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GRAMMYs

Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

News
Everything To Know About "Black Out Tuesday" music-industry-calls-black-out-tuesday-response-death-george-floyd-0

The Music Industry Calls For "Black Out Tuesday" In Response To The Death Of George Floyd

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In response to George Floyd's death, as well as the recent deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and "other black citizens at the hands of police," music companies and artists are calling for the industry to observe "Black Out Tuesday" on June 2
Rachel Brodsky
GRAMMYs
Jun 1, 2020 - 9:54 am

This past weekend, hundreds of protests broke out across the United States in response to the death of George Floyd, a black Minneapolis man who died at the hands of four police officers last week.

In response to Floyd's death, as well as the recent deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and "other black citizens at the hands of police," numerous music companies and artists took to social media, calling for the industry to observe "Black Out Tuesday" on Tuesday, June 2.

"As gatekeepers of the culture, it's our responsibility to not only come together to celebrate the wins, but also hold each other up during loss," the statement says with the hashtag #TheShowMustBePaused.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CA3yh3xAtdM

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A post shared by ASCAP (@ascap)

According to Billboard, the #Paused effort is coming from Atlantic senior directors of marketing Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas, who describe this action as a response to "the long-standing racism and inequality that exists from the boardroom to the boulevard."

In their Instagram post, which you can read below, Agyemang and Thomas explain that TheShowMustBePaused is meant to "intentionally disrupt the work week... The music industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. An industry that has profited predominantly from Black art. Our mission is to hold the industry at large, including major corporations + their partners who benefit from the efforts, struggles and successes of Black people accountable."   

Numerous musicians joined in the protests over the weekend, including J. Cole marching in North Carolina, Tinashe and Ariana Grande in Los Angeles and Halsey in Santa Monica. 

"I dont know how to articulate the horrors of today," Halsey wrote on Twitter. "NG + officers firing rounds into kneeling crowds. We dont have enough medics on the ground on our side. I was treating injuries I am not qualified to. So much blood spilled. If you have med training pls go + standby outskirts."

"And if you’re a white ally who is gonna stand and shout and antagonize the officers and NG and then hide behind black bodies when the shots start firing, f--- you. You couldnt understand a shred of the bravery of the black folks at the front line. Thank you to everyone who stayed."

https://www.instagram.com/p/CA4S2c3nPRE

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GRAMMYs

Photo: Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images

News
Recording Academy Launches Black Music Collective recording-academy-establishes-black-music-collective

The Recording Academy Establishes Black Music Collective

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The newly launched collective comprises a group of prominent Black music creators and professionals who share the common goal of amplifying Black voices within the Recording Academy and the wider music community
Recording Academy
Sep 3, 2020 - 6:30 am

The Recording Academy has today (Sept. 3) announced the creation of its Black Music Collective (BMC), a group of prominent Black music creators and professionals who share the common goal of amplifying Black voices within the Academy and the wider music community.

As part of the Recording Academy's commitment to evolving hand-in-hand with its membership, BMC will serve as a space for members to speak openly about new and emerging opportunities in Black music across all genres and identify ways to drive more representation.

The launch of BMC follows the Recording Academy's recent partnership with Color Of Change, the nation's largest online racial justice organization, in July, which set forth to create a Black music advisory group. The BMC fulfills this promise and is bringing together creators and business leaders to create a pipeline of future industry trailblazers. Leaders will meet regularly and initiate programs that will encourage participation and accelerate Black membership in the Recording Academy.

Jeffrey Harleston, Jimmy Jam, Quincy Jones, Debra Lee, John Legend, and Sylvia Rhone will serve as honorary chairs of the BMC. A distinguished leadership committee will be confirmed in the coming weeks and will work in sync with the honorary chairs to propel the collective's mission. Recording Academy Trustee Riggs Morales and Washington, D.C., Chapter Executive Director Jeriel Johnson will lead the initiative internally. 

