This fall, “Literature: Taylor’s Version” — a nod to the artist’s re-recorded album titles — will be available to students, curated by assistant professor Elly McCausland.

McCausland — author of the blog “Swifterature,” which compares the pop star’s themes, imagery, and use of language to writers including Sylvia Plath, Charles Dickens, and William Shakespeare — will use Swift’s work to engage with literature “from the Medieval period to the Victorian,” including Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Troilus and Criseyde,” Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and Charlotte Brontë’s “Villette,” as well as the work of contemporary authors including Margaret Atwood and Simon Armitage.

“Highly prolific and autobiographical in her songwriting, Swift makes frequent allusions to canonical literary texts in her music,” the class syllabus explains.

“Using Swift’s work as a springboard, we will explore, among other topics, literary feminism, ecocriticism, fan studies, and tropes such as the anti-hero. Swift’s enduring popularity stems, at least in part, from the heavily intertextual aspect of her work, and this course will dig deeper to explore its literary roots.”

Registration, “is open to all, including those who do not consider themselves fans of Taylor Swift (or may never have encountered her music),” the syllabus continues. “The purpose of the course is to think critically about Swift as an artist and writer, and to use the popularity of her music as a ‘way in’ to a corpus of literature that may have shaped her work.”

McCausland received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Oxford University, in English Literature and Medieval English Literature respectively, and also received a Ph.D. from the University of York in the United Kingdom. She previously taught at the University of Oslo in Norway. Swift’s songwriting had been on her mind as a subject worthy of scholarly analysis for “a while,” she told CNN, but “really crystallized” with the release of Swift’s latest album “Midnights” last fall.

“There’s a song on there called ‘The Great War,’ which uses the First World War as an analogy for heartbreak… That made me think of Sylvia Plath’s poem ‘Daddy,’ in which she uses the Holocaust to discuss her troubled relationship with her father,” McCausland explained. “This appropriation of historical pain and war as a metaphor (for love and loss)— I started thinking about other literary parallels and that’s where the course came from.”

Enrolled students will, over the semester, be graded on a “reflection report” — which could even be presented as a song — and a 4,000-word essay assessing the significance of one of the class’s assigned texts in the literary canon. McCausland said she has no plans to offer extra credit for the best friendship bracelets produced, but added that “on a more personal level, they will get huge amounts of appreciation from me.”

“I’ll be delighted with everything that happens during this course,” she continued. “I’m really excited to see what the students come up with.”

While it is believed to be the first course of its kind in Europe, Swift’s poetic refrains are already being taught by several colleges across the United States. Stanford’s module called the 12-time-Grammy-Award-winner, “The Last Great American Songwriter,” while New York University, Arizona State University, Berklee College of Music, and Rice University in Houston all have dedicated classes to study Swift’s lyrical evolution, music composition and how her work relates to feminism, gender studies as well as American nationalism.

But Swift isn’t the first superstar whose work has attracted academic attention. In 2016, the University of Texas launched an English Literature course unpacking Beyoncé’s visual album “Lemonade” and its relationship to Black feminism. The following year, The University of Copenhagen began offering “Beyoncé, Gender and Race.”

“I imagined there would be some raised eyebrows, and there were. I still haven’t figured out if they were raised in condemnation or skepticism or approval,” McCausland said of the response from colleagues and, as the details of her class have since made headlines, the wider world.

“I’m really pleased that so many people are enthusiastic about it, and I’m genuinely quite surprised. There’s been only a couple of outright critical voices, and that only really reaffirms what I’m trying to do — even the hate mail I find quite wonderful, to be honest! I mean, don’t print that quote as in ‘send more hate mail’ please,” she quickly clarified.

“But if anyone can teach you a lesson in how to respond to trolls, it’s Taylor Swift,” she concluded. “I mean, she literally says ‘haters gonna hate,’ and that she’s gonna shake it off.”

Source: CNN

The post Belgian university launches course to analyze Taylor Swift lyrics first appeared on Gajreport.

The post Belgian university launches course to analyze Taylor Swift lyrics appeared first on Gajreport.

The album also exceeded expectations in terms of streaming, accumulating over 1.02 billion on-demand streams in the USA alone.

This development further reaffirmed WizKid’s place as a global music icon and the growing influence of Nigerian rap music on the global space.

WizKid rode to stardom in the early 2010s with his hit single ‘Holla at Your Boy’.

