The Influence of Kanye West On Male Young Adults Buying Behaviour On Street Fashion in Kuala Lumpur - Thesis - Alia Alydrus

HELP UNIVERSITY
THE INFLUENCE OF KANYE WEST ON MALE YOUNG ADULTS

BUYING BEHAVIOUR ON STREET FASHION IN KUALA LUMPUR
SARIFAH NOR ALIA ALYDRUS

B1600297
Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree of
Bachelor of Communication (Marketing Communication) (Hons)

Faculty of Communication
April 2019
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DECLARATION
I, Sarifah Nor Alia Alydrus, hereby to declare that this thesis is the result of my own research
under the supervision and guidance of Mr. Floy Yap. I also declare that the material embodied
in this thesis is original and has not been submitted for any other diploma, degree, or other
similar titles under HELP University or any universities. The works of other authors made us
of in this thesis have been fully acknowledged in the references.
Sarifah Nor Alia Alydrus
B1600297
Date: 28/03/2019
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ABSTRACT
In this study, the focus will be on the Hip-Hop fashion delivered by Kanye West and how it
has affected the male young adults buying decision on street fashion in Kuala Lumpur.
However, buying decision is a subjective interpretation of every individual. Thus, the data
collected only applies to the sample: 18-35 years old males. The data collected cannot be
applied or generalized to other population. Through this study, the researcher also hopes that
this study will give the readers some knowledge about streetwear market and its customers.
This study will discuss the influence of Kanye and also explore how he manages to create the
hype towards him and what makes him so appealing to the young adults in Klang Valley. There
were 40 male respondents selected to participate in answering the research questions based on
purposive sampling method. The research questions are based on the independent variables: a
source of information, income, product accessibility, the reason for the choice.
As a result, the researcher was able to identify that the influence of Hip Hop already exists
among the young adults in Kuala Lumpur due to the early exposure of the culture. Based on
the Source of Credibility theory, Kanye’s influence on young adults in Kuala Lumpur was
measured within the three elements: expertise, trustworthiness, and attractiveness. As a result,
these three elements were transferred to the participants’ perception of the brands endorsed by
West which led to their motivation of buying those products.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to God for making it possible for me
to finish this paper. There were times where I found myself feeling lost and unmotivated, but I
prevailed because of His blessings.
I would also like to express my appreciation to my thesis supervisor, Mr. Floy Yap for his help
and guidance. Thank you for always giving me advice and trusting me throughout the entire
process of writing this thesis.
Next, I would like to thank the Faculty of Communication, HELP University for giving me the
opportunity to conduct this study as well as all the people that participate to answer the survey
that I have conducted.
And finally, I would really like to express my sincere gratitude to my family and friends for
always being there with me from the beginning to the end. Thank you for giving me endless
support and encouragement whenever I needed it the most.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION ii
ABSTRACT iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS v
CHAPTERS
I INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Problem Statement 3
1.3 Research Questions 4
1.4 Research Objectives 5
1.5 Scope of the Study 5
1.6 Significance of the Study 5
II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 Previous Research Findings 7
2.2 Related Theories 11
III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Design 14
3.2 Theoretical Framework 14
3.3 Sampling Technique 15
3.4 Instrument 16
3.5 Method of Data Analysis 16
IV RESEARCH FINDINGS
4.1 Data Analysis 17
4.2 Findings 18
V DISCUSSION
5.1 Summary 33
5.2 Discussion 33
VI CONCLUSION
6.1 Conclusion 38
6.2 Limitations 39
6.3 Recommendations 40
REFERENCES 41
APPENDICES
Appendix A 45
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
In today’s world, celebrities are being treated as a role model. People are changing their
lifestyle mirroring to their favorite celebrity. This way living of living creates a great
impact on the buying behavior of the persons. This attracts customers and ultimately
increases a company’s productivity and profit. Celebrities are not always creating any
kind of effect on a person’s mind in terms of buying but mostly it gives a great impact
on the perception of choosing any product. We are most likely to think that if our favorite
celebrity is using them. Then we should use that to be like them (Khatri 2006).
Companies spend a large amount of money to endorse their brands through these
celebrities. These celebrity endorsers are perceived to be gifted with dynamic, attractive
and likable qualities (Atkin and Block, 1983) and companies try to align these qualities
to their products through marketing communication strategies. Kamins (1989) defined
celebrity endorser as “an individual who is known to the public for his or her
achievements in areas other than that of the product endorsed”. In the words of Stafford
et al. (2003), a celebrity endorser is “a famous person who uses public recognition to
recommend or co-present with a product in an ad”.
When it comes to street fashion, celebrity endorsement and collaboration are a common
marketing strategy. Kanye Omari West is one of them. He has worked with a lot of big
brands and has come a long way to be taken seriously in the fashion industry, from
designing a sneaker for brands like Bape and Louis Vuitton to exhibiting his own brand,
Yeezy on the New York Fashion Week. Kanye’s history in the fashion industry is as
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long and involved as his career in music, and since he burst onto the scene in 2004 with
The College Dropout album, his impact on men’s fashion, especially in streetwear, has
been immense.
In 2007, Bape was the most coveted streetwear brand on the planet. The Bapesta sneaker
was their crown jewel, and Kanye designed a version that featured his mascot, the
“Dropout Bear.” This marked the first time West collaborated with a brand on an original
sneaker. He then collaborated with Louis Vuitton to design sneaker and in the same year,
the first Nike Air Yeezy collection is released. This marked the first time Nike had given
a signature shoe to a non-athlete, signaling Kanye as a pioneer in the sneaker world—
and introducing a famous musician who wanted to reimagine the concept of “celebrity
designer”. As expected the Air Yeezy 1 sold out almost instantly and three years later
the second Nike Air Yeezy collection released. In 2013, he collaborated with a French
brand called Atelier de Production et de Création (APC) consisted of two pairs of jeans,
a hoodie, and a T-shirt was met with near-instant sell-outs and lines outside of A.P.C.’s
store. In the same year, Kanye transformation from the Swoosh Nike to the three stripes
Adidas has begun. The internet exploded once Kanye seen wearing his first Yeezy x
Adidas 750 boost. Even Adidas had to create an app to control the hype surrounding the
release of Kanye West x Adidas by letting customers reserve pairs of the new shoes at
local stores, now and for future Adidas products. In early 2015, he has his first fashion
show in New York followed by the second Yeezy x Adidas fashion show in September
and the third round in 2016.
If we can conclude the marketing strategy of those giant brands that work with Kanye
are an effective way to use digital word-of-mouth marketing. This digital word-of-mouth
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marketing is a joy for a brand’s bottom line. Rather than having to spend money on
expensive advertising or promotions, consumers do their marketing for them. Instead,
the brands can spend big on product endorsers, like West.
A brand is a “characteristic or distinctive kind” and Kanye West is both a character and
distinctive. The answer to what makes Kanye so influential is Kanye himself. Something
as simple as a tweet is an advertisement and a statement of the Kanye brand that he has
created over the years. This does not mean that he is no longer human and a walking
advertisement, but his creativity and brash attitude have made him into his own personal
brand that he can promote from. According to Wade (2016), to understand how Kanye
got the voice he has now and can simply tweet and go viral, it is important to look at the
creation of his brand and public image, whether intentionally or unintentionally created.
By creating such a distinctive brand and persona, Kanye can take a minimalist approach
in advertising and promoting his brand endorsement through social media.
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Beyond Kanye’s sense of style is his appreciation of culture, and nothing exemplifies
that better than Kanye’s love affair with Hip hop culture. There’s no denying that
whatever he co-signs is guaranteed to sell out. One of many examples is Yeezy x Adidas.
The shoes are shining beacons of desire inevitably inspiring a mad rush of youngsters
clamoring to get their hands on one. The build-up of the hype before the Kanye endorsed
release was nothing but insane. There’s always a long queue outside Adidas’s store's
other reseller stores every time a new design of clothing or shoes from Kanye released.
But no one really knows exactly why Kanye is so influential. In other words, there is
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still no deep understanding of how he manages to create the hype towards him; what
makes him so appealing to the young adults in Klang Valley.
In this study, the focus will be on the street fashion that delivered by Kanye West and
how it has affected the young generation buying decision in Kuala Lumpur. There can
be seen a significant conceptual gap in respective study context relevant to the Western
countries and as far as researcher’s knowledge, there is not any study conducted in Kuala
Lumpur so far regarding this matter. Since buying decision itself is a shared subjective
interpretation and so, it is very important to understand the determinants from the local
youth’s perspectives. Thus, conducting this study, the researcher hopes to fill the
significant conceptual gap relevant to this study context.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. Do you know Kanye West?
2. What is street fashion?
3. What is the relationship between street fashion and Hip-Hop artists?
4. How do you know Kanye West?
5. What do you know about Kanye West?
6. Are you familiar with the Hip Hop culture?
7. What social media do you use often to look up for street fashion?
8. How often do you see Kanye West and his street fashion in your social media?
9. Is street fashion in demand in Kuala Lumpur?
10. Is street fashion pricy to you?
11. Are you aware of Yeezy and Kanye West's endorsed clothing line are available and
being sold in Kuala Lumpur?

