Day 34 : Update [Contents page progress]

This is what my contents page looks like so far, it needs work especially in terms of font size and the inspirations I use to help the structure of my magazine look better e.g the images I use on the contents page and if they relate to each page in the magaszine.At school I can't open my contents page as it has the outdated version compared to the free trial version, however dispite this setback my aim is to complete my contents page by the end of this week (Friday the 1st).

Day 33 : Change in font colours

Originally I planned to use purple,blue,black and white however Rap magazines usually use 2-3 colours with one more predominant than the others which in this case will be purple. The colour I'm not going anymore is blue and possibly black because it's too hard to harmonize and goes against the conventions of British Rap magazines.

This magazine below uses mainly 2 colours and reinforces my point.

Day 32 : Manipulating photos for Contents page

First of all I got a picture which would be easy to edit using the magnetic lasso tool.
I selected my artist excluding the background from what I plan to use.

I then copied it to a new layer and deleted the remaining bits of the green background, which remained on parts of her hand and jacket. 

I added a new layer and put a picture of graffiti in the background, this resulted in the photo giving the illusion that this is the original background I took the photo on.

To make the original cropped photo of my artists on layer 1 look better, I decided to add effects to make her stand out more instead of it not harmonizing with the background.

This is the site I got the graffiti background from. I didn't use my own picture of graffiti because the lighting clashed with the cropped image of YEZZI, so I decided to use a grafitti wallpaper to manipulate and use for my contents page.

Day 31 part 3 : The Price

Originally when designed my flatplan I put a price tag, however when looking at Rap magazines I noticed none of them had a price badge so I decided to follow the convention of having the price on or near the bar-code.

Day 31 part 2 : New & Improved INTERVIEW

Ms Mottram marked my work in Friday's lesson and I realized that my interview still lacked excitement and a feeling which makes you want to read it so I decided to edit it again.

In my new interview it sounds more natural and causal, this is the connotations of a British Rap magazine as the interviewer often sounds as if they're just as excited the meet the celebrity as the reader would be to see an article about them.

The girl who will soon be on your radar YEZZI sits back and lays out everything she has got to offer in the name of her fans. Come and join us as she spills all of her music and song writing secrets.

Everyone including me is intrigued by your music, so what was the first song you felt really touched by?

I can't exactly remember what it was, but it was most probably a Phil Collins song called "Another Day in Paradise". I deeply and truly love that song even up until today, the lyrics are out of this world and the message behind them is life changing, especially since in our day to day lives we take our blessings for granted.

We all know you have a well known skill of song writing, so I was curious to know who or what has inspired you to write some of your songs ?

My ex's and my crushes have inspired me in the past, but also members of my family. Since I know everyone will be interested in the songs I wrote from my relationships, I will share this for you and my fans to celebrate my first interview. So “Too Fine” and “No More” are the songs I poured my experiences into, “Too Fine” is about a boy I liked for a really long time and “No More” is basically the rough ending of the unrequited love. Sounds sad but I’m just happy I was able to get a song out of it.

Every rapper has an artist who they’ve branched their style off of, who has inspired you as an artist?

I'm inspired by Lauryn Hill, Snoop Dog, Biggies Smalls, 2pac, Kanye West, Drake, India Arie, Musiq Soul Child and Beyonce. I could go on forever if I wanted to, but with these artists in particular there’s a special element that each of these artists have that one day I hope I will achieve.

Alot of people who read Word on the Street magazine aspire to become a songwriter just like you, so I’ll be speaking for everyone when I ask you where do you write your lyrics, is there any special time or place you write?

I write them whenever a bar or song hook pops up in my head. That can be anywhere from the shower, to even when I'm at work. When it does I just type it on my phone or save it as a voice note so I know exactly how I want my song to be.

You have a really unique and diverse sound. How do you produce your music? Do you do it all yourself?

Nope I don't do it all myself. I normally pick the beats that someone has previously made, then start writing my songs with a rap verse and a singing chorus then I would record it.

You’re a rookie and I’ve been cheering you on for a while. So what do you have going in the near future?

I have my competition "Yezzir Freestyles" coming out where people pick their favourite song clip, and then the song with the most votes I'll release as a full song and make it an E.P. "Who.What.Where" will be coming out soon.

You are super talented and any record label would be lucky to have you. How would it feel for you to get signed to a major record label in the future?

That would be nice as long as I'm put in a position where I still have control over my creativity. I would dislike if anyone tried to make me be something I'm not.

So enough about your music, what’s your opinion on the British rap scene?

I think there was a time when there wasn't one because people we were too caught up trying to copy the U.S rap scene, but now people are embracing being British more, it’s in a very good position right now and even the U.S rap scene are recognising the talent we have over here.

Female artists have been on the rise in the mainstream Rap scene, so how do you feel about the representation of female rap artists in today’s industry?

