Black Music Action Coalition Formed To ‘Address Long Standing Racial Inequities In The Business’

The formation of the Black Music Action Coalition was announced Monday with an open letter explaining that artists, producers, songwriters and industry professionals had come together to “address long standing racial inequities in the business, the financial impact of those inequities for both Black artists and executives, and ways we can work with you urgently to solve these problems.”

The BMAC was launched in alliance with #TheShowMustBePaused initiative and in response to the recent tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and Rayshard Brooks.

BMAC’s highest priority is to “meet with each company’s CEO, senior management and your newly formed foundation boards to mutually develop a plan to address the deeply rooted systemic racism in our industry.  This plan must include a review that specifically examines:  inequities in the treatment of Black artists, the recruitment, advancement and salary parity of Black executives, and a general analysis of how your company will make things right by Black artists, executives and the greater community.” 

The open letter was signed by more than 175 artists with the support of dozens of partners in the industry including Black American Music Association, Full Stop Management, SB Projects, WME’s Kevin Shivers, LaPolt Law’s Dina Lapolt, and Cactus Jack’s David Stromberg.  

BMAC’s Executive Committee includes Ashaunna Ayars (founder of The Ayars Agency); Binta Brown (artist manager and music executive); Jamil Davis (Co-CEO of The Revels Group); Shawn “Tubby” Holiday (Co-Head of Urban Music at Columbia Records), Prophet (CEO of 50/50 Music Group Management), Damien Smith (artist manager at Full Stop Management), Courtney Stewart (founder of Right Hand Co, The Right Hand Foundation, and co-founder of Keep Cool Records), and Caron Veazey (artist manager).

BMAC is advised by an advisory board featuring Clarence Avant, Irving Azoff, Quincy Jones and Ron Sweeney.