"The Black Music Collective is necessary to help drive the Recording Academy into a new era. Creating an open space for Black music creators can only benefit our membership as a whole," Harvey Mason jr., Chair and Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy, said. "Through the past few months, I've been personally invested in propelling this collective along with Chapter leadership within the Academy. Together, we will elevate Black music creators within our organization and the industry at large." 

"As Black music continues to drive culture, it is essential we grow and maintain representation within the Academy and the music industry," Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer of the Recording Academy, said. "We're thrilled to help develop the leaders of tomorrow with impactful educational and experiential programs that we will announce in coming weeks."

In March 2018, the Recording Academy established a third-party task force to examine issues of diversity and inclusion within the Academy and the broader music community. The Academy has since taken action on the Task Force's initial assessment and recommendations and has made additional strides to facilitate a culture of belonging while recognizing the need to focus on underrepresented communities. Recent initiatives include the hiring of a Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, a $1 million donation to Color Of Change, alignment with #TheShowMustBePaused movement created by Jamila Thomas (Atlantic Records) and Brianna Agyemang (Platoon), and the development of an industry Inclusion Rider and Toolkit to be released later this year.

Stay up to date on the Recording Academy's progress, future announcements and recent initiatives on diversity and inclusion.

Recording Academy Invites & Celebrates Its 2020 New Member Class

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Summer Session 2019

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GRAMMY Museum N.J. Announces Virtual Youth Camp grammy-museum-experience-prudential-center-announces-return-summer-youth-camp

GRAMMY Museum Experience Prudential Center Announces Return Of Summer Youth Camp

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Summer Session will offer youth ages 13 to 18 an opportunity to gain tools needed to embark on a career in the music industry
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jul 29, 2020 - 5:25 pm

GRAMMY Museum Experience Prudential Center is giving youth in New Jersey and New York something to look forward to this summer.

The museum in Newark, N.J. has announced its Summer Session camp will return to offer youth ages 13 to 18 an opportunity to gain tools needed to embark on a career in the music industry. The five-day camp running Aug. 17–21 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST every day will happen virtually through Zoom. It will focus on three tracks youth can explore: songwriting, hip-hop hitmaking and vocal performance. During the camp, music faculty and guest industry professionals will share insight.

https://twitter.com/PruCenter/status/1288474786587443201

Interested in exploring a career in music?

Register today for the #GRAMMYMuseumExp 2020 Summer Session!

5-day virtual summer music industry program for students age 13 – 18, running from August 17-21.

REGISTER: https://t.co/vMzloqB6eF pic.twitter.com/a4OWOR2z44

— Prudential Center (@PruCenter) July 29, 2020

Summer Session first launched in 2019 and featured GRAMMY-nominated singer/producer Mario Winans and renowned music director Alonzo Harris. Mark Conklin, Director of Artist Relations & Programming at the GRAMMY Museum Experience Prudential Center, said the museum was thrilled to once again be able to empower youth interested in music. 

"Summer Session provides an unparalleled opportunity for students who want an inside look at the art, craft and business of music," he said in a statement. "If a student is seriously considering pursuing a career in music, or even curious about one, this program will give them the tools they need for a serious jump start."

The cost to attend will be $100. Tuition will be free for Newark students and some scholarships will be available for students outside of Newark.

For more information on the camp and how to apply, visit the museum's website.

How Girls Make Beats Is Making The Music Industry A More Welcoming Place For Girls Of All Backgrounds

Erika Ender at the 18th Latin GRAMMY Awards

Erika Ender, winner of Song Of The Year as a co-writer of "Despacito"

Photo: David Becker/Getty Images

News
N.J. GRAMMY Museum Launches New Learning Hub grammy-museum-experience-announces-online-learning-hub-new-podcast-video-series

GRAMMY Museum Experience Announces Online Learning Hub With New Podcast & Video Series Featuring Erika Ender

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The "Despacito" co-writer is one of the first guests of the museum's new video series called Behind the Songs
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jun 17, 2020 - 4:17 pm

The GRAMMY Museum Experience at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. has launched a new Online Learning and Content Hub that will feature a new podcast and video series.

