This is the analysis of the existing digipaks which I have researched and analysed. The digipaks which I have chosen are: Eminem (Recovery), Kanye West (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy) and 50 Cent (The Massacre).

1. Analysis of Digipaks
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2. Digipak Analysis: Eminem - Recovery
Front Cover
In this album cover, we can only see
Eminem from behind – he is wearing
typical clothing that we would
associate with Hip-Hip/Rap today,
again allowing the audiences to
identidy that its affiliated with the
genre Hip-Hop. The ‘O’ in the title
which has changed to a red cross is
used to represent his recovery.
Furthermore, the letter ‘E’ is turned
backwards which symbolizes Einem’s
logo. This is a significant image which
fans are used to seeing when buying
the album. The ‘plain’ blue sky could
be used to try and singiy Eminem’s
lack of power and dominance as he is
on route to his recovery. ‘Diversion’
meanng that the suers could interact
with theese products especially this
one. This is because listening to
Eminem’s music may chear the fans
up or help the user escape from the
real world. Additionally, the image
portrays Eminem walking down a
long road which links clearly with the
title meaning that he is walking to his
‘Recovery’
Back Cover
At the back of the album cover, it says ‘Executive Producer Dr.
Dre’ who is another famous artist which is introduced by
creating the tracks for Eminem. This signifies the audiences
that the album might be creative and surprising. All of
Eminem’s recod labels are displayed at the bottom as it shows
off his power to the fans making them weant to buy the
album. Furthermore, the track listing Is centered clearly near
the bottom of the page, allowing the audiences to know what
songs are included in the album. Lastly, the artist’s website is
placed at the bottom so the fans know where to go if they
want to find out more information about Eminem and for any
upcoming news about albums, singles or gigs.
The CD
The ‘red cross’ again implying Eminem’s ‘Recovery’ which
singifies that he is back from his long break of his music. The
‘O’ in the title is used as the same image on the disk to make
sure that this album title is related to the CD itself by having
the same color scheme. Furthermore, the same colours
appears throughout the cover to keep it simple and
understandable.
The Booklet
This particular booket contains the tracks in depth which
involves eveyone who was involved in the album. Eminem’s
logo is seen again in the booklet, the use of it is always being
seen by the audience acts as a significant image so they know
what to buy at the shop.

3. Digipak Analysis: Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
(Hip-Hop Genre)
Characters
This particular album art for Kanye West’
album ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted
Fantasy’ uses paintings painted by artist
George Congo – 5 alternate covers were
created for this album. In this version, it
shows Kanye’s severed head, crowned,
being pierced with a sword. The character
appears fearsome and powerful, with the
facial expression and the portrayal of his
eyes wide open, relating to song ‘Power’
from the album. His assumed status is
also conveyed through the crown that he
ears, suggesting the artist believes he is
dominant and higher than everyone else.
The CD art shows another one of the
George Condo paintings, one which was
banned by Apple and superstores for
being too provocative, featuring a naked
half woman, half creature on top of a man
shown drinking. The bizarreness of the
painting suggest Kanye’s desire to be
different and willingness to break rules.
Furthermore, it supports the suggestion
of Kanye’s powerful persona, as he knew
such painting would cause controversy in
the media, yet continued to use it anyway
due to his album promotion.
Iconography
As an album of the Hip-Hop genre, this particular
digipak does not show the steretypical features
expected of a Hip-Hop CD. Instead, atist paintings
are used for the front cover, suggesting a higher
social class as oppose to the stereotypical street-
raised rappers who emphasis their rough
upbringing. Although in pinting form, the character
is still recognisabled as Kanye West which could be
classed as iconic as there is no artist name on the
CD itself, it only contains the image. Moreover, the
use of folk-tale like characters for the album art
signifies that Kanye West, as a Hip-Hop artist is
different and unique to the genre.
Narrative
The use of specially
made intriguing
paintings by George
Condo for this CD
entices the audience
by being so mysterious
forcing them to
wonder what each of
them mean, creating a
narrative enigma. Once
listening to the album,
the paintings being to
make sense.
Style
As the album art is all digital with no
used of photographs, only paintings, no
camera was used. The use of the colour
red is frequent throughout the digipak,
used on both the front cocer, back cover
and internal artwork. This colour
connotes strength and power – a
continous theme of this digipak. Within
the inside, typography of the artists
name ‘Kanye West’ spreads across 4
pages This creative design reflects the
artists imaginative side, which could also
refer back to the ‘fantasy’ setting/theme
of the digipak.
Setting
The front cover painting for this album
appears to be set in a dreamlike world
featuring clouds, vivid blue skies, which
conveys an image of a fantasy heaven-like
setting, relating to the title of the album ‘My
Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’. The character
severed head appears on a podium-like
display, further suggesting the artists power
and supremacy thoughts about himself and
also referring to the track ‘Power’. At the back
of the album, the tracks are written in a
creative font. The type of font used suggests a
similar quality to calligraphy – this font gives
the album an almost regal sense. Which again
relates to power and royalty.

