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