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12. Do you shop for Yeezy and Kanye West's endorsed clothing line via the online store
or retail shop?
13. Why do you buy from Yeezy and Kanye West's endorsed clothing line?
1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
• To understand why young adults in Kuala Lumpur can relate to the Hip Hop culture
that Kanye West delivered.
• To determine what factors influence young adults in Kuala Lumpur by Kanye West.
• To investigate the reasons they purchase the products advertised or used by Kanye
West.
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
a) The universe of this research is the male young adults from age 18-35 years old
living in Kuala Lumpur. The purposive sampling method is proposed for this study.
b) The study gathered information of male young adults’ income, spending power, the
frequency of Kanye West media exposure captured by the male young adults,
fashion product accessibility and how those variables affect their fashion preference
c) This was a cross-sectional study to be completed within four months during 2019.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Hopefully, this study will be able to give some insights on how Kanye influence the
young adults on their sense of fashion style and to deepen the understanding on the
expertise, attractiveness, and trustworthiness that he delivered can affect their buying
decision. No similar studies have ever been conducted yet in the past, and with this
study, the researcher hopes that it will prompt further studies on this topic.
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This study mainly focuses on how the Influence of Kanye taps into the Kuala Lumpur’s
male audience and the study will try to understand the relevance between the youth and
the Hip Hop culture. Through this study, the researcher also hopes that this study will
give the readers some knowledge about streetwear market and its customers.
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CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Previous Research Findings
Subculture of Consumption
Hip Hop combines two slang terms. Hop represents the hopping movement exhibited by
Hip Hop performers. Hip means trendy or fashionable with the leaping movement Hop.
Hip Hop is a style of popular music of US black and Hispanic origin, featuring rap with
electronic backing. Eventually, it becomes a subculture of consumption in a distinctive
subgroup of society that self-selects based on a shared commitment to a particular product
class, brand, or consumption activity. These products are often associated with the common
person and are easy to understand and consume. Hip-hop culture easily corresponded to the
concept of a subculture of consumption, because hip-hop culture includes of individuals
who identify with certain products, such as fashion, music, and other forms of
entertainment (Arthur, 2006). From the identification with the products, cultural members
of hip-hop also internalize these images and messages as being a part of their culture, which
can influence their commitment to these products.
The Hip Hop Industry
In the 1970s, hip-hop was a popular subculture amongst the young generation in the USA.
It emerged from the African-American, Latino and Caribbean-American communities in
the South Bronx, New York. According to Gadet (2015), hip-hop culture, mostly through
rap music, became a legal way to escape from social exclusion and poverty for a category
of young black or colored people in America. It also participated in the making of their
social identity.
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Today, Hip Hop is becoming a cultural product that is being sold and bought all over the
world. It is a product that garners millions of dollars, produces waged activities and boosts
the American and the world economy. Since hip-hop entered popular culture, it is marketed
to make profits. It repeats itself hoping that the products that had commercial appeal will
be successful again. At the same time, its producers not only reflect the beliefs and the
values of its consumers, but they also shape them. The culture has had a strong impact on
the clothing and food industries, on the media, education, language, sexuality, gender
relations, social and economic policies in the United States and other parts of the world.
Hip-hop music in the early 2000s tended to follow a defined set of rules. This era in rap
industry was often referred to as the ‘Bling Era’; a time when the music of the genre had to
have the Timbaland sound, the lyrics glorified expensive lifestyles and nearly all artists had
to uphold a tough, gangster persona to be taken seriously. The biggest rap artist of the time,
50 Cent, followed this formula nearly perfectly. In this era, it seemed that there was no
place for observation on topics such as religion, family, prejudice, and materialism; that is
until Kanye stepped into the void. Kanye’s debut album, The College Dropout, had its
greatest impact in changing the rules of what a hip-hop artist must be like. This stance of
appointing himself in direct relation to the listener, as opposed to the drastic divide many
of the bling-era rappers painted, represented a substantial change in how relatable a
successful rapper could be.
The History of Street Fashion
The actual word of streetwear was coined by Brad Dorfman's label "Vision" back in the
late 80s, but it wasn't until the early 2000s that the word "streetwear" was added to the
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dictionary. It is a type of fashion spearheaded by the youth in response to the industry that
largely ignored them when it came to style and culture.
One of the first brands that labeled themselves as streetwear brand was Stussy. According
to Stussy Founder, Shawn Stussy described its brand as a multifaceted subcultural diverse
Southern California lifestyle-based t-shirt brand mimicking the limited of a high-end luxury
brand.
Streetwear is the consumption of these subcultures of Hip Hop. But as time changes, almost
anything can be considered street that comes outside the traditional fashion system. At one-
point streetwear, consumption is an indication of how deep you were into Hip Hop culture
and how much you were willing to pay to be a part of it. Along with the sneaker boom in
the late 90s and early 2000s, hype culture was born or better known as "Hype-beast". If
something is cool to the cool people, it will be cool to the masses.
We are at the point where luxury brands such as Givenchy, Fendi, Gucci, Balenciaga are
getting in on streetwear. We live in a world where Louis Vuitton is collaborating with
Supreme and Fragment. Which is a huge departure from when Stussy mocked the idea of
being like luxury brands. In today’s world, streetwear is still a cultural consumption but
more importantly, it's an expression of a street lifestyle through clothing amplified and
meant to be consumed, it is the basis of creating the image or the uniform of Hip-hop.
The Behaviour of Streetwear Enthusiasts in Kuala Lumpur
The streetwear scene in Kuala Lumpur is facing an over-supply of products, not just by
resellers, but by giant brands especially. Giant brands are acknowledging the secondary
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market where their products are being resold for a much higher price which will boost their
sales due to the perception of being able to make a profit by resellers. By using simple
knowledge of economics when supply is higher than demand, prices of products all fall
especially when a new reseller comes in with intentions to make a quick flip and sells at a
lower price than everyone else, which further spoils the market by reducing the average
market price of products. An example would be the Supreme SS18 waist bag which initially
could fetch around RM750.00 but due to over-saturation of the product in the market, it is
easily obtainable at around RM600.00 to RM650.00.
The Malaysia streetwear market has reached a point such if the item is not expensive,
people desire it less and would rather save up to purchase something with more hype
accompanied by a higher resell price. An example would be instead of purchasing a pair of
Shadow 1’s shoes for RM750.00, people would rather spend to pay for a pair of Banned
1’s shoes for RM1500.00 just because it’s more expensive, and would be deemed more
superior compared to the Shadow 1’s. The Malaysia streetwear scene has reached a plateau
as people are in the streetwear scene solely to stay relevant and to show superiority over
another with more expensive pieces.
The reason behind this is because most young adults in Malaysia measure rarity of
streetwear products using resell value instead of factors that matter such as production
quantity, availability and more. A relatable example would be, everyone knows of
Fragment 1’s but are much less familiar with the Art Basel 1’s which was only available
for purchase in Miami, Florida. The Fragment 1’s was released in 2014, had a restock in
2017, and it was accessible to anyone since it was sold via online, yet due to the hype,
Fragment receives more recognition and more people are willing to spend on a pair of
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Fragment 1’s instead of the Art Basel 1’s. This point proves that if Malaysia streetwear
enthusiasts are for aiming for the hype. Yet, our scene will be flooded with only newly-
released, overproduced, hyped pieces rather than rare pieces which elevate our scene to
compete with collectors internationally whether in terms of streetwear pieces or sneakers.
2.2 Related Theories
Source of Credibility Theory
The effectiveness of a message of a brand depends on the perceived level of expertise and
trustworthiness of an endorser (Ohanian, 1991). Information from a credible source can
influence believes, opinions, attitudes and/or behaviors through a process called
internalization, which occurs when receivers embrace the source influence in terms of their
personal attitude and value structures (Erdoğan, 1999). Because celebrity endorser is the
main source of information, his credibility is an important consideration for the advertiser
(Friedman et al., 1978). The definition and content of credibility vary in the related
literature. For example, according to Hovland et al. (1953) credibility consists of two
components called perceived expertness and trustworthiness. Trust is a significant
component in many studies (Bowers and Phillips, 1967). Besides trust, expertise or
competence is also mentioned as a crucial factor of source credibility (eg. Applbaum and
Anatol, 1972). In recent studies, the attractiveness of the source is also accepted as a
dimension of credibility. Ohanian (1990) created a scale to measure the effectiveness of
celebrity endorsers by looking at expertise, trustworthiness, and attractiveness of the
endorser, especially in the advertisement process.
Fifteen sub credibility factors which have been widely accepted and used by different
researchers (Till and Busler, 1998; 2000) take part in these three factors (i.e. expertise,
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trustworthiness, and attractiveness of the endorser). In this study, source credibility is
measured in three dimensions which are composed of celebrity expertise, trustworthiness,
and attractiveness as proposed by Ohanian (1990).
Trustworthiness
“The trust paradigm in communication is the listener's degree of confidence in, and level
of acceptance of, the speaker and the message” (Abdulmajid-Sallam and Wahid, 2012).
Ohanian (1990) stated that the trustworthy communicator was persuasive, whether an
expert or not. Trustworthiness can be defined as “the honesty, integrity, and believability
the endorser possesses” (Waldt et al., 2009). It is the degree of confidence consumers place
in a communicator’s intent to convey the assertions she/he considers most valid (Ohanian,
1990). Much of the literature supports the positive effect of trustworthiness on effectiveness
(Chao et al., 2005).
Expertise
Expertise dimension is also referred to as authoritativeness, competence, expertness, or
qualification (Berlo et al., 1969). Expertise is the degree to which the endorser is perceived
to have adequate knowledge, experience or skills to promote the product (Waldt et al.,
2009). The expertise of the endorser is not important unless consumers perceive it to be so
(Erdogan, 1999). Expertise is accepted as the most important component for endorsement
to be successful as Daneshvary and Schwer indicated (2000). Celebrities might be
perceived as having more expertise than created spokespersons (Waldt et al., 2009).
Celebrity endorsers’ expertise is “the extent to which a communicator is perceived to be a
source of valid assertions” (Erdogan, 1999).

