BritishBlackMusic.com

This mailout is sent by BritishBlackMusic.com/Black Music Congress (BBM/BMC) www.BBM.eventbrite.com, which covers music industry and community activities associated with BBM/BMC, Akoben Awards, BTWSC, TAOBQ (The African Or Black Question), African Histories Revisited (AHR) and RE:IMI (Race Equality: In Music Industry). Is this of interest to your contacts? Then hit the link at the bottom to FORWARD it, and also like or tweet it. You can also use the link below to UNSUBSCRIBE.

June 9 2020

Greetings 

I trust you are well. If you happen to be furloughed or observing the stay-at-home directive, I do hope you will use some of your "extra time" to read this massive BBM Newsletter, and since you're likely to be at home a lot, join some of our online events  - no more travelling or the disadvantage of being out of our catchment area in London!

BTW, this will be the last massive BBM Newsletter for a while. You can however expect some Alerts, from time to time.

Today, we're in a world where minds are being exercised by issues around #GeorgeFloydRIP, #AfricanLivesMatter, #BlackLivesMatter, #Afriphobia and #Racism, and the mainstream entertainment industry seems open to deal with these issues like never before. That's mainly as a result of last week's US #BlackOutTuesday and #TheShowMustBePaused initiatives. BTW, check out Fuse ODG's Justice 4 Boycott campaign.

We are also doing things a bit differently. We're calling this newsletter the Dark Edition, which we leave you to figure out.

We cover more than music today. And as our events are now online, this and some mail outs will be going out to our subscribers outside the UK.

Although we've been there before - anyone remember #BritsSoWhite in 2016 - we feel the time is right  to re-start a conversation within the music industry around racism - systemic, structural racism, and racism specifically directed at, or discrimination suffered, by Africans, which we call Afriphobia. BTW, we don't do Black, we do African! And we don't do BAME, we do AAME (African, Asian, Minority Ethnic).

Those interested in African identity politics may want to join Marcus Garvey @ 80: Moving Towards A Unifying African Identity, an AntiUniversity Zoom online event on Wednesday June 10 2020, 6-9pm (UK GMT +1).

It's nice to see all these US major entertainment corporations supporting #TheShowMustBePaused and #BlackLivesMatter, but what are the UK corporations going to do for the African British creative community, beyond sloganising?

For example, Sony Music Group has launched a $100m fund to "support social justice and anti-racist initiatives around the world". See below for more detail.

And Ditto Music, for instance, has ear-marked a $100,000 fund to support African (American only?) musicians and creative business owners - we'd like to know who they're talking to in order to identify that constituency? 

Some UK music industry organisations and businesses have made funds available for Covid-19 affected music practitioners. As we know, Africans and ethnic minorities are disproportionately hit by the disease, which also has a greater impact on loss of  earnings - we'd like to know how they are getting the message of financial help to these vulnerable communities?

If at long last, the big players in the industry are admitting that there's a racism problem within music, as it is within society, then how does it intend fixing it?

Around six years ago we started RE:IMI (Race Equality: In The Music Industry)  doing some low-key work engaging with racism within the music industry. We didn't get much further than a launch at the House Of Commons four years ago. 

We met some "good peoples" along the way, including some in the  UK Music trade body - but can someone tell us what's happened to the UK Music Diversity Charter and Taskforce?

We don't want a focus on Ethnicity, Diversity, Inclusion or Equalities - these words are routinely used to side-step or obfuscate Racism. We've read diversity reports which seldom mention race let alone racism!

Going forward, if the music industry is serious about dealing with the issue, then we want to see initiatives and reports that have Racism or Afriphobia writ large on the tin, so to speak and that there's no confusion about the matter at hand! 

Excuses time is over. We are going to re-introduce RE:IMI, and BAAR (British Artists Against Racism) -  we want to hear from fans, musicians and industryites who can afford to be unequivocal in expressing views on racism and racial discriminations.

