The document provides an analysis of the front cover and contents page of the October 2010 issue of XXL Magazine. The front cover features Kanye West in black and white, portrayed as a "king" and "very powerful." The contents page has a sophisticated design that breaks conventions of hip hop magazines by referencing pop culture and using intellectual vocabulary. A two-page article by Kanye West is summarized as having a clean, classy black and white design befitting of a "gentleman's magazine," distinguishing it from typical rap magazines.

1. XXL MAGAZINE
OCTOBER 2010

2. USES A POWERFUL AND DON’T KNOW WHETHER
CONVENTIONAL RED-WHITE- MODEL IS LOOKING AT THE
BLACK COLOUR SCHEME. CAMERA OR NOT DUE TO
CONNOTES POWER AND SUNGLASSES, ADDS A
SERIOUSNESS. SENSE OF MYSTERY TO HIS
PERSONA.
FRONT COVER RESEMBLES A
PLAYING CARD WITH MODEL
KANYE WEST BEING REFLECTED SYMETTRY OF PHOTGRAPH MAY
EACH SIDE. THIS COULD PORTRAY CONNOTE THAT THERE IS TWO
HIM AS A KING, GIVING THE SIDES TO THIS MAN. THIS IS
CONNOTATIONS THAT THIS MAN IS REFLECTED FURTHER IN THE
VERY POWERFUL. THE HEAD OF CAPTION ‘LOVE HATE’.
HIS REGIME (HIS RECORD LABEL?)
DOESN’T ABIDE BY
THE RED OF THE XXL MASTHEAD CONVENTIONS OF
COULD BE TO SYMBOLISE HEARTS
OR DIAMONDS. IT COULD BE TO MAGAZINES SUCH AS
CONNOTE THAT THE MAGAZINE COVER LINES, PUFFS.
HAS INFORMATION ABOUT HIS CONNOTES THAT THE
LOVE LIFE, OR DIAMONDS COULD MAGAZINE COULD
REFLECT THE MASSIVE CHAIN REVOLVE AROUND THIS
AROUND HIS NECK. MAN. (THERE IS A 20 PAGE
FEATURE ON HIM). WHILST
FRONT COVER
THE MODEL IS SHOWN IN
BLACK AND WHITE – A THERE IS OTHER ARTICLES
COLOUR SCHEME USED TO IN THE MAGAZINE IT
CEMENT SOMEONE AS REVOLVES AROUND THIS
LEGENDARY. COULD MAN IN PARTICULAR.
CONNOTE MR. WEST IS OF
THIS STATUS.

3. The contents page is quite sophisticated looking.
It is a black background, with a sophisticated
‘Times New Roman’ text at the top. This
connotes that the magazine is quite sophisticated
and is for sophisticated people – even though the
genre is seen to be one that is less sophisticated.
This means the magazine breaks the conventions
of traditional Hip Hop magazines. Each of the
headings has a reference to recent pop culture,
whether it is song names like ‘The Pursuit of
Happiness’ or film names ‘Monsters Inc’. This
implies that the magazine is aimed at people who
would recognize these alusions – therefore
younger people. However, the genre’s
sophisticational convention is broken again, the
text on the page is very intellectual. Words like
‘voloptuous’ and ‘extraordinaire’ appear –
conveying high intellect and perhaps a more
intellectual audience than on 1st glance.
CONTENTS

4. Double Page Spread

5. Colour Scheme: - the colour scheme is a very plain black at white. This
connotes clarity, sophistication and perhaps status in the form of who the article
is centered around (Kanye West). Especially seeing as the article is written by
himself.
Photography: - the photography is very studio based and resembles a full body
shot of West in a dancing position holding a glass. This with his suit resembles
him at a social event perhaps party, perhaps showing the class and power he
has. However, he is also wearing white shoes – he puts his own spin on things.
Writing style: - being written by Kanye West himself it is very autobiographical
– rather than the typical interview in a magazine, it is his recollection of the last
6-12 months of his life. It’s well written, and again, not what you’d expect from
your archetypal rap magazine.
Overall look: - the look is neat, clean and classy. In a rap magazine you’d
almost expect an array of different pictures and it to be messier, but it’s not.
The classy black and white just makes it look newspaper. This connotes that
possibly the magazine is aimed at a certain type of sophisticated rap listener –
not just anyone. There is an indent in the middle of the page, and because of it’s
centrality it just fits perfectly. The page is slick, it’s a gentlemen’s magazine
-not a boy’s.