She owns songwriting rights, and performance rights and gets fees from them, what she doesn’t own is publishing rights any more than an author can sign a book contract have a bestseller then re-release the book on their own.

Probably not savvy enough, and new artist contracts are pretty notoriously skewed to the label. I don’t know if first right of refusal is common enough that a new artist would be able to negotiate for it. 

In the course of my job, I had to read thousands of recording contracts, dated from 1950-2012. It was eye opening to see how unfair those contracts were to artists earlier in the careers, but interesting to watch how they changed as artists were able to take more control of their careers and music. Janet Jackson’s…

I think that Swift was able to sign a new deal that gives her ownership of her product is fair, as she has proven her market value, but I don’t think it’s unfair that new artists don’t typically own their masters. As long as they rely on labels to make heavy initial outlays in marketing and distribution the deal isn’t…

Could have been worse, her ex is named “Topper”. I hope that secured a boatload of cash from some relative with that surname.

Isn’t Orson Welles from Wisconsin?

I think the problem is calling Emmitt Till a “celebrity,” which carries a connotation of glamour and lightheartedness. If it had been a list of “important historical figures” I think the reaction would have been different.

Emmett Till was a martyr that started the whole Black rights thing even before Rosa Parks and maybe even before the forgotten Claudette Colvin.

Personally, I’m in favor of anything that makes people remember Emmett Till.

At worst, it made ignorant folks Google his name and learn about his story.  I see that as a win.

Chicagoland would be the qualifier. Kenosha may be a state away, but it’s right next door to Chicago.

“ The simplest Google search points out what he’s best known for within the first sentence of his Wikipedia description.”

Other celebrities from Brooklyn include:
Jay-Z

Most people have no idea what happened to Emmet Till.   I see nothing wrong with this.  

Are you sure that wasn't a pointed statement? Far as I'm concerned the kids in the audience should know goddamn well who Emmit Till was. 

Odd and perhaps poorly thought out? Maybe.

Other famous Austrian painters include...

I would have gone with Gacy to round out the trio.

You may be right. The (2015) original interview is way more innocuous than the sensationalist link would indicate. First of all, he answers emphatically in the affirmative that a woman could be a Dalai Lama, and, in fact, states that women may be more naturally suited to this role as they are naturally gifted with…