Guest Lecture & Keynote March 20: Dr. Ruth Opara - hosted by Black Studies and Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies

Black Studies and Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies

Host Annual Guest Lecture & Keynote:

Dr. Ruth Opara

“Unseen Forces in Afro-Pop Music Scenes: The Path to Wealth in Afrobeats”

Please join us Thursday, March 20 at 7:00 pm in the Kelley Center for a lecture and interview with Dr. Ruth Opara. Dr. Opara will deliver the annual lecture and keynote, titled, “Unseen Forces in Afro-Pop Music Scenes: The Path to Wealth in Afrobeats,” hosted by the Black Studies and Women Gender and Sexuality Studies programs. Following the lecture, Dr. Shannon King, of the History Department and the Black Studies program, and Dr. Opara will have a short discussion about her work and the broader dimensions of gender wealth gap in the music industry.

About the Topic

What determines who rises to wealth and global recognition in Afrobeats? This talk explores the complex and often hidden factors that shape success in the music industry, particularly in the USA among African descended people, including industry gatekeeping, market dynamics, and cultural perceptions. Through case studies of two prominent artists, Tiwa Savage and Burna Boy, this presentation will uncover the invisible forces that influence who is invited to perform and why. It will also examine the changes that have occurred since the publication of the article “Gender Wealth Gap in the USA’s Afrobeats Scene” in 2024.

Dr. Opara’s research centers focus on African and African diasporic music and knowledge production, specifically, music and decolonial discourse, women in music, music and fashion, and African music and transnational encounters. As a practitioner, a teacher, and a scholar who has lived and taught on the African continent and the diaspora, Dr. Opara successfully straddles both world’s musical cultures. She is currently working on her book project on the intersession of music and motherhood. Dr. Opara has published peer-reviewed journal articles in leading journals in her field, including Ethnomusicology, International Journal of Traditional Arts, Journal of Popular Music. She has presented at many academic conferences around the world. 

The event is free and open to the public and is co-sponsored by American Studies, Department of Visual and Performing Arts, and Office of Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs.

No registration is necessary. Lite fare and refreshments will be served