Digipak analysis: 50 cent-the massacre

Genre

I would say that the 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 (or synthesis), and beat boxing.

I think the genre 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 hat, i think is also established through the text of 50 cent being written in a big bold font of yellow and blue colour choice maybe personal but bold writing may be interpreted as a the bold big font representing the personality of 50 cent and being fitting of representing the hip hop culture, and the massacre being written almost as a sketch kind of written In a way that would probably be use as the font for a horror movie, conotating scariness, aggressiveness and masculinity all representations of the hip hop culture

Narrative

I wouldn’t say the cover in particular is telling a story, I would probably say font is representing the material in the album and giving the audience an

indication of the material within the album, with the massacre being in demonstrated with a aggressive sketch and the word and the definition of the word meaning slaughter I think it is almost trying to put out a message whether it 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 competitive level almost as if 50cent is trying to put across a message of the face that he intends to be the best

The text definitely does contribute to a cultural/social narrative that being of the hip hop, ghetto more poverty stricken areas of America, which subsequently 50 cent actually was born and raised in the ghetto so those factors are definitely assumed to be his influences, the audience is able to make these assumption purely through the use of the word the massacre and that way that is it written which is in such an aggressive masculine way, being a representation of the ghetto

Representation

50 cent in particular does like to represent himself in and aggressive masculine way as seen through all of his album covers which is the assumed 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/poverty stricken areas , which has obviously been the influence in both 50cents music but also seen through his album covers and mannerisms

There are stereotypical influences as previously mentioned for e.g. his posture being very masculine, and aggressive that of the stereotypical black especially those within the demographics as previously mentioned, the costume again very masculine, and the stereotypical garments worn on the “ghetto” , I think the album defies stereotypes in some ways with the background being of a white silhouette of his image and a white angelic design around the border of the picture 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 influence in his music I think the contrast between the softer back ground and more aggressive fore image help with the promotion side which as mentioned being for both the women and men, basically having a little something for everyone

Audience

As mentioned the target audience for the massacre is aimed at the teens -20/30 something’s of male black race and mostly aimed at those in the poverty/working class audience ,but as far as the females go i would say the image of 50 showing his abs and the white background could have strategically been planned to attract the female audience

I think the text in particular will appeal to the male demographic as previously mentioned because everything that the text represents such as masculinity aggressiveness, and by interpretation the meaning of the title the massacre which could be interpreted as part of 50’s competitiveness within the music industry which the ordinary male are influenced to follow in everyday life and situations, which to sum it all up all these factors are what the modern day young males aspire to be

I think the technical aspects that have been used to create meaning for the audience are particularly interesting allowing the audience to make their own interpretations mine being the mainly white halo affect background contrast with the fore picture of 50 and the words the massacre written on the album cover perfectly as I think it allows the audience to make their own interpretations but may also influence the audience in the material within the album