Beyonce is now subject of a university course
AFTER a rare fly was recently named after Beyonce Knowles by Australian researchers, the singer’s life has become a new course at US’ Rutgers University.
Lecturer Kevin Allred has signed up to teach ‘Politicising Beyonce’ as part of the school’s women’s and gender studies curriculum, reports contactmusic.com.
The class offers New Jersey students the chance to watch the pop star’s music videos and explore how her image and music has impacted the world.
An overview of the course on the university’s website reads: “The performer’s music and career are used as lenses to explore American race, gender, and sexual politics. Course topics include the extent of Beyonce’s control over her own aesthetic, whether her body is empowered or stereotypical, and her more racy performances as her alter ego, Sasha Fierce.”
The course includes class discussions, which “often lead to other vocalists, including Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Lady Gaga, and contemporary musicians who embrace the soul singing tradition like Adele and the late Amy Winehouse.”
Beyonce’s husband, rapper Jay Z is also the subject of his own higher education course — Georgetown University is currently offering students the chance to take the ‘Sociology of Hip-hop: Jay Z’.
Billboard industry power list:
Power couple Jay-z and Beyonce joined a list of top music executives, led by Live Nation Entertainment chairman Irving Azoff, on Billboard magazine’s first Power 100 chart.
Only a handful of artistes broke onto the list that sought to name the recording industry’s most influential people and was dominated by businessmen and women. The selection was determined by a combination of money, market share, Billboard chart data and other information, and a team of 15 magazine editors analysed the results to produce the list.
Both Jay-z and Beyonce made it due to numerous ventures outside their singing careers including Jay-z’s Roc Nation music, management and entertainment company and Beyonce’s sponsorship deals with brands such as L’oreal. Collectively, they were placed at No 13 on the Power 100 list.
Azoff has been at the helm of Live Nation Entertainment, a ticket sales and concert company, since 2008 and previ- ously represented artistes such as Christina Aguilera and Van Halen.
Just behind Azoff at No 2 was Coran Capshaw, the founder and partner of Red Light Management, who helps run the careers of groups such as the Dave Matthews Band. Rounding out the top three was Universal Music Group’s chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge.
Others on the list included Creative Artists Agency’s managing partner and head of music Rob Light at No 7 and Interscope Geffen A&M Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine at No 10.
Rock band U2 came in at No 27 along with their manager Paul Mcguinness based on their ability to sell more than 7 million tickets to their last tour along with their prolific chart career. Fellow rocker Jon Bon Jovi clocked in at No 50.