I feel that female artists should only portray themselves how they really are and not just for the sake of attention seeking, because doing that only devalues other female rap artist’s music.

So let’s ask a bit more light hearted questions, we all know you as the conscious well rehearsed rapper however we want to know more about off stage you.

So if you could steal any artist’s clothes, whose wardrobe would it be?

Out of everyone I would definitely have to choose Rhianna. Rhianna has some awesome style, she’s a true fashionista. For Rhianna it would have to be her style from her “Good Girl Gone Bad” era when she finally grabbed attention with her track Umbrella, I would also have to work that signature short haircut she rocked at the time.

We all know your stage persona oozes street cred, attitude and confidence. However does your music taste take any embarrassing turns, what songs are your guilty pleasures?

Any songs from a soundtrack from the Disney movies either “The Lion King” or “The Jungle Book”. I know my fans wouldn’t expect me to listen to music like this because I’m a rap artist but that is why it truly is a GUILTY pleasure.

I want to end this interview with a really exciting question. So if you could pick one work to describe yourself, what would it be and why?

"Growing”. I know that sounds weird but I believe I'm not the same person I was yesterday, everyday I believe I'm growing and my music is improving  and changing for the better.

I hope you enjoyed our interview.

Show your support by opening iTunes and purchasing YEZZI’s latest single “Can Do”.

Day 31 : My magazine so far [EVALUATION]

What I've done so far :
With my magazine so far I have created a basic layout which is slowly starting to look like a proper magazine, however I'm not there yet because there are several things I need to add.

What I struggled with during the creation :
At the start I struggled with determining layers from others, however I learnt that if you give your layers names it's easier to change and adjust when something doesn't look right. At the start I also struggled when looking for fonts which would relate to the connotations of my magazine genre, however I found that when you ask peoples opinions your most likely to find the font you need and progress quicker.

What I need to improve on/ What I need to add to my magazine :

I need to look back at my research just like I've been doing with my flat plan  and remind myself of the structure of magazine I plan to produce.

Day 31 : Background Editing

Part 1 : I took a normal image I had taken on the day of my photoshoot

Part 2 : I selected the background and deleted the green.

Part 3 : I deleted the green bits in between the headphones by using the magic wizard tool. This quickens the process.

Part 4 : I deleted both parts from the headphones and tadaaaa~

photo edited.

Day 30 : Updated Interview

The girl who will soon be on your radar YEZZI sits back and lays out everything she has got to offer in the name of her fans. Come and join us as she spills all of her music secrets.

1. What was the first song you felt really touched by?

I can't exactly remember what it was, but it was most probably a Phil Collins song called "Another Day in Paradise". I deeply and truly love that song even up until today, the lyrics are out of this world and the message behind them is life changing, especially since in our day to day lives we take our blessings for granted.

2. What are your favourite genres of music? And why?
Hip Hop.  It just shows so much creativity in its style and passion for making music that no other genre does. Hip Hop is the best genre for me, I would be lost without it because Hip Hop has that flare and confidence that I aspire to achieve as I develop as an artist.
That would be nice as long as I'm put in a position where I still have control over my creativity. I would dislike if anyone tried to make me be something I'm not.

3. In terms of music, what songs are your guilty pleasures?

Any songs from a soundtrack from the Disney movies either "The Lion King" or "The Jungle Book". I know my fans wouldn’t expect me to listen to music like this because I’m a rap artist but that is why it truly is a GUILTY pleasure!

4. Who has inspired you to write some of your songs?

My ex's and my crushes have inspired me in the past, but also members of my family. Since I know everyone will be interested in the songs I wrote from my relationships, I will share this for you and my fans to celebrate my first interview. So “Too Fine” and “No More” are the songs I poured my experiences into, “Too Fine” is about a boy I liked for a really long time and “No More” is basically the rough ending of the unrequited love. Sounds sad but I’m just happy I was able to get a song out of it.

5. When you write lyrics, is there any special time or place you write?

I write them whenever a bar or song hook pops up in my head. That can be anywhere from the shower, to even when I'm at work. When it does I just type it on my phone or save it as a voice note so I know exactly how I want my song to be.

7. What do you have going in the near future?

I have my competition "Yezzir Freestyles" coming out where people pick their favourite song clip, and then the song with the most votes I'll release as a full song and make it an E.P. "Who.What.Where" will be coming out soon.

8. If you could steal any artist’s clothes, whose wardrobe would it be?

Out of everyone I would definitely have to choose Rhianna. Rhianna has some awesome style, she’s a true fashionista. For Rhianna it would have to be her style from her “Good Girl Gone Bad” era when she finally grabbed attention with her track Umbrella, I would also have to work that signature short haircut she rocked at the time.

9. What is your favourite album of all time?

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - By Lauryn Hill. I just feel like every song on the album is a masterpiece and it isn’t easy for me to be impressed to this level. I love Lauryn Hill she really inspired me throughout my childhood, perhaps I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for her music.