The learning hub will contain free content and joins the museum's existing digital programming including its Mini Masterclass video series featuring Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Estelle and more. Their new video series called Behind the Songs will take listeners behind the songs of notable singers, songwriters and producers with host Mark Conklin, museum artist relations and programming director. Most conversations will be followed with an exclusive performance. The second episode with "Despacito" co-writer Erika Ender will be released on June 18 at 7 p.m. EST. New episodes will be released every Thursday at 7 p.m. EST. 

https://twitter.com/PruCenter/status/1273262369939107841

Get ready for another episode of #BehindTheSong from the #GRAMMYMuseumExp. This week's episode featuring Grammy winning artist @erikaender drops tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/AnKJZpqmUG

— Prudential Center (@PruCenter) June 17, 2020

Musically Speaking, the museum's new podcast, will feature conversations with artists, songwriters, producers and industry executives, including DJ Khaled and Naughty By Nature, from past public programs held at the museum. The first episode released on June 15 at 7 p.m. EST featured rock legends The Zombies. Like Behind the Songs, new podcast episodes will publish every Thursday at 7 p.m. EST.

"Music is our greatest form of connection and it has never been more important to our society than it is right now," said Conklin in a statement. "We are thrilled to introduce our Online Learning and Content Hub and bring its programs to life. These online programs allow us to continue the museum’s mission to educate, entertain and provide music fans with an exclusive glimpse into the songs and artists that continue to be the soundtrack of our lives."

The GRAMMY Museum Experience will also be showcasing virtual exhibits from their museum and the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles soon. Among the exhibits, they will highlight virtually is Whitney! honoring Whitney Houston. 

Check out the new hub and new programs at GRAMMYMuseumEXP.org.

GRAMMY Museum Releases Two Songwriters Hall Of Fame Programs From Archive

Brianna Agyemang & Jamila Thomas

Brianna Agyemang & Jamila Thomas

Photo: Flo Ngala/Billboard

News
#TheShowMustBePaused Creators Talk Next Steps theshowmustbepaused-creators-brianna-agyemang-jamila-thomas-talk-vision-next-steps

#TheShowMustBePaused Creators Brianna Agyemang & Jamila Thomas Talk Vision, Next Steps

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The two young music executives behind the movement that became "Blackout Tuesday," discuss their vision for a more just music industry in a recent interview
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Jun 11, 2020 - 2:43 pm

Last Tuesday, June 2, the music industry came to a sudden stop for #TheShowMustBePaused movement envisioned by Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas. While the message may have been muddied by brands and others posting black boxes, the mission was effective—major labels and music orgs closed shop for the day and joined conversations on making real change.

Today, in an in-depth interview with Billboard, the two New York music executives share their vision for moving the industry forward and the important purpose behind the pause.

Want To Support Protesters And Black Lives Matter Groups? Here's How

"We're taking it one day at a time. No one thought [we] could black out the industry, but they couldn't keep Brianna and me from trying," Thomas, who's the senior director of marketing at Atlantic Records, said.

"We're the least expected, but we're here for a reason—and we're not going away," Agyemang added; she's the senior artist campaign manager at Platoon, Apple's artist-services division.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBTVgbPn2zs

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @theshowmustbepaused

"We had found out about George Floyd's killing, after those of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, at the hands of police. It was just a really heavy week for the Black community. And people still had to work. It didn't seem like anyone had a chance to really take in what was happening in the middle of the coronavirus, which was also attacking the Black community disproportionately. It was just a lot while trying to keep the show moving. So I called Jamila that Friday [May 29] and said we should take the day off, that it's not business as usual. Then we came up with the tagline #TheShowMustBePaused and some graphics," Agyemang explained, sharing the emotional week that pushed them to action.