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Attractiveness
Attractiveness is another important component of source credibility. According to Erdogan
(1999), attractiveness is the stereotype of positive associations to a person and not only
entails physical attractiveness but also other characteristics such as personality and athletic
ability. Joseph (1982) summarized the experimental evidence regarding physically
attractive communicator's impact on different dependent measures and stated that attractive
communicators are mostly preferred, liked and believed to have a positive impact on
products over unattractive ones. Endorsers who are perceived to be attractive are more
likely to lead the purchase intent (Waldt et al., 2009). Attractiveness can be a crucial factor
in creating effective messages (Schlecht, 2003). Attractive endorsers do have more
influence over consumers compared to less attractive ones (Kahle and Homer, 1985;
Joseph, 1982). However, Baker and Churchill (1977) stated that while attractiveness
positively affects evaluations, it is immaterial in affecting purchasing intentions. While
advertisers have frequently chosen endorsers based on their physical attractiveness to affect
consumer attitudes (eg Chaiken, 1979), some researchers (Joseph, 1982; Kahle and Homer,
1985) assert that source attractiveness may only be effective if the product enhances the
attractiveness of the user as it is also stated in the match-up model.

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CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design
As the purpose of this study is to determine and to understand the effect of Kanye West on
male young adults buying decision, exploratory research was proposed. Exploratory
research is used to investigate a problem which is not clearly defined. It is conducted to
have a better understanding of the existing problem.
The data of this study was gathered through qualitative method, using an open-ended
questionnaire as a primary resource and content analysis as a secondary resource. The
advantage of using this method is to provide a greater depth of understanding of an area of
study. It is applied to gain a principal of reasons, opinions, and motivations understanding.
3.2 Theoretical Framework
Independent Variables Research Elements to Dependent Variable

be Measured
Kanye media
exposure captured by
the young adults
Source of Information
Peers Influence
Influence of Kanye The Level of
West on Male Monthly income Kanye’s Influence on
Young Adults Income Male Young Adults
Buying Decision on Purchase power Buying Decision on
Street Fashion Street Fashion
Via physical stores
Product Accessibility
Online purchase
Quality, Pricing,
Reasons for Choice
Trend
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Figure 1. Theoretical Framework
Figure 1 shows the theoretical framework for this exploratory research. The dependent
variables to be examined are including the sources of information, income, product
accessibility, and reasons for the choice. Through the open-ended questionnaire, the researcher
was able to find out the information from different opinions and views. All of those factors
were then determined to measure the degree of Kanye’s impact on male young adults buying
decision on street fashion.
3.3 Sampling Technique
The sample of this study was male young adults from 18-35 years old living in Kuala
Lumpur. There were 40 male respondents selected to participate in answering the research
questions based on purposive sampling method. Purposive sampling is a non-probability
sample selected according to population characteristics and study objective, also known as
judgmental, selective or subjective sampling. This qualitative sampling process allowed the
researcher to obtain different expressions, preferences, and perspectives among the
respondents. Thus, the researcher only focused on obtaining information from young adults
who have an interest in street fashion and Hip-Hop culture. This was to ensure that the
experiences that are shared during the interviews are appropriate and meaningful for this
study.
There are pros and cons of this sampling technique. The pros of using this technique are
can save cost and time very effective also the good results can be gained due to limited
essential data sources. While inflammable errors could be possibly found, and the reliability
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level is relatively low. The bias and inability are quite high to generalize the research
findings.
3.4 Instrument
This research was using a subject-completed instrument. Verbal data were collected from
the open-ended questionnaire of the sample through Google Forms. The reason why the
researcher chooses this instrument is to encourage the correspondents to express a full and
meaningful answer using her/his own knowledge, feeling, and experience. A set of
questions were asked, and the answers were captured for the research. The researcher was
able to conclude whether or not the young adults in Kuala Lumpur has been influenced by
Kanye West’s in terms of their buying decision towards street fashion and their perspective
toward Hip Hop culture.
3.5 Method of Data Analysis
The qualitative data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis strategy. This
strategy involves taking one piece of primary data comparing it with all others that may be
similar or different to develop conceptualizations of the possible relations between various
pieces of data. Scanning for word and phrase repetitions that are most commonly used by
the respondents were implemented.
In this study, furthermore, data comparison between primary and secondary resources were
also necessary. Hence, comparing the findings of the open-ended questionnaire with the
findings of the literature review was done to evaluate the differences and similarities
between them.
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CHAPTER 4
RESEARCH FINDINGS
4.1 Data Analysis
The deductive approach was used to analyze the primary data from the open-ended
questionnaire based on a structure predetermined by the researcher. In this analysis, the
researcher was using the research questions as a guide for grouping and analyzing the
data.
40 respondents from 18-35 years old were asked to fill the questionnaire. The
respondents were also requested to share their monthly allowance. 42% of them earned
below RM 1,000.00 per month and 41% earned between RM1,000.00 to RM 3,000.00
Moreover, 17% of the sample have above RM 3,000.00 monthly allowance.
5%
41%
42%
12%
RM1,000 - RM3,000 RM3,000-5,000 > RM1,000 < RM5,000
Figure 2. Participants’ Monthly Allowance

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4.2 Findings
Question 1: How do you feel about the Hip-Hop culture that Kanye West delivered?
From this research question, the researcher found that most of the sample have a
positive feeling towards Hip Hop. They mentioned that Kanye stands out from the rest
of the musician that share the spotlight with him. While most of the rappers would
glorifying lavish life, Kanye, on the other hand, had made himself relatable to most of
his audience by projecting it in the form of lyrics. Considering how famous he is now,
it is no secret that Kanye is one of the people that a person from Hip Hop culture looks
up to.
“It is really interesting what he does with the culture, I guess that makes him
controversial.”
“If you follow his career from the past, he has continuously given back to the
hip hop community by his style of rapping and his beats. There’s nobody else like
Kanye.”
“During the 2000s, Kanye has changed the standard of hip-hop, not like other
rappers in his era in which their music mostly about glorifying expensive lifestyle and
gangster persona. But Kanye music represented a substantial change in how relatable
a successful rapper could be.”
“It's different from the rest of the Hip Hop artist, I feel like Kanye has combined
Hip Hop culture with his own upbringing, resulting in a whole different touch to its
music or even style.”
“I feel like he is able to bring a brand-new face of hip-hop to the youth and also
the world of Hip Hop itself. He breaks the boundary of hip-hop artist only can sing...
But they also can get into fashion.”

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“Kanye changed the standards for a Hip-Hop artist. The rapping also offers a
good alternative when I don’t feel like singing”
“Pretty impactful considering how famous he is”
“I don’t know much about his music actually, all I know is when he was in the
news because of the controversy he made through his music video and songs”
“I think Kanye has a big influence in hip hop culture which makes him the most
iconic star until today”
“It's interesting for me especially young generation”
“It's very entertaining so far”
“I think it's pretty unique because it makes you think that dress like a homeless
is cool”
“I think he brought a new style of Hip Hop”
“I feel it’s too overrated”
“SWAG”
Question 2: Are you interested in Hip-Hop culture? If yes, why?
The sample’s response has shown that the majority of them are into Hip Hop culture.
Some would argue that the culture has a very creative way of expressing their thought
especially about the struggles of sociocultural differences in the United States. Thus,
those were delivered through music.
“Yes, very creative way to express their thoughts”
“Yes. Hip hop represents the struggles, sociocultural differences, politics, and
even the economy. Modern day rap, not so much.”
“Yes, because I like the type of music they create”

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“Yes, I'm interested because hip hop always relates with social justice I think”
“Some. The message that it conveys through the music is pretty good, but only
from specific talents.”
“Yes, because it has their own fashion style”
“Yes, it is one of the coolest cultures, I am deeply influenced by it”
“Yes, because I enjoy the music and through the music, I ended up enjoying the
culture too.”
“Yes, because musically hip hop is like the most creative genre of all, you can
combine jazz, rock, blues in one song.”
“Yes, because the music is very entertaining and because of it delivers freedom
of thought & expression”
“Yes, I love their street style and music”
“I do, but not in all its aspect. I'm only into the art department, for example,
music and graffiti which are highly exposed in the media and internet”
“Yes, I love the production methods that are unique compared to some forms of
electronic music and the way it has poetry set to a beat”
“Yes, because it's delivered a meaningful story about life”
Question 3: How did you first get introduced to Hip-Hop culture?
According to their responses, electronic media such as TV and radio are the main
sources of getting to know the culture. However, some of them first found an interest
in the culture from exploring social media such as YouTube and watching the
documentary film about Hip Hop culture. Surprisingly, most of them had watched the
same TV program, MTV Music, in their early teenager in order to keep up with the
latest Hip Hop music.