Ever since the Afrobeats star has steadily delivered chart-topping hits, collaborating with renowned artists such as Drake, Beyoncé, Skepta, Justin Bieber, and Chris Brown among others.

His unique fusion of Afrobeats, reggae, and hip-hop has captivated audiences worldwide, making him a trailblazer for Afrobeats music.

Recall that the ‘Made In Lagos’ album was released in October 2020.

The album gained critical acclaim for its infectious melodies, captivating lyrics, and diverse range of collaborations.

The album featured the likes of Burna Boy, Damian Marley, and H.E.R., further elevating its appeal to a global audience.

‘Made In Lagos’ was considered a huge success because WizKid featured another Nigerian act ‘Tems’ on the song ‘Essence.’

The post WizKid’s ‘Made In Lagos’ hits US Bestselling African Album record first appeared on Gajreport.

The post WizKid’s ‘Made In Lagos’ hits US Bestselling African Album record appeared first on Gajreport.

The duo in an interview with Nana Qwame Larbi on Daybreak Hitz said they intend to bring Ghanaians up to speed with the current music trends that are widely recognised in the world.

According to them, Ghana is behind and has struggled to catch up.

“Ghanapiano is a new genre we are trying to introduce. Its Ghanaian sounds fixed on the Piano. We are trying to introduce it now because we want people to be woke about what is new. We want people to know what is going on in the world. We are trying to preach the forms of fusions we can do.”

The duo said that they are going to introduce Ghana and the world to ‘Ghanapiano’ through their new EP, and their reason for doing this is to let the global market know the sounds originating from Ghana.

DopeNation says they believe the introduction of ‘Ghanapiano’ allows Ghana to sell Ghanaian music.

“We are trying to let you know that Piano is going. It’s either you take it or be left behind.”

They also revealed that songs like Clap, Gboza, and their latest release Check My Zingo are all songs under the ‘Ghanapiano’ genre.

DopeNation is set to release the Ghanapiano EP this Friday to kick start its journey to possibly introduce a genre that can change the perspective of Ghanaian music on the international market.

The post DopeNation introduces new music genre called ‘Ghanapiano’ first appeared on Gajreport.

The post DopeNation introduces new music genre called ‘Ghanapiano’ appeared first on Gajreport.

The project chronicles the 21-year-old’s growth through adversities, as he navigates the cold streets of fame while staying true to himself.

While “YAYA” follows the lens of his alter ego, a rebel who gave fate a chance and is in search of healing, “Simmer Down” is a highlife, soul and drilled infused anthem about keeping a winning mentality and practicing patience to downplay opposition.

The tracks, produced by his two in-house collaborators, Samsney and Joker Nharnah, were teased to fans during his acceptance speech for “Artiste of the Year” at the 24th Vodafone Ghana Music Awards in Accra.

Since last year’s release of his debut album, The Villain I Never Was, Black Sherif has solidified his place as one of Africa’s most powerful creative voices and amassed massive global streaming numbers, which made him the most streamed Ghanaian artist of 2022 on Spotify and the most streamed Ghanaian artist of all time on popular African streaming platform Boomplay.
With no gimmicks, Black Sherif has reached these pinnacles in record time—leading the charge as one of the foremost pioneers of the new sound emanating from Africa.

Self-proclaimed as the “street preacher,” Black Sherif, who was born Mohammed Ismail Sharif Kwaku Frimpong and is referred to as “Blacko” by those close to him, is already one of the foremost leaders for a new generation of African artists.

He has defied all odds handed to him since growing up in Konongo, a small mining town in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, to become the country’s biggest star. Carving out his own lane by bringing a distinctive sound to a new African generation, Black Sherif bridges the gap between Afrobeats, Highlife, and Asakaa (Ghanian Drill).

His potent wordplay, illustrative storytelling, and unique ability to seamlessly tread between dialects, regions, and genres, combined with his captivating, explosive performances, have transcended his talents across borders.

He dropped his first single ever, “Cry For Me,” fresh out of high school at age 17, while his next one, “Money,” released in January 2020, depicted his coming of age, maneuvering through the tough streets of Accra, Ghana. His big break came in 2021 when his songs, “First Sermon” and “Second Sermon,” catapulted both him and Asakaa onto the map.