"As our friends began posting, it spread like wildfire. Then people started reaching out, asking, 'OK, where and when do we want to pause?' It just kind of centered ourselves as a community. We wanted to make sure that if people were willing to take that pause along with us that we—if they were asking what they could do on Tuesday—would help provide them with things to do. So we went into planning mode."

Alicia Keys, Shaggy, Brandi Carlile & More: Advocates Support #BlackOutTuesday

For their "day off," two women hosted a digital summit that brought together music professionals of all stripes to talk change, with almost 1,500 joining the productive conversations.

"We held three different discussions during that one day. We reached out to people directly, sending them invitations to join us for a community conversation. The turnout was overwhelming, with nearly 1,500 people joining overall, from top-level executives, artists and lawyers to interns. The idea was to talk to everyone about developing a realistic plan for moving forward," Thomas told Billboard.

"Urban artists occupy most of the music charts, and we celebrate the genres [R&B/hip-hop] at industry events and the GRAMMYs. But when that community takes a hit, it seems like it's every man for himself. You can post something if you want. Or you can donate. But there's never a united front. Progress is needed in the work space, and progress is needed in the streets.

There's no better time to do it than now, because the country is literally in a moment of transition. And music has to be at the forefront of that because of its influence. It starts with us working together. All those partners coming together on that call and blacking out on Tuesday was the first time that has ever happened. If we can just keep that same spirit going, then change will come," she added, explaining the topics they delved into during the summit.

"After the summit, there were so many announcements from labels and other companies. I felt inspired from this."

"The conversations were done in a safe space because we wanted to make sure people felt comfortable talking, being vulnerable and sharing their feelings or providing solutions and ideas," Agyemang said. "I wished we had had more time to talk that day. What I loved most is that it felt very positive. While we do have things that need to change, it didn’t feel like it was impossible based on those conversations. It definitely feels more like a whole music community now than I will say it felt in the past."

Meet Ericka Coulter, The Inspirational Music Exec Amplifying Rising Talent With TheBasement

https://www.instagram.com/p/CA4S2c3nPRE

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A post shared by @theshowmustbepaused

And those boxes? It was never part of the plan. There was nothing they could do to stop people from posting them, so they focused on making sure the resources to take action were clear and accessible.

"Our graphic copy explained the reason for the music business blackout. And at the bottom was the hashtag #TheShowMustBePaused. That was always our hashtag. But it was like the game of telephone: Things get muddled in the communication," Agyemang explained. "The goal was not to mute ourselves. The goal was to take a break from your daily nine-to-five duties to refocus and recenter. And that meant that you could take a pause and just breathe. Or take a moment to think or use that time to focus on what you could do within your community to make a change and help make progress as well."

"People move so fast online. So we quickly took action to tell people about things they could do on Tuesday to help. We had to double down and tell our friends that we wanted them to communicate where people could donate, where they could march, pray or speak to a therapist. We had put together information for the summit we were holding that day. We wanted to let people know that now that we have you here, we want to talk to you all. That this wasn't a date to be silent," Thomas added.

This is just the beginning for the powerhouse pair and the collation of changemakers they've already formed—they are actively planning the second phase of action for #TheShowMustBePaused.

"We didn't put our names on the original graphic because it's not about us. It's about a movement for all of us. We're humbled by all the support but we're also not afraid. We're assuming this leadership role, honored that people trust us to lead them to the next steps, working together as a community," Thomas stated.

"We literally stopped major companies for a day to come up with plans on how to help the black community and move forward. It has been a success thus far, and it has only been a week. We're just going to continue to move in a positive direction," Agyemang noted. "When George Floyd died, it was like, 'Here's another thing after Ahmaud Arbery, after Breonna Taylor, after COVID-19.' [Tuesday] was a way for people to release and pause, because in the end we have to fix it and we have to heal as a society. And we can do this by changing the future."

Read the full interview here, and visit theshowmustbepaused.com for more info on the initiative and how you can take action.

'Black Gold' At 50: How Nina Simone Refracted The Black Experience Through Reinterpreted Songs

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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.