Mast head : The main title otherwise known as the mast head is made visible to the audience, this is through the use of the colour red. The red stands out against the background as it is bright and bold. Furthermore aside from using red to make the mast head stand out it shows the connotations of blood. The colour red has the connotations of blood therefore when we see the colour on the magazine we automatically associate this with blood and violence. This links in with the overall style of the magazine as Hip Hop music is associated with violence making red a suitable colour for the mast head. Also the mast head is positioned in the same place each week making it easier for the audience to recognize the brand of the magazine.

Main image : The main image is of the well known rapper “The Game” he is known for making rap music in which he speaks about violence sex and drugs. The image reflects on the style of music he creates as he is shown to be posing in a way that implies the idea of violence. The rapper is positioned in the middle of the page so the main image is in the eye view of the audience making it the first thing they see. Furthermore the artist is shown to be covered in tattoos both on the face and body; this is an expected convention in a Hip Hop magazine as tattoos suggest violence and are often related to with negative connotations. Another key aspect of the way in which the Game is presented is the positioning of his hands. By having both his hands against his head it creates the impression of a gun, this once again links to violence and gangs. Finally the facial expression worn by the artist is angry and intimidating. This is effective as many of the readers aspire to be like the artist and want to be intimidating instead of feeling intimidated by others.

Main image : The game has a tattoo which states NWA (Niggaz Wit Attitudes) this was a Hip Hop band from Compton, it was one of the most dangerous bands at the time as it consisted of members who were all part of a gang. Compton was a area which consisted of violence and gangs; this is symbolic to the magazine style as The Game looked up to this certain band and himself was from Compton meaning he had been around violence his whole life. This had an impact on his music choice therefore having this tattoo suggests he raps about the topics surrounding it.

Main sell Line : The main sell line is once again in a eye catching red colour, it is placed right underneath the main image making it the second thing the audience see. The sell line says “Self-Destruction” this once again brings images of violence. There is a symbiotic link with the main image and the main sell line as the main image shows the artists holding up his hands to his head in a gun motion which implies self destruction.

The barcode is on the bottom corner away from everything else so it is out of the readers view range. This is conventional of magazines as they tend to hide away the barcode and price so that the target audience has to search for the price.

Sell Line : “Smoke Sumthin” This again is following conventions of normal hip hop magazines. This also links with the type of music the artist creates as most hip hop music revolves around smoking and drugs.

Sell line : A question is used to intrigue the audience, this is effective as it makes the audience curious and makes them want to buy the magazine in order to read it.

Mast head : The main title otherwise known as the mast head is made visible to the audience, this is through the use of the colour red. The red stands out against the background as it is bright and bold. Furthermore aside from using red to make the mast head stand out it shows the connotations of blood. The colour red has the connotations of blood therefore when we see the colour on the magazine we automatically associate this with blood and violence. This links in with the overall style of the magazine as Hip Hop music is associated with violence making red a suitable colour for the mast head. Also the mast head is positioned in the same place each week making it easier for the audience to recognize the brand of the magazine.

Main Sell Line : The main sell line contains explicit words this links in to the theme of violence and anger. They censored out the explicit words but the reader can still read what it was meant to say. The sell line has a negative vibe to it this is effective as the target audience will be curious as to why the artist Nas is being spoken about In this way. The font which has been chosen has a grunge style effect to it making it stand out against the background, furthermore the word “Nas” strikes the target audience straight away as it uses a large font size and a colour which contrasts its surroundings.

Main image : A medium long shot of the rapper Nas is used, the artist looks as if though he is ready to fight. The artist is facing the audience directly this is known as direct address, this makes it more personal to the reader. The artist is once again shown to be topless revealing a body full of tattoos creating a violent impression, the idea of violence links to the pose in which the artist is standing.

Background image : The background image makes the magazine front cover attractive altogether it attracts the audiences attention straight away. The image behind Nas is of the American flag this indicates the magazine and artist is of an American background. The colours used on the magazine link to the logo the red from the flag links with the colour of the logo showing a symbiotic link, the colour links to blood once again.

Sell lines : XXl is a male orientated magazine meaning the amount of females to purchase the magazine is less in numbers than men, this is due to the fact the magazine does not appeal to them. There are more than 8 hip hop artists featured on the left hand centre of the page, this lets the reader know what genre of music will appear but also what artists they can expect to read about. This is an effective method to entice the audience as the reader may not be that much of a fan of Nas but may find another artist of interest in the column of artists persuading them to buy the magazine.

Barcode: The magazine is shown to be on the pricey side this is acknowledgeable without looking at the price as the barcode tends to have the price written alongside. With the barcode being hidden away in the corner it ensures that the price is the last thing the audience look at.

Contents pages also follow many conventions such as having a main title in bold writing at the top of the page. However the title “Contents” has been placed in a unconventional position compared to other music magazines. This makes the magazine unique from other magazines this is effective as it stands out. Another effective method used to capture the readers attention is the use of white text which contrasts with the dark red background making it clear to see.

