Inside the meetings – diversity

Although it was billed as a “break”, a “blackout Tuesday” – at a time when much of the music industry was “isolated from black work” and could not support and express solidarity with the black community – it was not meant to be closed, and indeed It was not in favor of the larger music industry. On a rare show at Unity Kay, the big music companies quickly organized – but perfectly – organized breakout meetings, town halls, lectures and forums to share free opinions, as well as advice and promotions for staff. Sony and Warner also agreed to match employee donations to specific charities.

Those who observed “Blackout Tuesday” have found various ways to show support for themselves, joining protests on both the coast and in more than a dozen large cities, or using the time for self-reflection. Industry professionals who have spoken with Diversity Describe the expense of reading, learning and thinking on a Tuesday. Many also took long-term movies and documentaries on the struggles of black Americans or had meaningful conversations with others about realities such as white rights.

The showdown was led by #TheShomaMastByps initiative, led by Jamila Thomas, executive of Atlantic Records, and Brianna Agiemong of the platoon, who said in a statement on Wednesday that more than 1,500 black members and associates from the music community took part in the series. Participants in the video summit “engage in an organized conversation and create ideas about how to effectively change the music industry” and describe which participants are “sensitive” and “inspiring”. While declined to name the participants who were involved or specifically what was discussed, the conversation was described as a “safe place”, ranging from arena level artists and top executives to entry level. And, most importantly, the person said, “I have no doubt it will change things in the industry.”

“Yesterday was a strong start to the change we want to bring to the industry,” Agamimang said in a statement. “We are taking all the thoughts and ideas that have come together and we will apply them in the second phase of this movement. The next steps are to clarify the requirements and the change we will make.” The goal is to get people involved, to make an impact in the community, and to make changes that can be lasting.

For his part, Thomas said, “George Floyd died on Monday and the next Tuesday we all went back to work. It shouldn’t have happened and that’s why we called for the industry to stop on Tuesday, June 2nd. The music industry is an industry that is black. Originally benefited from art.

“We should never have silenced the word,” he concluded. “It was to completely disconnect from work and make a difference in our community because we shouldn’t normalize what’s happening.”

To determine how the day was spent, each major music group basically left it to their personal labels and business units – and three of them, Los Angeles and Nashville Island and Warner Records, allowed staff to go out and join the demonstration (although there are). There was no pressure to do).

Elsewhere in the Warner Music Group, Craig Coleman, vice-president of Atlantic Records, and Julie Greenwald led a town hall with Michael Keiser, president of Krishna Music, which had several artists; Artists at Warner Records in LA signed the selected label to spend the day paying homage to the message of the blackout so that the company plans to “see from the front line” town hall in Zoom on Thursday. Artist Chika, RMR and IDK will be joined by San Francisco veteran prosecutor and social justice advocate Paul Henderson, who was recently appointed director of police accountability.

At Universal Music Group, a task force has been formed with the help of Jeff Harleston, chief consultant and acting head of DF Jam Records, and Ethiopia Habterrium, chief of Motown Records. Details forthcoming.

UMG’s Interscope Jeffen A&M (IGA) department, home to Lady Gaga and Billy Ilish, has focused on IGA’s black staff to gather advice on important initiatives and action items that could “enhance the organization’s culture and community,” an insider said. The underlying says. As part of a week-long effort, the IGA also shared information with key organizations and ways to bring about social change.

A source said Diversity UMG chairman Lucian Grenaz sees this week’s effort as the beginning of a multi-year effort that will address not just charitable donations, but voting rights and community outreach.

At Sony Music, CEO Rob Stringer portrayed an extensive day of programming that included a “conversation” with Town Hall and filmmaker Spike Leigh; Attorneys representing the families of Ben Cramp, George Floyd, Ahmed Arberry and Bronna Taylor; Artists Ken Brown and Kirk Franklin; The head of the new National Museum of African American Music in Nashville III, H.W. Judge Hicks, III; And staff British Packet Cunningham. John Platt, chairman of Sony / ATV Music Publishing and the highest-ranking black executive in a world music organization, wrote a powerful op-ed on Monday morning calling for change. An internal task force is also reportedly working. Throughout the day, it was emphasized that meetings were the first step in an ongoing process.

At Sony Epic Records, Chairman / CEO Selvia Ron and E&R Chief Ezekiel Lewis led a town hall discussion with staff, for which they nominated artist T.I. And Will.I.M.

Glassnot held a virtual town hall for its staff where certain members of the press (along with Jane Lowe and Larry Jackson of Apple Music) took part. Led by Diminic Rollins, the prestigious Dalton School in New York for diversity, equity and inclusion, this hour-long session featured participants with backgrounds and experience with the race and an unexpected – and unexpectedly good – pre-roll on the word.

He was also a participant in a Tuesday zoom call attended by Apple’s Jackson artists and directors – more than 600 people, according to sources, described it as “intense” dialogue.

Industry pundits also expect significant grants from relevant charities in the coming days from major music organizations. On Wednesday, Warner Music Group owner Lane pledged 100 100 million to support charitable causes in the music industry, social justice, and the campaign against violence and racism, on behalf of the Blavantic organization and its Blavatnic Family Foundation. The billionaire businessman also led WMG in his IPO this morning. 25 25 per share has risen 20% from its opening price, the company is looking for a valuation of about 15 15 billion and Blavantick itself stands in its own multi-billion dollar pocket.

Indeed, it is precisely this that the imbalance of profit between the executive and the artist is distorting many long-term industry veterans. Charlie Puth and Lindsay Stirling, CEO of Tear Stichlorias, CEO and founder of Friends at Work, which manages John Legend, among others, who have pleaded for revenge, have publicly called on music companies to “return the masters” to artists. By record label, one of the reasons taken by Taylor Swift among others is a

Music workers who feel their employers aren’t doing enough to help underworld communities are also openly criticizing their bosses. Gimlet Media’s Peter Bresnan took on Spotify chief Daniel Ekke on the task, writing on social media, “I work at Spotify which has made no promises of any kind to support ethnic justice funds / organizations,” he wrote in a tweet by more than 8,200 Twitter users. I have brought in every internal channel available to me and the leadership has remained passive. “