10. Which do you prefer meaningful lyrics or fun lyrics?

I prefer meaningful lyrics because I feel it’s easy to connect to, especially on a deep and emotional level. But I do like fun lyrics also for example in the past I have written jingles and pop styled tracks for adverts and companies, it’s really exciting doing fun songs every once in a while.

11. What do you think of the British Rap scene?

I think there was a time when there wasn't one because people we were too caught up trying to copy the U.S rap scene, but now people are embracing being British more, it’s in a very good position right now and even the U.S rap scene are recognising the talent we have over here.

12. How do you produce your music? Do you do it all yourself?

Nope I don't do it all myself. I normally pick the beats that someone has previously made, then start writing my songs with a rap verse and a singing chorus then I would record it.

13. How would it feel for you to get signed to a major record label in the future?

14. If you could pick one word to describe yourself, what would it be and why?

"Growing”. I know that sounds weird but I believe I'm not the same person I was yesterday, everyday I believe I'm growing and my music is improving  and changing for the better.

15. How do you feel about the representation of female rap artists, in today’s industry?

I feel that female artists should only portray themselves how they really are and not just for the sake of attention seeking, because doing that only devalues other female rap artist’s music.

16. Who inspired you as an artist?

I'm inspired by Lauryn Hill, Snoop Dog, Biggies Smalls, 2pac, Kanye West, Drake, India Arie, Musiq Soul Child and Beyonce. I could go on forever if I wanted to, but with these artists in particular there’s a special element that each of these artists have that one day I hope I will achieve.

I hope you enjoyed our interview.

Show your support by opening iTunes and purchasing YEZZI’s latest single “Can Do” it's a purchase worth every penny.

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Ms Burne gave me feedback informing me that my interview doesn't flow naturally enough like a conversation, so I tried to incorporate that into my updated version however I believe it needs some work as some of the answers are too short, and not all the questions are needed as some are stronger than others.

Day 29 : Reasoning for my Front Cover

In Rap magazines the shots tend to take up most of the page, also the text harmonizes around the space of the image without looking cramped or as if not enough text is used. This is how I plan to layout the front cover of my magazine, as I wish to use a mid shot conventionally like these Rap magazines.

Day 28 part 2 : Using Befunky

I used Befunky.com to change and play with effects. Befunky is really easy to use and allows you to use various lightings and manipulators, that will make your photos look better. In terms of my photos I edited, I changed the lighting and added filters to add a different effect e.g photo 1 I made black and white to appear edgy, photo 2 I made it more sharper and clearer and photo 3 I used an effect called "Beautify" which empisized all the colours in the photo especially the orange and blue.



Day 27 part 2 : Rap record labels

I made a word cloud showing Worldwide Rap record labels to format my knowledge on Rap record labels in a tech savy way.

I also made a video on different Rap record labels.

Day 27 : Editing photo for my front cover

This video shows me using a Chinese editing photo app, which has various effects which change the lighting ext.

Day 26 : My Experience Using Indesign

Today in class we practiced using Indesign, it was a good experience since we all need to learn how to work with this program, however the lack of fonts was one thing I noticed as they didn't relate to my genre at all. From this I decided to go on dafont.com and download more Rap/Hip Hop styled fonts.

Mrs also showed us a tutorial on how to set up our template for our magazines.

I learnt that conventionally you're meant to use 6 columns as it makes it easier, also that 

making the edges of the pages bleed a little bit makes it easy to print and edit. Throughout the creation of my magazine I plan to link back to this, to make sure I'm using the program properly.

Here's the video below :

During the week I plan to watch part 2 of the tutorial, but also in general get more practice using Indesign.

Day 25 part 2 : My inspirations for my 3rd Photoshoot

Instead of advertising make-up like these Korean Rap artists do, I took these photos for an enrollment opportunity for students to apply for which I'll include on my contents page. The enrollment opportunity, will be the chance to enter a song-writing camp over the holidays. The mustache adds a playful and youth friendly touch to the magazine, which is why I thought it would be a good addition to mise on scene. Mise on scene is everything in the frame.

The headline is most likely to be "If musics your thing and you love poetry,

enroll to our songwriting camp now"

followed by 

"If you mustache a question call 02097645390 now"

The concept for these photos, was the idea that my model is a normal student girl who loves Rap, relating back to my readers profile of a girl who aspires to be in the music industry and wear designer clothes. At the momment my magazine "Word on the Street" is the closest they can get to their dream at the moment.

Here are the photos 

Here is my shot list 

Day 25 : What I plan for next week

Next week I plan to take more photos for my contents page, but not of people only places and objects e.g clothes and recording studio.

My aim for next week is also to have chosen, what photos I want for for my front cover and double page spread. I also might take photos of myself using the timer on the camera, which involves me setting the camera up myself, with the lighting and settings ext then getting a friend to press the button.