“Second Sermon” was listed #16 on The Fader’s 100 best songs of 2021 and the remix, which features Nigerian star Burna Boy, gave Black Sherif even more notoriety internationally. However, it was “Kwaku The Traveller,” the hit single that exploded on TikTok and generated 100 million plus streams in 2022, that stamped Black Sherif as a superstar in the making.

NPR, The Fader, Complex UK, and more, named “Kwaku The Traveller” as one of the best songs of 2022, and the success earned Black Sherif a nomination for “Best International Flow” at the 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards. His critically acclaimed debut album, The Villain I Never Was, arrived in October of 2022 with the lead single “Soja” debuting at #23 on the Billboard US Afrobeats chart.

Accompanying music videos for album favorites “45,” “Konongo Zongo,” “Oil in my Head” and “Oh Paradise,” stand as a testament to Black Sherif’s artistic depth as each of the conceptual visuals has amassed many millions of views on YouTube.

Recent months have been a whirlwind for Black Sherif, who for the first time graced stages around the world including Afro Nation Miami alongside Burna Boy, Pharrell’s Something in the Water Festival, Wireless Festival in London, and his own debut headlining concert at Palladium Times Square in New York City.

While in New York, OkayAfrica trailed Black Sherif for their Summer 2023 cover story and he also sat down with Ebro for an exclusive Apple Music interview where he reflected on his journey so far.

Other recent highlights include his appearance on the blockbuster Creed III soundtrack, executive produced by J. Cole’s Dreamville, with “Blood, Sweat & Tears” alongside Bas and Kel-P, and his feature on “Celebrate,” a collaboration with Jamaican star Popcaan.

Black Sherif also was one of the key celebrity guests, alongside Idris Elba and Sheryl Lee Ralph, to accompany Vice President Kamala Harris in Ghana during her Africa tour in March.

The post Black Sherif out with 2-track project dubbed ‘Take Care of Yourself Blacko’ first appeared on Gajreport.

The post Black Sherif out with 2-track project dubbed ‘Take Care of Yourself Blacko’ appeared first on Gajreport.

Lanez shot Grammy winner Megan Thee Stallion in the feet during an argument between the pair after a party in 2020.

He was found guilty on three gun-related charges in December and has been held in jail since.

The shooting, which polarised the music world, left Megan Thee Stallion needing surgery to remove bullet fragments from her foot.

The LA District Attorney, George Gascón, said after the verdict that her fame “has brought an important spotlight on the issue of violence against women”.
The shooting occurred during the journey home from a pool party hosted at reality star Kylie Jenner’s Hollywood mansion.

Prosecutors had asked the judge for a 13-year prison sentence. They said Lanez, 31, deserved a lengthy sentence for shooting a “vulnerable victim” on a quiet residential street, and for waging “a campaign to humiliate and re-traumatise her” after the attack.

Lanez, real name Daystar Peterson, has had seven US top 10 albums in the past seven years.

He was convicted of three felonies: assault with a semi-automatic firearm; having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle; and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
His lawyers argued he should get probation and time in a drug treatment programme. It is unclear if Lanez is now facing deportation to Canada.

Jose Baez said his client planned to appeal due to “significant issues” with the trial.

Outside court on Tuesday, he cited a lack of DNA evidence against Lanez in relation to the shooting, adding that the rapper’s DNA was not found on the gun used. Mr Baez added that he believed Lanez did not receive a fair trial.
Lanez himself read a statement to the court before the sentencing.

While he has maintained his innocence during and since the trial, he said on Tuesday that he accepted “responsibility” for what “I did wrong that night”, without saying exactly what he was referring to.

“There’s been this misconception about me being this monster or not having remorse, that’s just not true,” the star told the court, according to the Press Association.

“That night was a night that everyone was drunk… I said some very immature things. If I could turn back the series of events… I would, but I can’t.

“But to think that I am some sort of callous individual is not the case. The victim was my friend… [and] she still is to this day.

“I did wrong that night and I take full responsibility and culpability for it.”
The shooting happened when the pair left Jenner’s home with two other people in an SUV in the early hours of 12 July 2020.

Megan, real name Megan Pete, told the court she got into an argument with Lanez over their previous sexual relationship. The row escalated and led to the pair insulting each other’s careers.

She said she demanded to be let out of the vehicle, at which point Lanez started shooting at the ground and shouted at her to “dance”.

During the trial, Lanez’s lawyers suggested Megan’s friend Kelsey Harris, who was in the vehicle, may have shot her friend out of jealousy. She denied that.

