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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Taylor Swift has often been underestimated by critics, yet her popularity continues to soar with each new album release.

Also Read: Elton John praises Madonna for ‘Celebration Tour’ tribute to AIDS victims, Internet asks if ‘war is over’

Despite initial doubts about her musical abilities following her album ‘Fearless’ (2008), her following albums ‘Speak Now’ (2010) and ‘Red’ (2012) did not meet the same commercial success as their predecessor, causing critics to question her longevity.

Nevertheless, Taylor Swift’s global popularity only increased with the release of her album ‘1989’ (2014), despite accusations of selling out to a wider pop audience.

Even when her reputation was tarnished by Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, Swift’s album ‘reputation’ (2017) proved her artistic merit and talent with several chart-topping hits.

Although ‘Lover’ (2019) did not match the sales of her previous albums, and her two pop albums released after ‘1989’ were snubbed by the Grammys, Taylor Swift’s ‘Folklore’ (2020) and ‘Evermore’ (2020) were both critically acclaimed and commercially successful.

Also Read: ‘The Masked Singer’ Season 10 Elton John Night Spoiler: Billie Jean King is Royal Hen, here are the clues

Even her re-released albums under the banner ‘Taylor’s Version’ (2023) were successful, with ‘Midnights’ (2022) becoming her biggest career opening, second only to Adele’s ‘25’ record.

Also Read: When will ‘The Masked Singer’ Season 10 Episode 5 air? Contestants celebrate Elton John’s music

Is Taylor Swift the greatest performer of all time?

Taylor Swift’s popularity also extends to her live performances. Her ‘Eras Tour’ concerts have generated $2.2 billion in ticket sales in North America alone, with 146 tour dates announced across five continents.

The concert film ‘The Eras Tour’ (2023) has been screened in over 8,500 theaters in more than 100 countries.

Despite the doubts surrounding overexposure, Taylor Swift’s music remains popular with all generations.

Her albums continue to sell well physically, and her new and re-recorded songs are still widely enjoyed. Her re-recorded albums have also reached number one on the charts.

Taylor Swift’s longevity in the music industry is a testament to her talent and ability to adapt to changing musical trends.

Even in her 17th year in the music industry, her continued success has proven that she has not reached her creative peak and that her music remains popular with fans around the world.

Swifties question the intent behind pitting her against Michael Jackson

People on the internet have often put Taylor in opposition to the ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson, with many asking why the hitmaker hasn’t been compared against Elton John, Elvis Presley, Madonna, or, Miley Cyrus for that matter.

Madonna is highly regarded as she sparked conversations on LGBTQ+ issues, racial issues, and feminism at a time when nobody else was doing that in the pop genre.

Miley Cyrus broke out of her ‘Hannah Montana’ and ‘High School Musical’ mold to become the ‘Pop Chameleon’, now recognized worldwide for her musical versatility and artistic reinventions.

But people are more concerned as to why, Taylor’s success is constantly being compared to that of Black artists like MJ, an icon of his time and for generations to come, alleging there’s a racist undertone to this whole line of questioning.

One X user wrote: “Why keep comparing her to Black artists? Why not compare her to Elton John, Elvis Presley, Madonna, Miley Cyrus??? Hmm.. something seems a little sinister.”

Another user stated, “It really reads as a racist attempt to erase Black artists from history. It’s why she’s frontrunner for AOTY Grammy. The illusive greatness of Swift prevails if she breaks Stevie Wonder’s record. It’s sick. Because it’s totally unwarranted.”

Another X user said, “Madonna being the most appropriate metric for comparison by far. They always gotta come for the King.”

One user tweeted, “I asked this same thing a few months ago, when did she pass up lady Gaga, Madonna, and Adele? What about Celine Dion? They’re bypassing all of them and going straight to MJ. Very suspicious and bizarre.”

Another user wrote, “That’s what I’ve been saying, they love comparing this white woman to black artists. I notice she’s not being compared to Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Madonna, etc. just the black artists.”

Another X user quipped, “To be fair, comparing her to Elvis would still be comparing her to black artists since most (if not all) of his songs were written by black artists.”

One user wrote, “I get what you saying here but none of them bigger than Micheal.”

A user stated, “Michael jackson was bigger than all those guys (at least he’s a bigger deal lol). answer is definitively no tho.”

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

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RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

By Aria Brent,
AFRO Staff Writer,
abrent@afro.com

The Rho Xi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA) is celebrating 35 years of service this year. Known for their work in the community, the ladies of AKA are recognizing other organizations that are making a difference in the Baltimore area. 

Seven organizations will be awarded $5,000 each for their impactful work at the upcoming “Spirit of Giving” event, to be held on Nov. 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the Baltimore Center Stage located at 700 N. Calvert Street, Baltimore,Md.

Members of the chapter spoke with the AFRO about the upcoming event, the organizations being awarded and what they’re doing to celebrate their 35th anniversary. 

