1. Task 5-
Music Magazines I would like to base my Urban magazine on: Ideas
for a magazine with a target audience of ethnic males and female
I have gathered basic background information from Wikipedia and the websites of specific
magazines including front covers, content. I have also selected things I believe are important
and relate to my idea of a target audience; I have looked at Rap-Up and Vibe. These
magazines cover a range of genres however they largely cover the urban culture and its
target audiences are between 17-34years old.
Rap-Up:
Rap-Up magazine was launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. Although publication
started in 2001 as to which Rap-Up was originally a website devoted to Hip-Hop, until Devin
Lazerine decided to pitch for the move of Rap-Up to a magazine. The magazine restarted
publication in 2005, when it managed to sell enough copies to ensure future releases after
two issues of one time deals. The magazine is sold in more than 20 countries, and a separate
handbook has been released, chronicling the history of hip hop.
The magazine has been nominated for two awards, and is often referenced by other
magazines. The magazine focuses on hip hop and R&B music, and predominantly features
interviews with artists, actors and other entertainers. Rap-Up has featured some of music’s
biggest stars including Beyoncé, T.I., Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Rihanna, 50 Cent, Mary
J..Issued quarterly, the magazine's target audience was the 14 to 28 demographic,
although the demographic has become older over time. The magazine's first two issues
were one time deals, although Lazerine and his brother Cameron received attention for
their age and white background. The magazine restarted publication in 2005, when it
managed to sell enough copies to ensure future releases. The magazine is sold in more than
20 countries, and a separate handbook has been released, chronicling the history of hip hop.
The magazine has been nominated for two awards, and is often referenced by other
magazines.
The Magazine-

2. Rap-Up’s Front covers consist of bright colour and main images which make a statement -
leaving little use of detail to the background other than boldness and a variation in colour of
the cover lines. This allows the magazine to appeal to both male and females without the
issue being overly feminine or masculine regardless of the gender(s) of the person(s) in the
main image. Rap Up regularly gives short-lists of artists whom are of great interest during
the publication (eg. "Class of 06" — 5 artists making noise in 2006) and advertise their latest
developments. Rap-Up features a variety of artists, both male and female and this way there
is no predictability with the issues and is appealing to both male and female readers. Each
image of these artists are fun images and allow the magazine to be seen accessible to both a
young and older audience without stepping the boundaries of being seductive/sensual.
Rap-Up.com continues to cover the Hip-Hop world and its movements with daily uploads of
interviews, news, pictures, track-lists of new music and even Rap-Up TV which is videos of
interviews to be uploaded online by Rap-Up.com a very own interviewers. This allows Rap-
Up’s readers and subscribers worldwide to access continuous coverage of the music
industry and be first to know what’s going on before a single page is printed.
Vibe:
Vibe magazine was founded by producer Quincy Jones in 1993. The publication
predominantly features R&B and hip-hop artists, actors and other entertainers. After
shutting down production in summer 2009, Vibe was purchased by the private equity fund
in InterMedia Partners and is now issued quarterly with double covers, with a larger online
presence, aided by the Vibe Lifestyle Network, a group of entertainment/music websites
under Vibe brand. The magazine’s target demographic is predominantly young, urban
followers of hip-hop culture.
The Covers-
Vibe magazine is highly noted for its creative flow on their covers. Trio TLC were
photographed for the cover in firefighters’ gear, referencing the fact that member Left Eye
burned down the house of then-boyfriend and NFL star Andre Rison. The first non-
photographed cover of the magazine was an illustration of late singer Aaliyah well known
artists/illustrator Alvaro; this was Aaliyah’s first appearance on the cover as well.

3. Other famous cover subjects are Brandy, Snoop Dogg, Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Amerie,
Jennifer Lopez, Keyshia Cole, Janet Jackson, Lil Wayne, The Fugees, Eminem, T.I., R. Kelly,
Michael Jackson (whom Quincy Jones’ daughter Kidada had dressed in hip-hop clothing,
reportedly daughter Kidada had dressed in hip-hop clothing, reportedly for the first and
only time in the entertainers career), rap legend Tupac Shakur’s famous cover story in which
he reveals important details about his non-fatal 1994 NYC shooting (two years before his
death in Las Vegas).
Contents –
Featured segments included the back page list 20 Questions, the Boomshots column about
reggae and Caribbean music by Rob Kenner, Revolutions music reviews and Vibe
Confidential, a celebrity gossip column. Next profiled up-and-coming artists. The magazine
also devoted several pages to photo spreads displaying high-end designer clothing as well as
sportswear by urban labels such as Rocawear and Fubu.
Vibe made a consistent effort to feature models of all ethnicities in these pages. Former
editor Emil Wilbikin was frequently credited with styling those pages and keeping fashion in
the forefront of the magazine's identity during the early 2000s. Many clothing brands
created or linked to hip-hop celebrities, such as Sean Combs' Sean John, Nelly's Apple
Bottoms and G-Unit by 50 Cent found plenty of exposure in Vibe's pages.
Expansion of the Vibe Brand-
In addition to the magazine, Vibe also publishes books on hip-hop culture. To celebrate the
magazine's tenth anniversary, it published "VX: Ten Years of Vibe Photography." Featuring a
bare-chested 50 Cent on the cover, the volume includes photos of Alicia Keys, RZA from the
Wu-Tang Clan, Eve, Chuck D of Public Enemy and Run-D.M.C. among the 150 photographs in
the hardcover edition.
Other books published under the Vibe banner cover the history of hip-hop, the women of
hip-hop, and rappers Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. Additionally, the magazine
published a spin-off publication, Vibe Vixen from 2004 to 2007. Aimed at Vibe's female
multicultural demographic, Vibe Vixen included features on beauty, fashion, and female
entertainers. R&B starlet Ciara appeared on the inaugural issue's cover.