In a victim impact statement that was read in court on Monday, Megan said: “Since I was viciously shot by the defendant [Lanez], I have not experienced a single day of peace.

“Slowly but surely, I’m healing and coming back, but I will never be the same.”

Other witnesses who spoke on Monday included Lanez’s father, who talked emotionally about the effect on his son of the death of his mother when he was 11, and a prison chaplain who said Lanez had been leading daily prayer groups.

The judge said he had received more than 70 letters in support of Lanez from his family and friends, including rapper Iggy Azalea, who called for a sentence that would be “transformative, not life-destroying”.

Following the shooting, other famous names in the hip-hop world also took sides about who was telling the truth.

Rapper 50 Cent apologised to Megan for suggesting she lied about being shot by Lanez, while Drake appeared to reference the shooting in his lyrics.

After the sentencing, Tanishia Wright, director of victim services at the District Attorney’s office, told reporters: “Violence against black women and girls is a long standing national epidemic that has long been overlooked and under-reported.

“Women of colour more times than not do not come forward to report victimisation due to the fear they will not be believed.”

The post Tory Lanez sentenced to 10 years for shooting Megan Thee Stallion first appeared on Gajreport.

The post Tory Lanez sentenced to 10 years for shooting Megan Thee Stallion appeared first on Gajreport.

The presentation to the legendary African musician was done on Saturday (5 August) in the presence of city-resident Ghanaian royal Nana Sompahene aka Maxwell Agyemfra, three-time, two-division world boxing champion Jose Antonio Rivera, Richard Kweku Boateng, the CEO of Big Shoes Entertainment and Anokyekrom Restaurants, and a legion of thrilled fans of the Maestro Kojo Antwi.

The Ghanaian music, culture, and tourism icon thanked the City of Worcester for the honour, and pledged to continue spreading love, compassion, peace, and harmony through his music whilst promoting the beautiful cultures of his homeland Ghana, and Africa, to the world.

The tradition of presenting keys to a city is a historic one that started in 1702 in New York when Mayor Phillip French offered “Freedom of the City” to Viscount Edward Cornbury, Governor of New York and New Jersey. In medieval times, major cities would be fortified by walls and gates for the people’s protection.

When a visiting hero or dignitary came to the town, the people would make an elaborate ceremony, and also present them with a key meant to confer trust and honour.

The key symbolises the freedom of the recipient to enter and leave the city at will, as a trusted friend of city residents.

In the modern era, the Key to the City is a beloved symbol of civic recognition and gratitude reserved for individuals whose service to the public and the common good rises to the highest level of achievement.

The post Kojo Antwi honoured with keys to city of Worcester in US first appeared on Gajreport.

The post Kojo Antwi honoured with keys to city of Worcester in US appeared first on Gajreport.

The movie will finish the weekend with $1.03bn (£808m) in ticket sales at the global box office, it said in a statement on Sunday.

It means Greta Gerwig has become the first woman to reach the milestone as a solo director.

Warner Bros described it as a “watershed moment”.
Jeff Goldstein, president of domestic distribution in the US, said: “No one but Greta Gerwig could have brought this cross-generational icon and her world to life in such a funny, emotional, and entertaining story… literally turning the entire world pink.”

He said that long lines in cinemas and repeat viewings “prove that movies are back” after the cinema industry suffered due to pandemic lockdowns and competition from streamers.

Other female directors have helmed films that have surpassed the $1bn-mark but working with others. Frozen, the animated blockbuster and its sequel have generated more than $1.4bn in box office takings and were co-directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck.

Meanwhile, Captain Marvel, starring Brie Larson and co-directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, generated more than $1.1bn in takings.

The pink-hued film has received praise from critics and inspired scores of selfies at doll boxes installed in cinemas across the UK too.

Starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, it has drawn in $459m so far in the US and $572m internationally.
Achieving “Barbillion” – as described by Warner Bros – is no mean feat. Just five other films have done so since the pandemic, including The Super Mario Brothers Movie earlier this year, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Top Gun: Maverick, Jurassic World Dominion, and the Avatar sequel.

Cinema-goers have often paired a viewing of Barbie, which tells a coming-of-age story of the iconic doll, with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer – a story about the development of the first atomic bomb.
UK-based cinema chain Vue recently said both films had led to the firm seeing its busiest weekend in four years.