“In the city of Baltimore, [we’re] donating $5,000 to seven organizations for a total of $35,000,” explained chapter president Robin S.Ott. “[We are] giving back to the community for their vital service, and we are celebrating 35 years as a chapter in Baltimore. 

The chapter started the Spirit of Giving event during their 25th anniversary and has continued the tradition of awarding qualifying organizations for their work. The sisters of the Rho Xi Omega Chapter, based in Baltimore, are partnering with their philanthropic partner, Cultured Pearls of Service, to put on the awards ceremony. Although all the organizations will receive a monetary award of the same amount, they are all also receiving different awards, including The Rho Xi Omega Choice Award, the Ascension Award and the 35th Anniversary Stellar Service Award. 

This year’s award recipients include the CASH Campaign of Maryland, Black Women Build Baltimore, the Torrey Smith Fund, the Black Arts District, the Franciscan Center, Moveable Feast and Arena Players. The chairperson for this year’s event shared how organizations were selected for their awards.

 “For the 30th anniversary I believe we had about 15 organizations, but this time we decided ‘let’s make a bigger impact financially,’  let’s limit the number,” explained event chair, Helen Griffin-Anderson. 

“The  committee deliberated how we should do this. We looked at organizations we had already given to,” said Griffin- Anderson. Then the organization asked questions, like “‘Is there anybody we want to circle back on?’ ‘Do we want to give some new organizations money?’” 

“We talked a lot and then we came up with this plan, that we would look at organizations that paralleled what we do in the chapter,” she said. 

Ott noted that the ladies of Rho Xi Omega like to enjoy themselves– but serving the Baltimore community is at the top of their priority. She shared some of the other community service events they’ve held this year, such as the Martin Luther King Day of Service. 

“We continue to service the community,  we do a lot of service throughout the year,” explained Ott. “We support the Franscician Center every Martin Luther King Day of Service and I’m very pleased with that. We help out in the kitchen, we serve food, we have coats, hats, we do a skit. For those that were in attendance, this year we held blood pressure screenings, and we filled their food pantry. We’ve done a lot and we continue to do that.”

To further celebrate their anniversary, the chapter will be holding a gala as well on December 2. Tickets for the Spirit of Giving are free, meanwhile tickets for the Gala are $150. Tickets for both events can be purchased at Eventbrite.com.

RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

As Self + Tucker Architects co-founder Jimmie Tucker paces through the museum on the ground floor of the Universal Life Insurance Building in Downtown Memphis, there’s a sternness in his voice. 

He wants to ensure the weight of the historical factoids on the wall of the museum are understood. 

Pointing to a portrait of the late Patricia Walker Shaw, he makes a point to comment on how rare it was for a woman to be CEO during the ’80s, let alone a Black woman for a national insurance company.  

It’s a smaller pair of details that sometimes are forgotten: Patricia Walker Shaw was a trailblazer and Memphis-based Universal Life Insurance Company employed more than 700 persons across 11 states. 

It’s those details that can be catalytic. It is those details that need remembering — that require admiration. 

“You can’t be what you can’t see,” Tucker said. 

It’s a statement for youth and a reason why Tucker wanted to have a museum about the history of the Universal Life Insurance Company inside the historic namesake building and part of a broader goal to preserve history — and pieces of Black excellence. These details, these persons, these buildings — they need to be preserved, not forgotten. 

“For me, it’s not just preserving a building or site,” Self + Tucker co-founder Juan Self said.  “It’s about preserving culture.”

In the early ’90s, Self and Tucker crossed paths in New York during an event for Nashville-based architectural firm McKissack & McKissack. McKissack & McKissack is the oldest African American architectural firm in the country and was the designer behind the Universal Life Insurance Building, which opened in 1949. 

Self said a mutual acquittance introduced them and Tucker expressed interest in moving back to Memphis. The two remained in touch over the next several years, Self said, and eventually positioned themselves to found their own firm, Self + Tucker Architects. The Memphis-based firm opened in 1995. 

The firm relocated its offices to the Universal Life Insurance Building, located at 480 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., in 2018. 

Redevelopment of the Universal Life Insurance Building

The building symbolizes something unique for both Self and Tucker. It represents the first time the firm worked as a developer. And it operated as a new standard for the firm, in terms of adaptive reuse and historical preservation. 

“We wanted to save the building,” Tucker said. 

The firm purchased the building in 2006 for $500,000, according to the Shelby County Register of Deeds. The building had been vacant since Universal Life Insurance Company closed in 2001.

Tucker said the redevelopment of the Universal Life Insurance Building cost around $7 million. The Egyptian Revival-style building was a civic hub for the Black community, with Universal Life Insurance providing loans and resources for Black residents.

Self + Tucker received a 10-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes in 2015 from the Center City Revenue Finance Corp., an affiliate board of the Downtown Memphis Commission to help finance the project. 