21
“When I was first introduced to MTV on Astro.”
“Through my friend who is into Hip Hop. “
“When I was 15 years old, from social media, television or YouTube”
“When I listen to Kanye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album back in
2010”
“I got to know it from the Internet”
“From Straight Outta Compton movie”
“Film and television”
“When I was a child, I first heard rap or hip hop when my sister was watching
MTV”
“Listening to music through MTV”
“When I was in secondary school, watching MTV music”
“Through listening to hip hop music from the radio, and through google
research.”
“Through MTV music program”
“I don't follow the trend, but I knew it first because of my friends who listen to
hip hop music and they follow its trend and culture.”
“When I was 10. Back when hip hop was all about Jay-Z and Kanye himself
and I know them through a TV channel.”
Question 4: What are the values in the Hip-Hop culture that you can relate to?
Despite the negative connotation attached to the culture, the respondents are able to
relate the culture value in a positive way. Some of the value that they mentioned include
self-confidence in expressing thought, solidarity amongst the brotherhood, and the
belonging of one culture.

22
“Not giving up, be good to your family, respect, don’t be racist, don’t let anyone
look down on you.”
“I can relate to their speaking truth in the music. It talks about people of color
lifestyle and struggles.”
“Hip hop to me is a way to express yourself. So maybe it relates to me by
music.”
“Always stayed swag even in a harsh or bad situation.”
“Social justice, peace, respect, self-worth and having fun.”
“Sense of pride and loyalty.”
“Being confident.”
“The values of brotherhood.”
“Belonging to the community.”
“The way we express our self in music.”
“Mostly it's related to any real-life experience of people such as hard &
successful time.”
“Hip hop is known as the music that really upfront and free to speak your
opinion.”
"I don't know, maybe their fashion sense.”
“How everyone has each other's back, I relate to that because I would do the
same with people under the same "gang" with me.”
“Authenticity, staying true to oneself.”
“About not caring what other people say about me.”
“Never forget where you from.”
“The freedom of speech, and just be utterly themselves.”
“Speak up your mind.”

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“Mostly about how fucked up society is.”
Question 5: How did you get introduced to Kanye West?
Since the sample is young adults from a wide range of age from 18-35 years old, the
researcher has found two different patterns in terms of knowing Kanye West. The
respondents between the age of 18-26 stated that Kanye news about his controversy
with Taylor Swift and his dating life with Kim Kardashian has made them aware of
him. Whereas the respondents above 26 years old, get introduced to him the same time
that they knew Hip Hop music.
“Hip hop and rap music.”
“His music video on MTW. If I’m not mistaken it was his song from the album
Graduation or College Dropout.”
“From his collaboration with Katy Perry on E.T, the media, and after the whole
incident in the award show with Taylor swift I feel like I know him better.”
“By his music and the controversy that he created.”
“A friend showed me his music and I enjoyed his work till recently.”
“By listening to his My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album back in 2010, it
was a great listen.”
“News on the Internet.”
“Music Awards.”
“His music, bittersweet.”
“From NBA 2k games.”
“His controversies and scandals.”
“Kanye West - All of The Lights ft Rihanna in 2011.”

24
“When he broke into Tylor Swift award-winning speech.”
“When his music video Gold Digger was played at MTV music program.”
“Of course, through his music, but I get to know him better when he started
dating Kim Kardashian, making his name often appeared on entertainment news.”
“Well, I don't know anyone that can introduce me to Kanye West, but I heard
he's a nice guy. But in all seriousness, through his beef with Taylor.”
“When I used to listen to his early 2000s albums.”
“Her viral music video featuring Kim K.”
“I know Kanye since years ago because his music and got featured with some
singers like Katy Perry but I don't listen to his own songs. Now I get an update about
Kanye because he argues with other public figures on social media and of course
because he is a part of the Kardashian now.”
“Through tv channel and reading news about him.”
Question 6: Kanye West is known for his controversy. How do you feel about that?
Based on the sample’s answers, the majority of them have a neutral approach to his
controversy. In their point of view, the publicity stunt is one of the reasons the
controversy began. It may perceive as ridiculous sometimes, but at the end of the day,
those controversies make the public talk about him and allow him to get more media
exposure.
“Mostly neutral, but sometimes feel that he is impulsive or stupid.”
“I used to think he was an asshole but now I think it's just a way for him to gain
publicity.”
“Feeling neutral about it.”

25
“I think he made his own controversy to make him famous.”
“He is in his own headspace. There are some things he does I disagree with and
some things I feel okay with. In the end, it's all about publicity. Either it’s good or bad.”
“I think whatever he did it is mostly to stay in the spotlight but also he is the
type of person who speaks his mind in a vulgar way.”
“I think he has his own way of thinking that most people don't understand or
can't relate but then again that what makes him stands out and still relevant until
today.”
“Public figures tend to have a lot of controversies. I think it's okay, it's part of
their job to stay relevant in the entertainment industry and readers should be wiser in
receiving information.”
“At some point, I felt it's just too much, but he also has the rights to state
whatever he wanted to say. There's also a point when I think he's being rude especially
that Taylor Swift controversy, he should've been able to control that part of him.”
“A lot of celebrities make controversy. It's fine for me.”
“As long as he can produce a good song then it shouldn't be a problem.”
Question 7: What do you think about his personality and fashion style?
In terms of personality, Kanye is perceived as a cocky and arrogant person. According
to the respondent’s opinion, he simply does not care about what other people feel about
him. While, in the fashion world, he is seen as a trendsetter. Even though his style
considered somewhat strange to some people, but he is definitely establishing a new
style for today’s generation.
“Strange but a little bit cool.”

26
“Individualism and how he perceived what the current society should wear.
Pastel colors, colors mostly. His fashion is something that I would relate too.”
“Can be my parameters.”
“Stuck up and weirdly unique.”
“In terms of personality... to me, he's quite arrogant. But that's only my opinion
based on what I see in the media. As for fashion style, it's unique.”
“Swag cool, make me jealous.”
“I don’t know about his personality, but I love his style.”
“His personality is unique, and his fashion is ahead of his time, always setting
the trend.”
“Very over-the-top, does not care what others think, I'm not sure, but Adidas
Yeezy is one of the best shoes around.”
“Unique, gets people wanting to know more about him.”
“Through media, he seems like a cocky person. In terms of style, he seems to
create his own style by adopting minimalism.”
“His kind of arrogant I guess, but his style is trendy judging by more and more
people adopt his style”
“He dresses like a hobo and again I'm not sure about his personality, I don't
know him that well or in person. I tend to not judge people by their image. I don't know
about his personality, but his fashion is lit.”
“Obviously he's a trendsetter with an arrogant personality.”
“His personality is bad for me, to be honest, he likes to start fights with people
as I know from the social media. About his fashion style, he's definitively establishing
sort of new trend/style for today's generation.”

27
“I personally think he is an attention seeker... And his fashion style is alright I
think… somehow he is able to bring a new level of fashion for the millennials.”
“Personality not sure, but his fashion is interesting.”
“I don't really know about his personality, but his style is fashionable and can
be a trendsetter for those who like that kind of style”
Question 8: Are the people around you interested in Kanye West? If yes, does that
influence how you feel about Kanye West?
Based on these answers, the researcher was able to conclude that either Kanye in
general or his endorsed products are not meant for everyone. But due to the word-of-
mouth system, peers play a major role in influencing their friends and relatives. It is
obvious that he has a niche audience which only targeted to a specific subgroup who
has the same needs and interest. Although the audience size is relatively small, it holds
greater values to him and the brand he endorsed. However, as discussed earlier in the
literature review, this niche audience has become larger because of the hype culture.
“Some people around me don't really care about Kanye West. But that's not a
problem for me.”
“Yes, I have a couple of friends that like him, but I feel like I am influenced by
them.”
“I think not, Kanye is too extreme for them maybe.”
“Yes, they are, the influence makes people tend to follow his lifestyle”
“Some of them really got influenced by him. But not really how I feel about it.”
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“Yes, and no it does not influence me. People who like Kanye have only one
viewpoint which is good. Therefore, I tend to surround myself with neutral people, so I
get honest answers.”
“Nope, I guess I'm the only one who would defend Kanye if my peers were
talking about him.”
“Maybe some of my friends, not all.”
“There are people talking about him none of that impacts me directly.”
Question 9: What motivates you to purchase the products and brands that Kanye
West used or endorsed?
The majority of the sample had purchased Kanye’s endorsed products at least once and
the reason behind it is the hype around his endorsed products. As seen below, the word
“FOMO” is mentioned a few times as the motivation of buying his products. FOMO is
an abbreviation for “fear of missing out”. A form of social anxiety - a compulsive
concern that one might miss an opportunity to attend an event or to follow the latest
trend. FOMO is often aroused by posts seen on social media.
“Just trying it out.”
“I mean its unique, and it’s from Kanye West.”
“I like his style. So, I have to.”
“My needs I guess. I don’t care who promote the product as long it satisfies the
requirements of needs.”
“As a big fan of him, I need to.”
“Some of his products are investable.”
“Mostly because I like it myself.”