4. Digipak Analysis: 50 Cent
– The Massacre
Genre
This album cover does represent a
particular genre that being of Hip-Hop
which is a musical genre that developed
as part of Hip-Hop culture and is defined
by four key stylistic elements: rapping,
Djing/scratching, sampling and beat
boxing. Futhermore, I think the genre for
this cover is established through the
image and text, with the image being of
50 Cent showing his ripped top half off
with the stereotypical baggy jeans,
showing the top of his boxers and the
blinging chain with the stereotypical
snapback, I think is also established
through te text of 50 ent being written in
a big bold font of yellow and blue colour
choice maybe personal but bold writing
may be interpreted as a big bold font
representing the personality of 50 Cent
and also being fitting of representing the
Hip-Hop cuture and he Massacre being
written also as a sktech kind of written –
This is in a way that would probably be
used as the font of a horror movie,
connotating scariness, aggressiveness and
masculinity whuch are all the
representation of Hip-Hop genre.
Narrative
Personally, I would not say the cover is telling a
story to the fans of 50 Cent, I would probably say
font is representing the material in the album and
giving the audience an indication of the meatrial
within the album, with the massacre being the
demonstrated with a aggressive sketch and the
word and the definition of the word meaning
slaughter. In addition, I think this cover is almost
trying to put out a message whether it would be on
a personal level, but I think the audience will
definitely be able to interpret that as being the
slaughtering of other artist on a copetitive level
almost as if 50 Cent is trying to put across a
message of the face that he intends to be the best.
Representation
The representation of this cover is that 50 Cent does like to
represent himself in and aggressive masculin way as seen through
all of his album covers which is the influences that modern day
males aspire to especially within the ghetto/hood violent
aggressive culture with the stereotypical demographics being
young, black males in America/proverty stricken areas, which has
obviously been the influence in both 50 Cent music but also seen
through his album cover and mannerisms. Furthermore, there are
stereotypical influences as previously mentioned for example his
posture being very masculine and very aggressive that of the
stereotypical black especially those within the demographics as
previously mentioned, the costume again very masculine and the
steretypical garments worn on the ghetto. I think the album defies
steretypes in some ways with the background being of a white
silhouette of his image and a white angelic design around the
border of the photo which softens the album from the dominant
masculinity which could make the audience wonder why and I
personally interpret it as maybe another side of his personality
that being of a softer side, which could appeal to the more female
side as they appear to be a common ifluence in his music.
Moreover, I think the contrast between the softer background and
ore aggressive fore image help with the promotion side which as
mentioned, being for both the women and men.
Audience
The target audience for this cover – The Massacre is aimed at the
adults who are inbetween 20 to 30 years old. This particular cover
is mostly aimed at those who are in the poverty/working class
audience but as far as the females, I would say that they would be
attracted to 50 Cent’s abs and the white bckground could have
strategically been planned to attract the female audiences.