Named ‘Black Out Tuesday’, musicians, record labels, and more are joining together to take a stand against the racism that still exists all over the world. Tomorrow, Tuesday 2nd June, numerous music companies in both the UK and USA are taking a “pause” to mourn the loss of black lives including George Floyd.
The three major labels, Sony Music, Warner Music, and Universal Music, along with their subsidiaries, announced their partaking through social media today. Universal Music Group made a statement which reads “This Tuesday, June 2, the Universal Music Group family will observe “Black Out Tuesday” – a day to contemplate, connect, and organise,” using the hashtag #TheShowMustBePaused.
Universal UK will also be showing their support, saying “Universal Music UK stands proudly alongside the black community against all forms of racism, bigotry and injustice.” Further statements were made by Sony, as well as Columbia Records, Apple Music, and Interscope Records, who will be spending the rest of the week “taking long-term action”.
‘Black Out Tuesday’ will allow employees to reflect, connect, and take action. Whether the time is spent protesting, donating, or spreading the word, the music industry has shown that racism and injustice will not be tolerated. Artists who have joined the fight include Yungblud, Sam Fender, Mahalia, Ariana Grande, Halsey, and Beyoncé.
#TheShowMustBePaused is an initiative that is perfectly explained by Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang of Atlantic Records, the two women who created it. In their statement, they wrote “The music industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. An industry that has profited prominently from Black art,” continuing, “This is not just a 24-hour initiative. We are and will be in this fight for the long haul.”
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#TheShowMustPause tomorrow. A post shared by Kojo Ebro Odogwu (@oldmanebro) on
