Album covers hip hop

RESEARCH INTO HIP-HOPALBUM COVERS & MUSIC VIDEO ANALYSIS

KANYE WEST

Artist name

Teddy bear (same image)Same font &capital letters

Recognise the artist

Colourful

KANYE WEST- STRONGER (FROM GRADUATION ALBUM)

Use of futuristic characters like robots within the video could link to the album cover the song is featured on. Making it clear to an audience which album the song is from.

The video also features Kanye West this helps to show to an audience that it is his song. However it is hard to tell by the use of his image which album the song is from as the album cover does not include an image of Kanye West.

KANYE WEST- GOLD DIGGER (FROM LATE REGISTRATION ALBUM)

The video features Kanye West this helps to show to an audience that it is his song. However it does not link to the album cover as Kanye West is not featured on the album.

The video uses the Laura Mulevy theory and shows the idea of the ‘male gaze’ by showing the girls in a sexual way and using camera angles to show off their figures.

DRAKE

Artist name

Recognise the artist

Plain& simple

DRAKE- OVER (FROM THANK ME LATER ALBUM)

The video is mainly based on Drake and shows images of him all the way through it. This links to the lyrics as the song is saying how he is changing as a person which is shown by him featuring in the video.

Also the video could link to the album cover as he is featured on the album. This could suggest that the album is based on him and his lifestyle.

DRAKE- STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM (FROM NOTHING WAS THE SAME ALBUM)

The video is mainly based on Drake and shows images of him growing up throughout the video. This could link to the lyrics again as the song is about how he started as no one and now is very famous.

Also the video could link to the album cover as he is featured on the album. This could suggest again that the album is based on him.

JAY Z

Artist name

Recognise the artist

Dark colours(mainly blackand white)

Simple butstand out

Main image of his head

JAY Z-DIRT OFF YOUR SHOULDER (FROM THE BLACK ALBUM)

The video is mainly based on Jay Z and shows him a lot throughout the video. This links to the album cover again as he is featured on the album cover. It could also suggest that the whole album is based on him.

The video uses a lot of gestures like the one above by the brushing off the shoulders. This could link to the title of the song as it is about getting dirt off your shoulders and this gesture is suggesting that.

JAY Z-SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT (FROM KINGDOM COME ALBUM)

The video is mainly based on Jay Z and shows him a lot throughout the video. This links to the album cover as he is featured on the album cover.

This Jay Z video fits to the Laura Mulevy theory of showing the women's body from a male perspective. Also by dressing them in a bikini shows off their figure and shows them in a sexual manner.

EMINEM

Artist name(same font & backwards E)

Recognise the artist

Similar backgroundimage

Looks as ifthere is a story behind each album he hasproduced by the images being used.

EMINEM- 3AM (FROM RELAPSE ALBUM)

The video is mainly based on Eminem as he is the main feature throughout the video. This could also link to the music album cover as his image is also shown on that. This could suggest that the album is based on Eminem himself.

The video also includes images related to drugs and the effect they can have on a person. This links to the lyrics of the song as Eminem speaks about the effect drugs had on him. Also the song

could link to the album title ‘relapse’ as it could suggest that Eminem has had a relapse and is

back on drugs.

EMINEM- THE WAY I AM (FROM CURTAIN CALL ALBUM)

The video is mainly based on Eminem as he is the main feature throughout the video. This could suggest that the full album could be based on him.

The video is about Eminem thinking about killing himself this shown through him falling out of a building. This could link to the album title ‘curtain call’ as that suggests it will be his last performance or album showing that he could no longer be around.

OVERALL…

• The majority of R&B music videos and albums are based on the

artists themselves. Many of the album covers feature that artist

also they often feature in their own videos.

• Also the songs are usually based on the artist lives and

experiences they’ve gone through.

• Many of the music videos link back to the album covers in

some way.