
indulged into themselves and being
flashy.

8. Magazine Cover
For the magazine
cover we included a
central image of the
artist posing as we
saw this was
common in most
hip-hop magazines.
The main focus of the
magazine is the artist
Jezza therefore the
main story is
concerning the release
of his new album.
At the bottom of the
magazine we included a
barcode to make it look
more realistic.

9. Magazine Cover Questions
1. How does it combine with
your CD?
The magazine cover combines
with the album because the same
type of font is used on the album
cover, tracklisting and the
magazine cover showing a
similarity in the genre they are
based in. Also a barcode is used
on the back of the album as well
as the magazine cover to show
similarity.
2. Would it be appropriate
for your target audience?
Similar to the album, the
magazine cover has also been
created in the hope that it will
fascinate and attract interest
from our target audience. We
have decided to go against the
conventional idea of sticking to
only two main colour schemes by
using a range of colours all over
the magazine this gives a sense of
individuality in that we are in a
sense ‘breaking the rules’.

10. Magazine Cover Questions
• I believe my magazine cover
fulfils its purpose. The magazine
name is ‘THE MASTERMIND’
its catchy like other magazines
which we researched such as
XXL, The Source & Vibe. The
magazine cover features a
title, central image, main cover
story, feature stories and
barcode which are all
reminiscent of magazine
conventions of today. On a
whole, the magazine cover is
very eye catching with the range
of colours used and is fresh and
appeals to the quite young
audience.

11. Music Video Questions
1. Does it fulfil its purpose?
I feel the music video fulfills its
purpose as we made use of the mise-
en-scene as best as we could. We took
a lot of elements into consideration
such as location, lighting and clothing.
After receiving the audience research
questionnaire me and my partner did
our best to conform to the conventions
of the rap/hip-hop genre. The lyrics in
the video also help to fulfil its purpose
by talking about current social issues
in youth culture of today.
How does it combine with
magazine cover & CD?
The music video combines with the
album cover and magazine cover as we
have made the artist the main focus of
the ancillary texts and the video. An
aspect which we have included in all 3
media products are the use of
expensive items like the magazine
cover and the music video which
features the artist wearing a Ralph
Lauren hoodie, Ralph Lauren is a high-
end brand compared to that of Nike.
On the front of the album cover the
artist is featured wearing a gold watch
highlighting the idea that rappers
enjoy the ‘finer things in life’.