Generic Gender Representation in Hip Hop Magazines

Genders are represented within Hip Hop magazines in a very stereotypical way. Objectification of women is extremely common on the covers of many mainstream examples of professional magazines. By adding a sexual element to the cover of a magazine the target audience of young males are likely to be more inclined to buy it, as their expectations of perceived social norms are being followed by both genders being represented as each having their own respective roles. By gratifying the focus audiences expectations the magazine is more likely to sell. This also includes representing men in a stereotypically dominant and masculine way.
These representations are often conveyed through camerawork, costume and the artists paralanguage. For example men are often shot with a medium close up or close up shot, generally emphasising facial expression or posture. Women on the other hand are conventionally shot using a medium or even a full body shot, in order to capture and emphasise her whole body as opposed to facial expression. Costumes are also distinctly masculine or feminine, men are often photographed in suits, or causal street wear that covers most of the artists body such as hoodies or jackets. Women are often shot wearing much more revealing costume in order to convey sex appeal to the audience.

By employing stereotypical representation of female artists magazines are sacrificing appeal to women for a much greater appeal to men, as shown by their reader profiles where men often make up the vast majority of readers. In order to appeal to a broader audience my product will unconventionally exclude stereotypical representations of female artists.