29
“Product quality.”
“Seeing others follow the trend.”
“The one that motivates me is to be cooler and people can notice me.”
“My general interest in the street fashion. I like shoes in general. Doesn't have
to be used or endorsed by Kanye. But, it helps a lot with the resale price of the item if
it's used or endorsed by Kanye.”
“Mostly because A-list persons use it and it looks good on them.”
“His style is unique, so why not try to buy and wear it.”
“FOMO and the hype around it.”
“Peer pressures, FOMO.”
“The hype around his Yeezy brand.”
“It seems that Kanye's brand doesn't produce its products in a large quantity,
so only a few people can have it. Hence, the limited edition is one of the reasons why
most of us buy his products.”
“Many famous people use his products, so why not try it too.”
Question 10: Does it make you feel trendy in using his products?
According to the sample, using Kanye’s brand or endorsed products make them feel
like joining the latest trend due to the fact that people talk about it a lot and they also
mention about superiority when using his endorsed products due to the limited quantity
produced.
“Kind of.”
“Sure yeah.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Definitely. Because everyone talks about it.”

30
“Yes, feel like joining with the trends.”
“Honestly, yes.”
“Completely, yes.”
“Yes, kind of made me trendy and superior.”
“Perhaps yes, because most of the influencers use his products.”
Question 11: How do you know about his brands?
His brands are easily found almost everywhere. But the majority of the respondents are
exploring any type of social media to get exposure to Kanye’s brands and endorsed
products. The social media mostly include Instagram and Twitter. Whereas, the others
are educated by their peers.
“Social media. Before Yeezy was made, he had another brand called -Pastelle.”
“Through one of my friends who bought Yeezy.”
“Social media.”
“Seeing his Instagram, always stalking.”
“Social media and word-of-mouth.”
“From social media and peers.”
“From the Internet.”
“Actually, I don't know his brand but one day my friend introduces to me about
Kanye brand, so I feel that it will make me look richer after that I insist to buy Kanye's
products.”
“Magazines and Instagram.”
“From online posts and shares.”
“From friends who wore his brands.”

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“From social media platforms and friends.”
“Probably the Kardashian tweets.”
“Social media and entertainment news.”
“Pop-culture and social media.”
“Hype beast Instagram account, where you can keep up with the latest trend in
the streetwear fashion.”
“Social media, mostly Instagram and Twitter”
“Through the Kardashian…and Twitter.”
“Through media coverage.”
Question 12: What do you think about the pricing of his products?
According to the sample, the price of his products is expensive but judging by the
quality of the endorsed products and the hype around them, it is considered worth it.
However, some argued that the price of products is still affordable compared to high-
end brands such as Gucci, Prada and Louis Vuitton.
“They are okay.”
“Too overpriced, but then again, he’s Kanye West. He lived for controversy.”
“I think they are expensive.”
“Expensive but worth it.”
“Overprice to most of the people, but fair to the person who enjoys Kanye ‘s
lifestyle.”
“A little bit overpriced.”
“For that type of quality, it is worth it!”
“Expensive but worth the trend.”

32
“Not too expensive compared to high-end brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci,
Prada.”
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CHAPTER 5
DISCUSSION
5.1 Summary
In this chapter, the researcher was able to identify that the influence of Hip Hop already
exists among the young adults in Kuala Lumpur due to the early exposure of the culture.
Based on the Source of Credibility theory, Kanye’s influence on young adults in Kuala
Lumpur was measured within the three elements: expertise, trustworthiness, and
attractiveness. As a result, these three elements were transferred to the participants’
perception of the brands endorsed by West which led to their motivation of buying
those products.
5.2 Discussion
Based on the questionnaires, the researcher was able to identify that the influence of
Hip Hop already exists among the young adults in Kuala Lumpur. The result also
showed that many of them were exposed to Hip Hop culture since teenagers or even
younger. As mentioned earlier, electronic media such as TV and radio were the main
sources of getting to know the culture. Most of them had watched the same TV
program: MTV Music in their early teenage years in order to keep up with the latest
Hip Hop music.
Music and television are the two elements that young people from around the world
seem to have in common. Watkins (2007) stated that, for the most part, the one channel
that is shared amongst this music generation is MTV. Music is the new global language
talks to teenagers worldwide. MTV, the source of the global language, have many
versions ranging from the US to Asia. With this type of influence, MTV plays a major
34
impact on the youth of today. The way in which MTV brings cultural values worldwide
is fascinating. With MTV’s brand being worldwide, it has created an identity where we
globally share some of the same values. We tend to wear items we see other celebrities
wearing, drink what we see celebrities drink, and wear a T-shirt with logos on them just
to express we are part of this MTV culture. Watsins (2007) also explained the MTV
generation believes by being freer and better, we are different from the older generation.
Thus, this early exposure to Hip Hop culture makes them able to relate to the culture
that is not originally cultivated in Malaysia. According to Terry (1999), hip-hop culture
has caused plenty of controversies, for example, many rappers have been criticized for
writing lyrics that glorify violence, drugs, and abusive attitudes toward women. At
times, the violence has spilled onto the streets - notably with the 1996 shooting murder
of singer Tupac Shakur in what was believed to be part of a rivalry between rappers on
the East and West Coasts of the US. But as it has grown in popularity, hip-hop has
transcended much of that controversy. It is becoming a way of life that encompasses
physical movement and personal expression. “Hip-Hop has been an astonishing money-
maker, but it has been an equally astonishing source of youth expression and
empowerment" (Watkins, 2007).
Also, the researcher has found a correlation with Watkins’ research in 2007. The
findings showed that young adults in Kuala Lumpur are able to relate the culture value
in a positive way. Some of the value that they mentioned include self-confidence in
expressing thought, solidarity amongst the brotherhood, and the belonging of one
culture.
35
As a further matter, based on the Source of Credibility proposed by Ohanian (1990),
the researcher evaluated Kanye’s influence on young adults in Kuala Lumpur within
three elements: expertise, trustworthiness, and attractiveness. In this case, the
researcher was able to find those three elements in Kanye that lead to purchase intention
through meaning transfer. According to McCracken (1986), celebrities develop a
persona in the society by the help of their statuses and images promoted by the media.
Then the society assigns certain meanings to them and when they endorse a product,
these meanings transfer to a company, brand or product.
Expertise
Trustworthiness Meaning Transfer Purchase Intention
Attractiveness
Figure 3. Source of Credibility Model
The first element is expertise. Expertise defined as the perceived ability of an endorser
to make or provide valid assertions (Hovland, et al., 1953). It includes the knowledge,
experience, and skills developed by the endorser while working in the same field.
Included in “100 Most Influential People” by TIME Magazine back in 2015, West is
indeed one of the celebrities that people look up to in the Hip Hop culture. Hate him or
love him, this controversial Chicago native, who, with 21 Grammys under his belt has
more than made his mark as a producer, songwriter, rap artist, clothing designer
36
(Wheels, 2014). This study also showed that young adults in Kuala Lumpur see Kanye
as an expert or a role model for street fashion, with more and more people imitating and
repeating his style. This such repeated behavior is consumption behavior with people
purchasing a product or a brand they have seen Kanye wearing it.
The second element is trustworthiness. Trustworthiness can be defined as the honesty,
integrity, and believability the endorser possesses (Waldt et al., 2009). It is the degree
of confidence consumers place in a communicator’s intent to convey the assertions
she/he considers most valid (Ohanian, 1990). In this case, several giant brands such as
BAPE, Louis Vuitton, Balmain, Nike, and Adidas had worked with him to design
clothes and shoes for them (Wade, 2016). If these brands are brave enough to put trust
in him to design their apparels, means he surely has what it takes to be considered as
competence in the fashion industry.
The third element is attractiveness. According to Erdogan (1999), attractiveness is the
stereotype of positive associations to a person and not only entails physical
attractiveness but also other characteristics such as personality and athletic ability.
Endorsers “who are perceived to be attractive are more likely to lead the purchase
intent” (Waldt et al., 2009). When it comes to Kanye, it is important to look at the
creation of his brand and public image, whether intentionally or unintentionally created.
He has established himself with an outspoken, cocky, brazen persona as the ultimate
marketing tool today. By creating such a distinctive brand and persona, Kanye is able
to attract people. Whether people like Kanye or not, no matter their age, race, or gender,
they at least know what is happening in his life. No other artist has created such a buzz
37
using only social media and more specifically only Twitter and that is the power of the
brand that he has created through all of his albums and outbursts over the years.
As a result, these three elements were transferred to the participants’ perception of the
brands endorsed by West which led to their motivation of buying those products. These
findings indicate that the young adults in Kuala Lumpur are motivated to buy because
of the hype around his endorsed products. The hype arose because a product or a brand
is in the trend. Yet, the young adults in Kuala Lumpur have seen to have a compulsive
concern that one might miss an opportunity to follow the latest trend or famously known
as FOMO. FOMO is often aroused by posts seen on the internet or social media. Yet,
according to Moore (2012), the young adult's group is more active in integrating
technologies into their daily lives for marketing purposes, using their mobile devices
and the traditional Internet means to connect to retailers or brands.
Not only using Kanye’s brand or endorsed products make them feel like joining the
latest trend due to the fact that people talk about it a lot but also about superiority when
using his endorsed products due to the expensive price and limited quantity of the
products. As discussed in Chapter 3, most young adults in Malaysia measure rarity of
streetwear products using resell value instead of factors that matter such as production
quantity, availability and more. The Malaysia streetwear market has reached a point
such if the item is not expensive, people desire it less and would rather save up to
purchase something with more hype accompanied by a higher resell price. Although
the research shows that the majority of them felt the endorsed products are considered
expensive and the majority of the participants were earning below RM 3,000.00 that
does not seem to be the major issue as it is worth the trend.

