Target audience

Primary target audience

We are going to create a music video within the Hip-Hop/Rap sub-genre; aimed at male Teens aged 16-24, that are classed within the E section of the occupational table. This is because my group can relate to this audience as we are all students and fans of the Hip-Hop/Rap subgenre.

My Target audience would have to be interested in the music/Hip-Hop industry and like to listen to the genre

My music video is targeted towards the mainstream American audience as that is where Hip-Hop originated and developed, it is also where the majority of the popular artist are. The reason why I have not chosen aim for the UK’s audience is that the UK is mainly known for grime and not Hip-Hop.

We will also taken a survey of 20 British males/females, which show that the majority prefer to listen to original UK grime instead of American Hip-Hop or even British Hip-Hop. I have chosen mainstream instead of underground Hip-Hop because I feel that main stream music can have more of an impact on society and the way people think. It is also a way to sell more copies of your music, as not many people will care if an underground Hip-Hop rapper got into a fight. However everyone would want to know if a famous rapper like Jay Z or Kanye West got into a fight.

Secondary target audience

Our secondary audience will be female teens between the ages of 14-17. There is a much larger age gap between are male and female target audience and this is female tend to mature faster than males which means as they mature so will their taste in music. Most people who will be into our genre are people in E and maybe D, as the audience gets older there change between the classes which means they will be out of the target.

Rap/hip-Hop video analysis

In Meek Mill’s video ‘I’m a boss’, Meek Mill goes back to his hood after recently being signed with Rick Ross’s MMG record label. This video is concept based however it’s a little different than a typical rap concept music video. In this video Meek Mill is focusing more on showing his rep i
n the streets and how much respect he gets from people in his state.

A quick panning shot from left to right shows a large number of people coming around the corner with dirt bikes, which is meant to intimidate. This is because Meek Mill is trying to state is place in the rap industry and he wants to show that he is joking and he isn’t someone to mess with. Also a low angle shot of Meek Mill and his crew behind makes him look superior and intimidating. Even the Meek’s facial expression is serious to show he isn’t someone to mess with.

There isn’t a narrative to the music video and the lyrics don’t match the music video, however that is because the song is called “I’m a boss” and that’s what he is trying show throughout the video. The use of short takes keeps the audience paying attention because there is always something to look at on the screen. For example short takes between bikers doing tricks and panning s

Rap/hip-Hop video analysis

French Montana’s ‘Pop that’ music video is very concept based and he is well known for his concept videos, as he likes to show off his jewellery and women. In this video there is lots of women in bikinis at French Montana’s house in the backyard playing in the swimming pool and dancing around.

Like most rappers French Montana shows off his jewellery, cars and other material things, this is because it is entertaining for the his target audience and that’s what they are into. Also he sets a goal/target something his target audience or viewers can inspire to, to show that anyone can make it out the “hood”.

Slow motion and close ups of attractive females getting in and out of the swimming pool are used effectively to group the audience’s attention. Also short takes and quick cuts between rapper and attractive female dancing also keep your eyes locked to the screen. A panning shot from left to right is used throughout French Montana’s verse, which makes the viewer feel as if they are there live walking past the action.

This video also backs up the Males gaze theory by Mulvey as there is women in swimsuits all over the places dancing and messing around. Women often found in rap video as they attract a lot of male audience.

Rap/hip-Hop video analysis

Rick Ross’s music videos don’t seem to have a narrative most the time. This is because Rick Ross calls him self ‘the boss’ and he likes to show that in his music videos.

In this music video Rick Ross is driving around his where he was brought up in a Maybach, which is a quarter million car and also the symbol to his record label MMG (Maybach Music Group). By driving around in his expensive car Rick Ross is showing the transition between where he was and where he is at now and the success he’s been through. During the chorus of the song it says “I’m riding around and am getting it” which relates to Rick Ross in the music video who is being driven around whilst he’s wearing expensive jewellery.

Like most of Rick Ross’s music videos this is a concept-based video. During the music video there is a lot of quick cuts and short takes to flash his material things such as his car, chains, watch and sunglasses, this is to show his wealth and success. However he is dressed in a full Adidas tracksuit to show this is somewhere he is in a comfortable environment and not in a working state.

Concept based music video

Concept based music video are based around one theme or idea and are usually random and obscure. Because concept based videos are so unusual the content seems to attract the audience and draw them in. Concept videos keep the audience entertained at all times and constantly look at who and what’s on the screen. All music genres use concept-based videos. 

For example in this music video, there isn’t much of a story neither is it a performance. The video is pretty random with a sexy theme. There is girls half naked running around and dancing and also Robin Thicke and Pharrell and TI dancing too.

This type of music video comes in handy when targeting an audience with a short attention span as they always seeing something new and don’t have to follow and plot and are bored by a performance. Most rap videos are concept based and this relates to the lyrics of the song because some choose to rap with a narrative and some prefer to rap about other topic that sound good on their songs.