A Pug is used on the contents page of the magazine; the large “V” is to create a symbiotic link with the brand of the magazine and the contents page. It reminds the reader that the magazine is from the brand Vibe, this creates brand identity also.

Another symbiotic link between the contents page and front cover is used, the magazines logo is located on the right top hand corner. This is symbiotic as the same font is used on the front cover and contents page. Underneath the logo the date the magazine was issued is written, this is to make sure the reader knows when the magazine was issued.

The main image is of a topless rapper, who is blanketed in tattoos. This follows the stereotypical image we have of hip hop artists. Iconography is used to show the genre of music, the artist is shown to be wearing chains and a snapback, both these items are usually linked with hip hop artists as many rappers tend to wear the following items in their music videos. Another key aspect of the magazine is the way in which the artist is posed and the facial expression which he is supporting. The artist creates almost a fist shape with his hands as he holds up his chains this is symbolic as it links with the theme of violence in hip hop music. Furthermore the facial expression the artist has on is not welcoming and friendly but the opposite. The artist is shown to be making a angry facial expression this once again links with the themes of violence and aggression.

The background colour of the contents page does not follow conventional colours of many music magazines. Many music magazines tend to have a light colour for their contents page to make the text stand out, however Vibe magazine have done the opposite. The contents page supports a red gradient colour starting from dark red gradually fading to a lighter shade of red. This contrasts heavily with the font colour used making the text stand out against the background. The connotations of the colour red are blood and anger this is a symbiotic link to the artists pose and facial expression as both relate to the theme of violence.

There are two visible headings on the page, one which reads “Features” and the other “Fashion”. The font used for both of the headings is the same, the font is decretive and different from the one used for the title, this makes it stand out on the page.

Subheadings are written in capitals this is to ensure easier reading for the audience. The use of subheadings is helpful as it allows the reader to find articles quickly without having to read all the featured articles. One the subheadings read “Guns and Roses” the use of the word “guns” grabs the attention of the target audience as many of the readers are from the “hood” meaning they may own guns of their own, this can allow the audience to relate to the article. The description reads “The future of rap: Piles” this shows the article features the artist used for the main image.

Under the second heading “Fashion” the subheading reads “Dress to Impress” this shows that the article is going to include fashion tips and advice. The description tells the reader that there are images available on the page of the article. This may be eye catching for readers as they need new ideas for clothes. Those who listen to hip hop music tend to have different taste in style from those who listen to pop music therefore seeing a hip hop artist styled in clothing which appeals to the target audience may provide the audience inspiration on how to dress.

General layout : The layout of XXL is different from vibe magazine but is still highly effective as it contains all the information on the left hand side of the page, it is more effective than Vibe magazine as it displays more information and details . The featured articles are displayed on the left hand side making it easier to read with the main image on the right hand side.

Mast Head: Instead of naming the page “contents” it is names “The A-Side” this is to create originality and make the magazine feel exclusive. The magazine only has this title this enables the reader to identify which magazine they are reading. The use of the red colour in between the black contrasts with the rest of the writing drawing the readers attention towards it.

The logo : which was visible on the front page is also made visible on the contents page. The XXL logo is situated at the top right hand corner in a smaller font than the mast head. The use of the logo on the contents page is symbiotic as it links to the front page creating brand identity,

Heading : The word “Features” is used as a heading, the font is decretive and different from the one used for the masthead, this makes it stand out on the page. The heading uses bold red brackets to make it stand out against the dark black colours on the page.

Symbol : The use of the red fast forward button at the bottom left hand corner symbolises that there is more information on the next page. This is an effective method as many of the readers will recognise the button as it is well known.

Contents: The main content or information has been placed on the left side of the page, this leaves room for the main image on the right. This is effective as all the content is designated on one side making it easier to read and find. The use of capital letters and bold font makes the subheading stand out implying that these are key features or stories that the magazine will include.Furthermore the page numbers are also made in bold to make them stand out against the writing allowing readers to identify certain pages at ease.

In between the content on the left the use of a black rectangle is placed as a divider. This is an effective method as It makes it easier for the reader to digest information, as it creates the impression of less text on the page.

Contents: The main cover story heading is larger in font compared to the other stories. This is to ensure quick access to the main story as many readers will have purchased the magazine in order to read the main story.

Main Image: The main image is of two well known rappers(50 Cent & Soulja Boy) the use of well known artists is key as it attracts readers attention and also appeals to the target audience of XXL. In addition the positioning of the two rappers is shown to be back to back this links with the sell quote “ If there wasn’t no 50 Cent there would be no Soulja Boy.” This shows the close bond with one another. Furthermore the use of a sell quote from one of the rappers is enticing as it leads to readers wanting to find out more. The costume both rappers are wearing is conventional for there genre as the are expected to dress “Hood”. The use of items such as a gold chain, rings and also a snapback is a use of iconography as it is a representation of the genre

Colour Scheme: The general colour scheme is red, white and black with the exception of the grey background. The use of colour is simple yet highly effective, the colours used for the page are also the key colours of the logo. The red is bright and bold colour contrasting with the background and black and white font. This attracts the audience.