This document discusses the ways in which a student media product challenges conventions of real hip-hop magazines. The front cover features a powerful female image rather than the typical male artist. Alternative text sizes and colors are used throughout to attract attention. Inside pages feature a strong female image on the contents page and a double page spread with action shots of the model and an interview quote. The layout and design elements aim to engage readers while challenging stereotypical gender portrayals in hip-hop magazines.

1. In what ways does your media
product use, develop or
challenge forms and
conventions on real media
products?
By Shanice Spencer

2. The main image is a female and can
attract both genders. The main
image is very powerful with direct
MY FRONT COVER
My main image challenges the conventions of One word short and sweet masthead in block
contact therefore directly
a Hip-hop magazine as stereotypically a male capital letters. My masthead over laps the main
connecting with the audience. I
artist should be featured on the front cover. image as it needs to be easily read from a
ensured she wore simple clothing
distance. It’s grey so it don’t conflict with the
with gentle makeup with her hair Cover lines attracting the image as black was too harsh. It’s the largest text
over her eye to give a sexual yet reader as it shows what the as it’s the first thing that should be read on a
powerful persona hitting the magazine has to offer. magazine.
conventions of most female hip-hop
artists. Her eye make up and lips are Strapline of magazine has a use of
very striking ensuring the attention rhetorical questions to immediately
is purely on her. engage with the audience. Also the
This cover line gives an insight change of colour on the text is used
into what's inside, it also gives to emphasise certain points such as
reference to who the artist is ‘untold story’ which attracts the
on the front cover. It’s the reader as its not been heard before.
second largest font size on the Puff used to attract reader as it’s a
cover so its aim is to stand out give- away so people are more
as people would know who inclined to buy my magazine for
she is. freebies.
Cover lines alternate in colour so
each one is noticed. Its also bigger Artists featured inside magazine
than the text on the right as used to interest reader. The names
people normally read from left to of the artists alternate from pink to
right so this side of text will be white so each artist can individually
read first. Gives information on stand out. Also the black grow
the story's inside and initially around the texts adds further
attract the readers interests. emphasis to the artists to draw the
reader in.
The bar code is used for purchasing
purposes. Also this offers the price, This is a scan code now frequently used
issue date and website link . Allows with new technology such as android
the reader to see if the magazines and smart phones. When scanned can
old or new and be able to access lead to a website or enables a person to
further information through the link. purchase the magazine.

3. MY CONTENTS PAGE
The title is the biggest type
face and is also the same
font and colour as my front
cover. This is also on the left The volume number is
hand side as people tend to featured on my contents
read from left to right so it’s page as I saw it featured in
the first thing they will see. other hip-hop magazines
also.
I divided the contents into two
categories, features and I used a very plain
fashion as I saw it was done background which
on current hip hop magazines. contrasted from a lighter
I put the headings in italics so shade of grey to darker to
they stood out on the page. I emphasise my main image.
also stuck to the colour Also to emphasise the
scheme of grey and the cover change in meaning from the
lines are bold attracting the natural look of my front
attention to them. cover main image, to the
Artist names are in capital seductive look of my
letters so people can see contents main image.
which page they'd actually
I went out of my way to use
like to read depending
small print as shown on many
who's featured in it.
magazines including hip-hop
I only used one image for my magazines. Allowing the
contents page as I felt it was reader to know who did the
very strong and wanted most props and who was the
of my attention to fall on it. fashion director in terms of
Her posture and the use of the main image.
props was to attract the
I also did further small
reader, mainly to the
print giving the reader
powerful legs to connote
further information on
female dominance
the main image including
challenging the conventions
who the artist is, the
of a hip-hop magazine as it
photographer, also when
usually focuses on patriarchy.
and where it was taken.

4. MY DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD
I had a main image of my model powerful doing a conventional The text colour
female pose shown in most hip-hop magazines. Her stance is very alternates from black
powerful and also influences the outfit choice of the black clothes to burgundy. The black
signifying power. One again challenging the forms and conventions connoting power and
of a real hip-hop product as men are usually portrayed as the burgundy coming
powerful. through the outfit
choice.
I have several
small images of
the main model
moving, I
choose to use
action shots as it
shows that she's
enjoying herself
linking itself
with the quote. I
also think there
very effective
I grabbed a quote from
and would
the interview, as I
attract the
thought it would be the
reader by the
most attractive to the
layout. I made the text of the interview black and burgundy. audience. As people are
I split the text into three clear columns to make it fuelled by celebrity's
easier to read. I didn’t ask too many questions as love affairs and
readers tend to get bored easily, so I asked enough controversial topics
for them to have an insight into her life. shown from the term ‘so
what’.