38
CHAPTER 6
CONCLUSION
6.1 Conclusion
In conclusion, this research has fulfilled the three objectives: to understand why young
adults in Kuala Lumpur can relate to the Hip Hop culture that Kanye West delivered,
to determine what factors influence young adults in Kuala Lumpur by Kanye West and
to investigate the reasons they purchase the products advertised or used by Kanye West.
This study is to determine and to understand the effect of Kanye West on male young
adults buying decision, exploratory research was proposed. The data of this study was
gathered through qualitative method, using an open-ended questionnaire as a primary
resource and content analysis as a secondary resource. The sample of this study was
male young adults from 18-35 years old living in Kuala Lumpur. There were 40 male
respondents selected to participate in answering the research questions based on
purposive sampling method.
This research was able to identify that the influence of Hip Hop already exists among
the young adults in Kuala Lumpur due to the early exposure of the culture. The result
also showed that many of them were exposed to Hip Hop culture since teenagers or
even younger. Electronic media such as TV and radio were the main sources of getting
to know the culture. The findings also showed that young adults in Kuala Lumpur are
able to relate the culture value in a positive way. Some of the value that they mentioned
include self-confidence in expressing thought, solidarity amongst the brotherhood, and
the belonging of one culture.

39
Based on the Source of Credibility theory, Kanye’s influence on young adults in Kuala
Lumpur was measured within the three elements: expertise, trustworthiness, and
attractiveness. Kanye seen as an expert or a role model for street fashion, with more
and more people imitating and repeating his style. This such repeated behavior is
consumption behavior with people purchasing a product or a brand they have seen
Kanye wearing it. He has established himself with an outspoken, cocky, brazen persona
as the ultimate marketing tool today. By creating such a distinctive brand and persona,
Kanye is able to attract people and big fashion brands to collaborate with him.
As a result, these three elements were transferred to the participants’ perception of the
brands endorsed by West which led to their motivation of buying those products. The
hype arose because a product or a brand is in the trend. Yet, the young adults in Kuala
Lumpur have seen to have a compulsive concern that one might miss an opportunity to
follow the latest trend or famously known as FOMO. FOMO is often aroused by posts
seen on the internet or social media.
6.2 Limitations
As the study is only based on male young adults in Kuala Lumpur, the data collected
only applies to them. The data collected cannot be applied or generalized to other
population. The type of data collected is cross-sectional and will only be valid for a few
years. Any changes that may happen to the variables in the region over time may affect
the data and no longer be valid.

40
6.3 Recommendations
For this particular study, the sample size was too small to represent the whole male
population in Kuala Lumpur. For future studies, it is recommended to use a larger
sampling size to a more accurate result. Moreover, avoid bias sampling by using
random sampling method instead of non-random sampling method to understand the
population and lastly use a different instrument of data collection, for example, focus
group interviews.
41
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45
APPENDICES
Appendix A (Open-Ended Questionnaires)
Sample 1
Name : Griffin
Occupation : Student
Monthly allowance : RM1,000-RM3,000
How do you feel about the Hip-Hop culture that Kanye West delivered?
inspirational
Are you interested in Hip-Hop culture? If yes, why?
yes, very creative way to express their thoughts
How did you first get introduced to the Hip-Hop culture?
music
What are the values in the Hip-Hop culture that you can relate to?
rare artistic
How did you get introduced to Kanye West?
hip hop and rap music
Kanye West is known for his controversy. How do you feel about that?
great
What do you think about his personality and fashion style?
finesse
Are the people around you interested in Kanye West? If yes, does that influence how you feel
about Kanye West?
not really
What motivates you to purchase the products and brands that Kanye West used or endorsed?
just trying it out
Does it make you feel trendy in using his products?
kind of
How do you know about his brands?
they fire
What do you think about the pricing of his products?
they're okay
46
Sample 2
Name : Hirsan dzauqi
Monthly allowance : < RM1,000
It was really interesting what he does with the culture, I guess that makes him controversial
about it
Are you interested in Hip-Hop culture? If yes, why?
Yes, he has plenty of good songs

From listening to ceeloo green and usher
Mostly about how fucked up society is

By a friend
I mean, everybody has their color, and that his color

Strange but a little bit cool
about Kanye West?
No, not really, not much anyway
I mean its unique, and its from Kanye west.

