Artist - Nas
Album - Illmatic
Year - 1994
History
This cover was designed by Aimee Macauley and features a picture of a block of apartments in New York City taken by Danny Clinch, where Nas grew up. Superimposed on this is a picture of Nas as a young child. The cover is said to have took inspiration from the Jazz album 'A Child Is Born' which also features a child's face against an urban background, but this hasn't been confirmed by Nas.
Connotations and Denotations
The connotations behind the cover is that it represeents Nas as a young child finally looking and taking in the world around him. Growing up in a deprived New York City area with violence all he seen was a life of crime before reaching an age where he realises there is a world outside of there for his career, and doing the right things. This is personal to the artist reflects the album content found in the album, where he raps about growing up in poverty and the gang lifestyles that surrounded him. These both are the basis for the lyrics in the album.
This cover was designed by Aimee Macauley and features a picture of a block of apartments in New York City taken by Danny Clinch, where Nas grew up. Superimposed on this is a picture of Nas as a young child. The cover is said to have took inspiration from the Jazz album 'A Child Is Born' which also features a child's face against an urban background, but this hasn't been confirmed by Nas.
Connotations and Denotations
The connotations behind the cover is that it represeents Nas as a young child finally looking and taking in the world around him. Growing up in a deprived New York City area with violence all he seen was a life of crime before reaching an age where he realises there is a world outside of there for his career, and doing the right things. This is personal to the artist reflects the album content found in the album, where he raps about growing up in poverty and the gang lifestyles that surrounded him. These both are the basis for the lyrics in the album.
Target Audience
The target audience behind this cover would be young hip-hop fans and fans of Nas. I imagine people could also relate to the setting of the cover and the ideas behind it, most likely those who live in the deprived apartment blocks of New York and know what it's like growing up surrounded by gang culture and poverty.
What It Means To Me
This cover appeals to me because of the connotations and themes behind it, both the realising there is a world outside the ghetto and poverty as well as a feel-good nature that Nas has made it and became a millionnaire escaping that lifestyle. It is also the symbol I remember behind a classic album and one of the best hip-hop debuts of all time.
Steven, A very good post that uses relevant Media Language and relates the content back to yourself, Well done.
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