Rolling Stone has always been a major magazine for music, they have been reviewing, and interviewing music artists since 1967. The September issue of 2007 shows rapper 50 Cent and Kanye West staring at each other as if they are about to battle. The title on the bottom says “SHOWDOWN! 50 CENT VS KANYE WEST WHO WILL BE THE KING OF HIP HOP?” The bottom title tells the readers that the rappers are in an ongoing feud between the better songs in the music industry during that time. The magazine cover shows Kanye West and 50 Cent hating each other, but through the picture you can’t tell the truth because this could just be an act for the media. The Rolling Stone has to make a dramatic cover to make a profit, the picture showing 50 Cent and Kanye West staring at each other will make audience want to open the magazine and find the article hoping it would explain more about the rivalry between these two rap celebrities. They are both known for being hot-heads so this rivalry is perfect for the media to blow up and cover while this fight is going on. On top of the page of the magazine cover they show a fall album preview for Springsteen, Kid Rock, Foo Fighters, Alicia Keys, Neil Young, and Lil Wayne. That top section adds more detail to the music magazine, and exhibits to the readers about album previews covering a lot of genres so it appeals to different music taste. The Rolling Stone magazine seems to appeal to everyone even if they have a unique taste in music. Another part of the Rolling Stone cover I noticed was the box over the main title, it’s an article about the presidential campaign in 2008. The Rolling Stone magazine is definitely appealing to all audiences even people who don’t listen to music could read the magazine for the political section. The magazine is ambitious to gain more readers and it shows through the articles that they write. On the cover page, the wide variety of articles are for selling purposes.
This cover is interesting because of the personalities of Kanye West and 50 Cent. Rolling Stones expects the reader to know that Kanye and 50 Cent are stars who are known for their antics. Rolling Stones put the two against each other because of the music that they release. Music about power and being the best represent egotism. Rolling Stones would not put two country or pop singers facing each other and call it a "battle". I believe Rolling Stones is indirectly bringing back the battle between Biggie Smalls or the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac. The two rappers fought to be "number 1" and both died because of it. The two rappers are directly facing each other as if they are squaring up before a boxing match. There is no evidence that the two rapers hate each other but the media loves taking things out of context. Rolling Stones seems to be advertising the battle and invite a rivalry. The fact that the word SHOWDOWN is in capital letters is interesting. The fact that there is a battle is more important than the participants. Showdown is in bigger text than either of the rapers. The magazine also features different genres of music such as Springsteen and Neil Young. Rolling Stones is built to appeal to mass audiences and even features a political section. The main topic of this cover is the rap "battle". I believe Rolling Stones is making a bigger deal out of the fight to be number 1 and is taking the Rappers past into consideration.
ReplyDeleteKarl great choice on both the cover, and use of Rolling Stone magazine. For anyone interested in rap seeing this cover just makes you want to buy the magazine. At a time when both of these rappers were at the peak of their rapping careers they form a feud they became famous all over the rap world. Both of these artists were becoming bigger celebreties than they could ever imagine, and this feud made them even bigger. Rolling Stone did a great job choosing this, knowing they would attract many more young readers, as they were and still are vey well talked about and listened to when it comes to teenagers. Knowing this is gives editors the chance to get teenagers interested in reading this magazine more often. All the advertising is made to only attract more and more readers, and this is the perfect way to do it.
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