Sure yeah

From him ofc

Too overpriced, but then again, he’s kanye west. He lived for controversy
47
Sample 3
Name : Naim
Occupation : Personal Assistant
Monthly allowance : RM1,000-RM3,000
If you follow his career from the past, he has continuously given back to the hip hop
community by his style of rapping, his beats. There’s nobody else like Kanye.
Are you interested in the Hip-Hop culture? If yes, why?
Yes. Hip hop represents the struggles, sociocultural differences, politics, and even the
economy. Modern day rap, not so much.
When i was first introduced to MTV on Astro.
Based on Eminem’s documentary about his life - 8mile: Not giving up, Be good to your
family, Respect, Don’t be racist, Don’t let anyone look down on you
His music video on MTW. If I’m not mistaken it was his song from the album Graduation or
College Dropout.
Kanye West says a lot of things - some people may agree some people don’t. If you can recall
about the whole Taylor Swift incident, which tbh is not rly a big deal. However when he
mentioned that slavery was a choice a lot of people disagreed and he received a lot of
backlash from that.
Individualism and how he perceived what the current society should wear. Pastel colours,
colours mostly.
about Kanye West?
I have no answer for this
None
Nope
Social media. Before Yeezy was made, he had another brand called - Pastelle
Ridiculous
48
Sample 4
Name : Samroon
Monthly Allowance : RM1,000-RM3,000
I feel its too over rated
Not really
Through my friend who is into Hip Hop
I can relate to their speaking truth in the music
Through his songs
I feel he make this controversy to just stay in news and be relevant for now a days.
His fashion is some thing that i would relate too
about Kanye West?
There are few people i would say are interested in Kanye West that i know of but, it still wont
effect my fashion style or interest in Kanye West
I don't buy his products
Not really
Through one of my friend who bought Yeezy
I think they are expensive
49
Sample 5
Name : Benjamin
Monthly Allowance : < RM1,000
Just okay
Yes, because I like the type of music they create
By rap song
It talks about people of color life style and struggle
By is rap song
Good
Creative
about Kanye West?
Nope
I don't by is product
No
Social media
Expensive
50
Sample 6
Name : Abiyu Naufal
Weird and cocky
Nope
When i was 15 yo
Too much noise and fast-talk
I dont know him personally, but i knew him via youtube
I don't care
As bad as my grades
about Kanye West?
I hope no one like him
Nothing
If i bought one, i would wore is just for taking a crap
I don't know anything about his brand
I'm sure as hell it wll be overpriced
51
Sample 7
Name : Fadhil Wirawan
Occupation : Entreperneur
Monthly Allowance : > RM5,000
I think him bring new style
Yes im interested because hip hop always relate with social justice i think
From social media, television or youtube
The values is relationship between music, style and social justice
Awesome guy
I dont even care about that. I just like the style and the music of him
Can be my parameters
about Kanye West?
Some people around me doesn't really care about Kanye west. But that's not problem for me.
I like his style so i have to
Yes, of course
See his instagram. Always stalking
Expensive but worth it
52
Sample 8
Name : Gregory Low
Uninterested
Some. The message that it conveys through the music is pretty good, but only from specific
talents.
Mainly from rapper NF and Kendrick Lamar.
Nothing in particular.
From his collaboration with Katy Perry on E.T.
Mostly uninterested.
Stuck up and weirdly unique.
about Kanye West?
No one I know likes Kanye West.
I have never purchased anything that Kanye West has used / endorsed.
Unsure, since I've never purchased.
Social media and word-of-mouth
Unsure about the pricing so no opinion.
53
Sample 9
Name : Desmond
It's cool. Makes me feel trendy
Not really
By my peers
Hip hop to me is a way to express yourself. So maybe it relates to me by music
The media. After the whole incident in the award show with taylor swift
I dont feel anything for it
In terms of personality... to me he's quite arrogant. But that's only my opinion based on what i
see in the media. As for fasion style it's unique.
about Kanye West?
Not really.
I personally don't get influenced by endorsements much so i can't really say
Definitely. Because everyone talks about it.
From social medias and peers
Expensiveee!
54
Sample 10
Name : Melvin
Nothing special
Yes because it has their own fashion style
Movies,Tv and friends
Always stayed swag even in harsh or bad situation
Media
Not surprise really every actor and actress has their flaws
Normal I guess.Nothing new and nothing too old as well
about Kanye West?
No
My needs I guess .i dun care who promote their product as long it satisfied my requirements
of my needs
Yes
Social media
Overprice especially for students who can’t afford it
55
Sample 11
Name : Jason Chau
Trendy, interest by him
Yes, It is one of the coolest culture, I am deeply influence by it
Music video
social justice, peace, respect, self-worth and having fun
By his music and the controversy he created
One of the kind in music industry
A controversy personally with a fashion style of his
about Kanye West?
a great social influencer.
As a “big” fan of his
Yes, feel like joining with the trends
By the Internet
Overprice to most of the people, but fair to the person who enjoys Kanye‘s life style.
56
Sample 12
Name : Mohammed Taha
Not a fan
Yes, because I enjoy the music and through the music I stated to enjoy the Culture too.
Through music videos
Sense of pride
A friend showed me his music and I enjoyed his work till recently
Quite attention seeker, I don’t like his stunts
I don’t like it
about Kanye West?
Yes I have couple of friends that like him but I feel like I am influenced by them
When I was a teen I used to like wearing almost everything my favourite hip hop artists wear
but only to a certain extent. However, I never actually admired Kanye West’s fashion,
No
I don’t know
I don’t know
57
Sample 13
Name : Andika Prasetya
Kanye brought a new culture of hip hop
Not really
Watching fast furious movies
Loyal
His song was played on the radio
Celebrity needs controversy, more controversial they are, they will more famous and rich
Idk about his personality, but i love his style. Yeezy yeezyy
about Kanye West?
Some of my friends yes, not really, i have my own music genre
Some of his products are investable
Honestly, yes.
Magazines and instagram
Cheap if it’s retail.
58
Sample 14
Name : Amir Shazrin
It shows the glam of Hip Hop
Yes
Mtv
Money is everything
mtv
He wants to be heard
Very loud and overrated
about Kanye West?
No
I don’t buy his products
No
From social media
Too expensive
59
Sample 15
Name : Daniel
I think it's pretty unique, because it makes you think that dress like a homeless is cool
Yes, because musically hip hop is like the most creative genre of all, you can combine jazz,
rock, blues in one song.
When i listen to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album back in 2010
Youthful
By listening to his My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy back in 2010, it was a great listen
I'm fine with that, everybody has right to speak their mind.
His personality is unique and his fashion is ahead of his time, always setting the trend.
about Kanye West?
I think not, Kanye is too extreme for them maybe haha
Mostly because i like it myself, i don't really care about influencer or joneses
Not really
Internet
It's overpriced
60
Sample 16
Name : Mohamed Nazmi
Not very influential
Yes! Nice style
Music and Movies
Passion and Emotions
His music
Not a right action
Lost in his own way
about Kanye West?
Some. It does not influence
Product quality
Nope
Internet
Normal price
61
Sample 17
Name : Tay Hun Hae
Not really interested in Kanye West
Not really. It's not exactly my thing haha
I got to know it from the Internet
Don't really know either
News on the Internet
Indifferent. I just think that he's just a celebrity looking for some attention
Because he's I guess an icon to some people, so his fans would follow his personality and
style
about Kanye West?
No, they are not
I don't, sorry.
I might.
From online posts and shares
Very overly-priced
62
Sample 18
Name : Malik
Kanye changed the standards for a Hip-Hop artist. The rapping also offers a good alternative
when I don’t feel like singing
Yes, I love the production methods that are unique compared to even some forms of
electronic music and the way it has poetry set to a beat
through music obviously
speak up your mind
through his unique style of music video
as long as he can produce a good song then it shouldn't be a problem
I don't really about his personality, but his style is fashionable and can be a trendsetter for
those who likes that kind of style
about Kanye West?
not really
many famous people uses his products, so why not try it too
yes
from social media
not too expensive compare to high end brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada
63
Sample 19
Name : Ricky
It's okay, not really that different with other Hip Hop musicians in the industry
Not interested
I heard about it on social media
I don't follow their values
through his music
Disagree with almost all his views
Both are ridiculous
about Kanye West?
There are people talking about him none of that impacts me directly
I don't support him or his brand
No. I don't give into trends so easily
Through media coverage
Ridiculously expensive
64
Sample 20
Name : Kurnia Rizky
Not sure
No
Friends
authenticity
My friends told me about him
A lot of celebrities makes controversy. It's fine for me
Personality not sure, but his fashion is interesting
about Kanye West?
Yes my nephew interested with the Kanye's style. No, I am not influenced
It seems that Kanye's brand doesn't produce its products in a large quantity, so only few
people can have it. Hence, limited edition is one of the reason why most of us buy his
products.
kind of
From friends and nephew
Extremely expensive
65
Sample 21
Name : Timothy
I feel like he able to bring a brand new face of hip-hop to the youth and also the world of Hip
Hop itself. He breaks the boundary of hip-hop artist only can sing.. But they also can get into
fashion.
Not really, because it's not really my genre.
When I was 10? Back then hip hop was all about jayZ and kanye him self and I know them
through a TV channel.
The freedom of speech, and just be utterly themselves
Through tv channel and reading news about him
At some point I felt it's just too much, but he also have the rights to stated whatever he
wanted to say. There's also a point when I think he's being rude especially that Taylor Swift
controversy, he should've able to control that part of him.
I personally think he is an attention seeker.. And his fashion style is alright I think..somehow
he able to bring a new level of fashion for the millennials.
about Kanye West?
Not really
Media influence
Perhaps yes, because most of the influencers use his products
Through the Kardashian..and Twitter
too much
66
Sample 22
Name : Muhsin Alkatiri
Occupation : Freelance Accountant
i dont really feel it, but most guys in my environment kinda feel it. the culture i see is about
fashion. i dont know how to feel but as i know that the prices of kanye west fashion brand is
so expensive and not comparable with the looks. this is my point of view as a girl and doesnt
know about the hip hop fashion and culture.
no
i dont follow the trend, but i knew it first because of my friends whom listen to hip hop music
and they follow its trend and culture.
i can't think of one that i personally can relate to.
i know kanye since years ago because his music and got featured with some singers like katy
perry. but i dont listen to his own songs. now i get update about kanye because his argues
with other public figures on social media and ofc, because hes part of the kardashian now.
hehe
he's so bad at making friends. sorry not sorry.
his personality is bad for me tbh, he likes to start fights with people as i know from the social
media. about his fashion style, he's definitively establishing sort of new trend/style for today's
generation
about Kanye West?
yes, some of my friends. but it doesn't influence me to get interested with him.
the hype around his Yeezy brand
yes sort of
social media, mostly instagram and twitter
expensive but worth the trend
67
Sample 23
Name : Daniel
Nothing because i don't like hip hop
No
Through MTV music program
never forget where you from
her viral music video featuring Kim K
Seriously i don't really care
Obviously he's a trend setter with an arrogant personality
about Kanye West?
Maybe some of my friends, not all
Peer pressures, FOMO
I guess so
peers, social media
Quite expensive
68
Sample 24
Name : Sivannish
Occupation : Video Editor
It was good until he met Kim Kardashian
No
I made a playlist on youtube and suddenly Chris Brown song was played. And i enjoyed
every single beat on his songs and other Hip Hop songs
i don't know
when I used to listen to his early 2000s albums
public figures tend to have a lot of controversy. i think its okay, it's part of their job to stay
relevant in the entertainment industry and readers should be wiser in receiving information
i don't know about his personality but his fashion is lit af
about Kanye West?
No, they didn't interested in kanye
nothing
no
hypebeast instagram account, where you can keep up with the latest trend in the streetwear
fashion
too expensive
69
Sample 25
Name : Samuel
Occupation : Digital Marketer
It doesn’t affect me
No
Eminem
About not caring what other people say about me
Well, i dont know anyone that can introduce me to kanye west, but i heard he's a nice guy.
But in all seriousness, through his beef with taylor swift and Kim Kardashian
I'm not really sure. I’m not a big fan so it doesn't affect me
He dress like a hobo and again i'm not sure about his personality, i don't know him that well
or in person. I tend to not judge people by their image
about Kanye West?
No
FOMO and the hype around it
Somehow yes
Pop-culture and social media
Its too expensive for my broke behind
70
Sample 26
Name : Jason Tan
Occupation : Social Media Influencer
It's different from the rest of the Hip Hop artist, i feel like Kanye has combine Hip Hop
culture with his own upbringing, resulting a whole different touch to its music or even style
I do, but not in all its aspect. I'm only into the art department, for example, music and graffiti
which are highly exposed in the media and internet
through listening hip hop music from the radio, and through google research
self and community empowerment
of course through his music, but i get to know him better when he started dating Kim
Kardashian making his name often appeared on entertainment news
i think he has his own way of thinking that most people don't understand or can't relate but
then again that what make him stands out and still relevant until today
His kind of arrogant i guess, and his style is trendy judging by more and more people adopt
his style
about Kanye West?
Nope, i guess i'm the only one who would defend Kanye if my peers were talking about him
his style is unique, so why not try to buy and wear it
yes defenitely
social media
for that type of quality, it is worth it!
71
Sample 27
Name : Faiz Ahmad
Occupation : Graphic Designer
During the 2000s, Kanye has changed the standard of hip-hop, not like other rappers in his
era in which their music mostly about glorifying expensive lifestyle and gangster persona.
But Kanye music represented a substantial change in how relatable a successful rapper could
be.
Yes, i love their street style and music
When i was in secondary school, watching MTV music
Authenticity, staying true to oneself. This definition is quite
popular within the music
When his music video "Gold Digger" was played at MTV music program
I think whatever he did is mostly to stay in the spotlight but also he is the type of person who
speak his mind in a vulgar way
Through media, he seems like a cocky person. In terms of style, he seems to create his own
style by adopting minimalism
about Kanye West?
they don't, some of them hate him. And they don't influence me as much
mostly because A-list persons use it and it looks good on them
Somehow yes
through social media
expensive
72
Sample 28
Name : Mohammed raed
Normal like any other hip hop
Not really
Listening to music throw mtv
Good music with video clip
I haven’t really
Iam not that knon with kanye west
Normal
about Kanye West?
Not really the people around my interested in other stuff
I don’t
No
I don’t
I don’t know
73
Sample 29
Name : Jude
The hip hop culture isn't that strong with Kanye as there are other stronger influences relating
to hip hop.
Not really, personally, it does not really intrigue me that much.
Music, peers and social events.
How everyone has each other's back, I relate to that because I would do the same with people
under the same "gang" with me.
Music
He is in his own headspace. There are some things he does I disagree with and some things I
feel okay with. In the end, it's all about publicity. Good or bad.
Unique, gets people wanting to know more about it. He stands out.
about Kanye West?
Yes, and no it does not influence me. People who like Kanye have only one view point which
is good. Therefore I tend to surround myself with neutral people so I get honest answers.
My general interest in them. I like shoes in general. Doesn't have to be used or endorsed by
Kanye. But, it helps a lot with the resale price of the item if it it's used or endorsed by Kanye.
Sometimes, yes.
Social media, entertainment news.
Somewhat high.
74
Sample 30
Name : Amir Faizal
Kanye brought a new culture of hip hop
It's cool
MTV and other movies
I don't know, maybe their fashion sense
Katy Perry's ET song
He's pretty trashy
His fashion is aight but his personality is a bit overwhelming at times
about Kanye West?
Yes they are and no they dont influence me
I dont
nope
probably the kardashian tweets
overly expensive for no apparent reason
75
Sample 31
Name : Brian Tan
I don’t know much about his music actually all i know is when he was in media because of
the controversial he made through his music video and songs
No
From the social media
Hip hop known as the music that really upfront and free to speak your opinion
From social media
I think he made his own controversy to make him famous
I dont know much about his personality
about Kanye West?
No
Well I don’t really have intention to buy his products
Maybe some people feel that way
From social media platforms and friends
It’s overpriced
76
Sample 32
Name : Muizz Dn
To be honest, I'm feeling neutral about it
Yes, because its delivered meaningful in life
During I was a kid
Mostly its related to any real life experience of people such as hard & successful time
Its movies soundtrack from Assassin Creed
Feeling neutral about it
Don't really like his personality but fashion wise I could say it was pretty good
about Kanye West?
Some of them really got influenced by him. But not really how I feel about it
Yeezus and Adidas shoes
Yes, kinda made me trendy
From enthusiastic friends who wore his brands
Reasonable price
77
Sample 33
Name : Colin
Pretty impactful considering how famous he is
No
When I was a child, I first heard rap or hip hop when my sister was watching mtv
Nothing
Through social media
I used to think he was an asshole but now I think it's just a way for him to gain publicity
Just like how any other rapper dresses
about Kanye West?
No one is interested in him
Nothing motivates me
No
Social media
Over-priced
78
Sample 34
Name : Bahaa Bujazia
so negative. I don't follow it and I don't like it .
nope not really my thing. I prefer the casual culture or the pop culture
through music, video clips, movies
Sadly nothing, because it's mostly about drugs, guns, hookers, the hoods, tattoos, and more
when he broke into Tylor Swift award winning speech
that's make me hate him even more. his decisions and opinions are so negative, shallow, don't
make any sense and sometimes negative.
they are both bad. but his personality is the worst! His fashion isn't in my preference.
about Kanye West?
not really. I'v never head someone talks or looks high at him. he's indeed very famous but
he's not a role model.
I'v never bought and never will buy any of his brands.
Not really !....but maybe I would've felt this way if i was one of his followers.
I don't :/
I don't know because I'v never bought any. but I think it's going to be a bit pricy.
79
Sample 35
Name : Salman Yusuf
I think kanye has big influence in hip hop culture that make him the most iconic star untill
today
Yes, i just like the song
When i start hearing kendrick lamar song
Their culture background
Meme
Its ok, his meme best
Ok
about Kanye West?
Yes
Im just a poor boi
Not really
Just Yeezy
Overpriced
80
Sample 36
Name : Arif Pramana
it's interesting for me especially young generation
yes, because its delivering freedom of thought & expression
from worldwide trending youtube
the way we express ourself in music
Kanye West - All of The Lights ft Rihanna in 2011
no comment
im not sure, but Adidas Yeezy is one of the best shoes arround
about Kanye West?
yes, no influence whatsoever, just enjoy the music
because its comfy
not really
Internet
a little bit overpriced
81
Sample 37
Name : Ian
Monthly Allowance : > RM5,000
Neutral
No
Film and television
Belonging to the community
His controversies and scandals
Mostly neutral, but sometimes feel that he is impulsive or stupid
Very over-the-top, does not care what others think
about Kanye West?
Not to my knowledge
I am not motivated to purchase Kanye's products
No
Neutral
Neutral
82
Sample 38
Name : Ibby
Occupation : Worker
Its very entertaining so far
Yes, because the music is very entertaining
I get introduced from nba 2k games
The values of brotherhood
From nba 2k ganes
I dont really know about his controversy so i cant answer this
For me the personality and the fashion style can attract people to watch him
about Kanye West?
Yes they are, the influence make people tend to follow his lifestyle
The one that motivates me id to be cooler and people can notice me
Yes it is
From social media
Its very expensive
83
Sample 39
Name : Rizal
i do not like it
not really
straight outta compton film
i dont find it yet
his music, bittersweet
everybodys has their own ways to live
trash
about Kanye West?
no
i dont feel like im motivated
completely
i forget
i know that is some kind of business stuffs but i think thats overprice
84
Sample 40
Name : Enoch James
Impactful
Not really
social media
Being confident
Social media
Neutral
Fairly ok
about Kanye West?
No
Seeing others follow the trend
A little
Friends
Fair