Today, the 33,000-square-foot property still operates as a civic resource for residents. The City of Memphis operates a satellite office for its Business Development Center on the basement level of the building with four other tenants. The second floor is undergoing a renovation to provide additional co-working space, Tucker said. 

Projects such as the Universal Life Insurance Building have become stalwarts for the firm, Tucker said. Those projects that focus on community and provide resources or reestablish communal investment are ones they are drawn too, he said. 

“The longer we’re here (in the Universal Life Insurance building) the more stories I hear about how this company touched people’s lives,” Self said.

He recalled being stopped by an elder gentleman who was inside visiting the building. Self said the man was in his late 80s and told him how he worked at the building in the ’60s and how the time with the company helped shape his life. 

INSIDE LOOK:How Clayborn Temple’s renovation is helping to ‘keep the history alive’

Work at the National Civil Rights Museum

While development and preservation are important, it is such indirect congruence that has stuck with Self since he began his career. He recalls the visceral experience working at the National Civil Rights Museum had on him during his time with McKissack & McKissack. He describes feeling the power a singular place — a singular room — could have and it has remained with him since. 

“That is when I could understand the impact we can have,” he said. 

Self + Tucker is leading the design team for the museum’s ongoing renovation and expansion of the museum’s Legacy Building and the adjacent Founder’s Park. On Nov. 16, the firm filed a commercial alteration permit with the Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development for the Legacy Building expansion.

The $16.7 million project includes renovations on the 17,000-square-foot, three-story Legacy Building along with a 7,500-square-foot expansion, according to the permit application. The renovation is expected to be complete in 2025. 

Buildings are more than just historical markers

Today, the firm is continuing its preservation work throughout the Mid-South. Self is consulting on the renovation of the historic Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The hotel, which opened in 1944, is famous for its cultural impact on Delta Blues. The hotel was originally designed as the G.T. Thomas Afro-American Hospital, however, after its conversion into a hotel it became synonymous with blues music and as a refuge. It was the only Black hotel listed in the Green Book. Victor Hugo Green created the Green Book in the 1930s. The travel guide helped provide resources for safe transit during the Jim Crow-era South for many African Americans.

The firm’s reputation has been reaching beyond the Mid-South region as well. Self said the firm has been in contact with Jonnet Solomon in Pittsburgh. Solomon purchased the 129-year-old Victorian building, which was the former site of the National Opera House, at 7101 Apple St. in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood. The site is home to the historic marker for the National Negro Opera Company and the Victorian building was where the company rehearsed and is also the former safe house for Black artists and athletes during the 1930s including Duke Ellington and heavyweight boxing champion Joe Lewis. Millions have already been raised to help restore the historic landmark and Self said Self + Tucker has been involved in some consulting and placed a bid on the project.

Self describes buildings such as the Universal Life Insurance Building and Riverside Hotel as touchstones. They represent more than just historical markers and, when redeveloped, can continue contributing to and building upon that legacy. 

Tucker echoed that sentiment and highlighted the firm’s work with the historic Melrose High School and its ongoing 15-acre North Memphis Grocery Store and Resource Center development. The latter is a 15-acre redevelopment of a vacant lot located in Uptown along Chelsea Avenue, University Street and Tunica Street. The $15 million to $20 million project will add a grocery store, social service facility and affordable housing. Tucker said keeping North Memphis Grocery Store in the project’s name was intentional to help shed light on food deserts. 

DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS:Eight-story mixed-use development in works near FedExForum. Here’s a look at the plans.

While the name can provide an additional educational anchor, Tucker highlighted a key component to both the Melrose High and North Memphis Grocery Store projects is sustainability.

He said providing resources and working with the community to provide additional amenities within these vacant buildings or properties is what leads to sustainability. That mixed-use helps ensure a facility remains in operation and is providing a benefit for residents and the community.   

“You want the community to have a connection to that project,” Tucker said. 

Neil Strebig is a journalist with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at neil.strebig@commercialappeal.com, 901-426-0679 or via X/Twitter,@neilStrebig

Notable projects Self + Tucker has contributed to around Memphis

Melrose Library & Genealogy Center | The historic Melrose High School site is expected to reopen in 2024

Clayborn Temple | The historic site recently completed the exterior renovation and Phase 2 of construction. Phase 3, interior renovation, will begin in 2024.

Memphis Innovation Corridor | In partnership with MATA, Self + Tucker, designed all 31 mConnect Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) stations

T.O. Fuller Interactive Center

Memphis Visitors Center

Big River Crossing | National Organization of Minority Architects 2017 Award for Overall Design Excellence

Stax Museum & Stax Music Academy | The museum celebrated its 20th anniversary in May

FedExForum

Universal Life Insurance Building | Leeds Certified building

National Civil Rights Museum & Legacy Building expansion

Harriet Performing Arts Center | The former fire station at 2788 Lamar Ave. was converted into the performing arts center including a 150-seat performance theater.

RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment