Local Music Industry Supports Blackout Tuesday Movement

Local music businesses are putting their support behind the Blackout Tuesday and #TheShowMustBePaused movement today.

The movement was called for by music industry executives Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang, who both hold senior roles at US music companies.

"In response to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless other Black citizens at the hands of police, #TheShowMustBePaused is an initiative created by two Black women in music in observance of the long-standing racism and inequality that exists from the boardroom to the boulevard. We will not continue to conduct business as usual without regard for Black lives," read a statement from Thomas and Agyemang.

"Tuesday, June 2nd is meant to intentionally disrupt the work week. Monday suggests a long weekend, and we can't wait until Friday for change. It is a day to take a beat for an honest, reflective and productive conversation about what actions we need to collectively take to support the Black community." 

"The music industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. An industry that has profited predominately 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. To that end, it is the obligation of these entities to protect and empower the Black communities that have made them disproportionately wealthy in ways that are measurable and transparent."

Read the full statement here.

Australian rapper and Bad Apples Music label owner Briggs has shared a statement via social media calling for those in Australia to also recognise the country's "own history of police brutality and indigenous deaths in custody". 

"There have been more than 400 Indigenous deaths in custody, and not a single conviction," read the statement. 

"I empathise with the protesters because, like America, Australia was founded on White supremacy, and built its wealth on the murder, rape and slavery of its Indigenous people." See the full statement from Briggs below. 

Much love and respect to my friends, peers and colleagues stateside.

To my Mob at home; I choose to believe there’s a way out of this. pic.twitter.com/QhE3dWUzeO

— Senator Briggs (Biblically Accurate) (@Briggs) June 1, 2020

A number of Australian music industry businesses have today paused working in support of the Blackout Tuesday movement, including Sony Music Australia, Island Records, Warner Music, BMG, Universal Music Australia, Unified Music Group, Live Nation Australia & New Zealand, Inertia Music, MGM, Cooking Vinyl and more. 

Bandcamp has announced that it will be donating 100% of its share of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc on 19 June every year. 

For more information about the Blackout Tuesday movement here. Triple J's Hack has shared how you can support Aboriginal Lives Matter, see the story here.