Ms. Robbie also served as one of the producers on Barbie. According to an interview with Collider, she banked on making a billion dollars in early meetings.

“I think I told them that it’d make a billion dollars, which maybe I was overselling, but we had a movie to make, okay?!” she told the publication.

The film’s marketing campaign has been huge, with pink billboards installed in cities around the world while a pink Tardis also appeared at Tower Bridge.

Toy-maker Mattel is hoping to repeat the same success with other films.

Other Mattel brands – including Barney, Hot Wheels, and Polly Pocket – are set to feature in upcoming Hollywood movies.

It released a soundtrack album and entered into more than 165 consumer product partnerships for the Barbie film, although it recently reported that its sales fell by 12% for the three months to the end of June.

The post Barbie film hits $1bn mark at global box office first appeared on Gajreport.

The post Barbie film hits $1bn mark at global box office appeared first on Gajreport.

The event which is part of Sarkodie’s Jamz World Tour is powered by the award-winning promoter, Julian Kojo Asiedu, known in the entertainment circles as Jagonzy.

It will see the two-time BET award winner thrill his fans in Minnesota and its environs to his repertoire.

Sarkodie, as part of his Jamz World tour, has headlined over twenty shows in total including the New York’s Town Hall with a capacity of 1,500 seats.

After the success of the New York concert, the most decorated African rapper was again welcomed in grand style in Ohio as he sold out the forum.

DMV and Chicago got their fair share with a back to back sold out show as well and it’s time for the fans in Minnesota to have their experience.

In talking about the event, the promoter, Jagonzy noted that Sarkodie will bring a different energy and vibe to all party rave heads inside Minnesota and its environs because he is all geared up for a great show.

On August 18, 2023, fans in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and other neighboring states will welcome the landlord at the Pourhouse in downtown Minneapolis.

The concert will also feature top local artistes in Minnesota like Beri, Mae Dolls, Daddy Face, H Hardy, Nilo, Udu, Freda, Lisa Classic, and many more.

The post Jamz World Tour: Sarkodie to perform in Minnesota first appeared on Gajreport.

The post Jamz World Tour: Sarkodie to perform in Minnesota appeared first on Gajreport.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the BRIT Awards said they presented the gong to Wizkid after his recent performance at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday.

Since making his debut in 2011, Wizkid has become known for a plethora of hits like Essence, Ojuelegba, and Joro.

Some of his famous collaborations include artists from Beyoncé and Drake to fellow Nigerian stars Tems and Skepta to name a few.

His fourth album, Made in Lagos, was also awarded gold certification in the US in 2022 after selling more than 500,000 copies – yet another first for an African artist.

Source: BBC

The post Wizkid makes history with over one billion UK streams first appeared on Gajreport.

The post Wizkid makes history with over one billion UK streams appeared first on Gajreport.

The organisation also promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development, and a sustainable environment.

It also offers leadership and support to the sector to advance knowledge of tourism policies worldwide.

Apart from Ghana, five other countries Nigeria, Rwanda, Namibia, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, were also given the nod to serve on the council.

Event
The council members were selected at the 66th UNWTO Commission for Africa meeting in Mauritius last Thursday.

It was on the theme: “Rethinking tourism for Africa: Addressing global challenges; Promoting investment and partnerships”.

The council, among other things, will consult with the Secretary-General to implement decisions that will boost tourism across the globe.

The council will be unveiled at the next UNWTO General Assembly meeting which will take place in Uzbekistan in October this year.

Commitment

In his acceptance speech, the Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, pledged Ghana’s commitment to put travel and tourism at the summit of the global development agenda.

He also commended his colleague ministers for the trust they put in him.

Dr. Awal urged African tourism ministers to pursue sustainable tourism practices to protect the environment and to also ensure that communities benefit from tourism dividends.

Investment

The minister further called for investment in tourism infrastructure and building the capacity of operators along the tourism value chain to enhance the continent’s competitiveness.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo recently tasked the ministry to implement innovative strategies to make tourism, arts, and culture contribute effectively to national development.

He also directed specific sectors to ensure that international tourists arrivals reached two million by 2025, with a corresponding receipt of $6 billion annually.

The post Ghana elected to World Tourism Organisation Executive Council first appeared on Gajreport.

The post Ghana elected to World Tourism Organisation Executive Council appeared first on Gajreport.