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HELP UNIVERSITY

THE INFLUENCE OF KANYE WEST ON MALE YOUNG ADULTS

SARIFAH NOR ALIA ALYDRUS

Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements

Bachelor of Communication (Marketing Communication) (Hons)

of in this thesis have been fully acknowledged in the references.

Sarifah Nor Alia Alydrus

West which led to their motivation of buying those products.

prevailed because of His blessings.

process of writing this thesis.

that I have conducted.

support and encouragement whenever I needed it the most.

II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

to their products through marketing communication strategies. Kamins (1989) defined

recommend or co-present with a product in an ad”.

a signature shoe to a non-athlete, signaling Kanye as a pioneer in the sneaker world—

and the third round in 2016.

expensive advertising or promotions, consumers do their marketing for them. Instead,

the brands can spend big on product endorsers, like West.

in advertising and promoting his brand endorsement through social media.

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

makes him so appealing to the young adults in Klang Valley.

significant conceptual gap relevant to this study context.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Do you know Kanye West?

2. What is street fashion?

3. What is the relationship between street fashion and Hip-Hop artists?

4. How do you know Kanye West?

5. What do you know about Kanye West?

6. Are you familiar with the Hip Hop culture?

9. Is street fashion in demand in Kuala Lumpur?

10. Is street fashion pricy to you?

being sold in Kuala Lumpur?

1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

that Kanye West delivered.

1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 Previous Research Findings

electronic backing. Eventually, it becomes a subculture of consumption in a distinctive

subgroup of society that self-selects based on a shared commitment to a particular product

concept of a subculture of consumption, because hip-hop culture includes of individuals

can influence their commitment to these products.

The Hip Hop Industry

It emerged from the African-American, Latino and Caribbean-American communities in

of the bling-era rappers painted, represented a substantial change in how relatable a

successful rapper could be.

The History of Street Fashion

largely ignored them when it came to style and culture.

something is cool to the cool people, it will be cool to the masses.

getting in on streetwear. We live in a world where Louis Vuitton is collaborating with

The Behaviour of Streetwear Enthusiasts in Kuala Lumpur

easily obtainable at around RM600.00 to RM650.00.

accompanied by a higher resell price. An example would be instead of purchasing a pair of

another with more expensive pieces.

compete with collectors internationally whether in terms of streetwear pieces or sneakers.

2.2 Related Theories

Source of Credibility Theory

trustworthiness of an endorser (Ohanian, 1991). Information from a credible source can

influence believes, opinions, attitudes and/or behaviors through a process called

components called perceived expertness and trustworthiness. Trust is a significant

dimension of credibility. Ohanian (1990) created a scale to measure the effectiveness of