Semiotic Analysis Study Task 4

Semiotic Analysis Study Task 4

My task is too create a semiotic analyze of 500 words on a chosen image or text it could be motion picture, album covers, graphic design or anything with a visual message. Look into connotations, denotations, Index, Icon, symbol, code, cultural codes and mythic meaning. 

The piece of design I chose to review is US rapper Lil Wayne album 'Tha carter 4'.

From the outset the text displayed is a basic representation of Lil Wayne as a child. But he is a graduation outfit; this connotes success at a young age. The sign shown within the image is the combination of the physical image displaying Lil Wayne as a child; the mental image behind this is success at a young age through the use of the graduation clothing. The color red is used a lot to signify gang culture in a sense that red symbolises lil Wayne gang "bloods".

To me it also contradicts the common cultural reference of black rappers been aggressive and violent in their way to success. This could also be seen as symbolic, an image of a black rapper with tattoos denotes violence and aggression through cultural beliefs and connotations on rappers. This album cover contrasts between aggression and corporate using simple image layout and clean cut light weight sans serif typefaces with quite wide tracking and kerning and a symbolic graduation gown which connotes academic success which in terms of Myth in cultural references means money, success and wealth. But this connotation is contradicted through the humorous dig through the use of a rapper wearing the outfit.

Another cultural myth displayed is the icon used through the imagery in his face with tattoos connotation violence and gangs.  A personal view to mea and his fans on what the graduation gown means to me is an iconic concept of him been the most successful rapper to date and this method of visual delivery is an interesting way of connoting this. But I suppose this could also be seen as an index through the image, its quite a vague representation that is left for the viewer to decide upon the context and meaning of the text. It may be a sly dig at the fact that he didn’t need school to create success as he was chucked out at an early age so this could be creating a cultural contrast within the rap world.

It’s obvious the message within this text could be denoted and connoted in a literal and indirect sense depending on cultural category of the viewer. For a fan of the rapper it connotes a sly dig at not needing school through the symbol of the gown emulating success but really academics didn’t get him here it was the Myth of gang violence and common cultural acceptance of this that got him here basically through publicity. It could also denote success at an early age through the use of the graduation gown on a young figure.

Overall the image could be interpreted in 2 ways, which is a nice outcome for such a simple layout. But the use of a strong image denotes and connotes a message in symbolic terms creating an abstract representation of the message through the use of Myth to portray success through academic success. A more literal iconic message of success through cultural acceptance that graduation gowns connote success but in actual fact Lil Wayne is indexing a deeper meaning connoting you don’t need academic success to be rich and famous.