And seeing that #TheShowMustBePaused was introduced on June 2, two days from the start of British Black Music Month, we are throwing an open invitation to executives of the music industry - if you are serious about doing something about racism, we're opening up Tuesday June 30, which is two days before the end of June is British Black Music Month and a month after the introduction of #TheShowMustBePaused, for you to tell us and the African British music community what you or your organisation is going to be doing for them.

This will be private Zoom meetings, so our executives don't even have to leave their office or furloughed stay at home. Just click here to start the ball rolling.

OK, sadly by the time you receive this, 'Sitting In Limbo', the Commonwealth And Windrush Scandal or The Big Shame film based on Anthony Bryan, who was "wrongfully detained by the Home Office and threatened with deportation" after living in Britain for 50 years, would have screened on BBC 1 TV. But no worries, it's available on iPlayer.

BTW 1: check the Eclectica In Brief list for link to the similarly inspired 'Is Britain Racist?' documentary.

BTW 2: one wonders if the title of the TV programme was in some way inspired by Jimmy Cliff's 'Sitting In Limbo', from one of the best but very under-rated, pop, reggae albums - 'Another Cycle' (Island 1971)?

On that note, please also check our reggae-focused events, from a Talking Copyright seminar on June 15, to a planned reggae live streaming session on July 1, which may not happen if we can't sort out copyright clearance.

Oh, we mark AntiUniversity2020, British Black Music Month and Marcus Garvey/UNIA-ACL 80:100 this week - with a programme dealing with African identity, representation and terminologies on June 10; and on June 13, Music For Causes Discussion And Sing-along provides a celebration of music that speaks to causes.

Again, if we can have the copyright cleared, we'll mark Make Music Day on June 21 with a 6 hour British black music set based mainly on the various #BBMCoronavirusLockdown playlists we received. It would be a tragedy, if we are not able to showcase the amazing breadth and diversity of British Black Music shown in these playlists. You can discover the playlists on Twitter and Instagram using the #BBMCoronavirusLockdown hashtag.

Music For Causes Discussion And Sing-along
Saturday June 13 2020, 6-9pm (UK GMT +1) Zoom online (part of AntiUniversity Festival 2020)
Engage with material from the British black music canon that speak to causes and issues, from peace, history to the socio-political.
Includes contributions from Noel McKoy, Winston Francis, and Mad Professor, who will be introducing tracks from the featured album 'Black Songs Matter' (Ariwa 2020).
Click here for more information or to book.

Talking Copyright: 'My Boy Lollipop', 'Enoch Power' To 'Murder She Wrote'
Monday June 15 2020, 6-9pm (UK GMT +1) Zoom online
An opportunity for musicians, producers, songwriters and music fans, to engage with copyright and related issues using reggae case studies.
With  Kwaku (BBM/BMC founder), Dr Enrico Bonadio (City, University Of London Law School reader) and Kennedy 'Prezedent' Mensah (Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd CEO).
Click here for more information or to book.

Making Sense Of How The Music Industry Works Online Masterclass
Saturday July 25, 1-5pm (UK GMT +1) Zoom online
We're taking our long-running masterclass online. It's aimed at the unsigned or do-it-yourself artist, musicpreneur, or those who provide artists, songwriters and producers with specialist support.
With Kwaku (MA Music Business Management, MA Media, LLM Entertainment Law).
Click here for more information or to book. Early bird price ends July 8.

International Reggae Day UK. July 1 #ThisIsMyReggae #IRDUK
Although we've cancelled the June 28 event at Goldsmiths, University of London and the July 1 events in Harlesden, we are however committed to delivering the London core hub International Reggae Day UK event on Wednesday  July 1 2020, 6-10pm (UK GMT +1) via Zoom. Our 7-8pm Marcus Garvey-facing programme will feed into the global 24-hour virtual "reggae party".

6-7pm: State Of British Reggae: The Solutions Forum
This forum will focus on dealing with, or offering, solutions to some of British reggae's key problems and challenges.

Areas such as lack of airplay, registration with collection societies, and engagement with streaming platforms (click here to read a MusicBusinessWorldwide article on streaming), will be led by industryites and artists including Colin Brown of Reggae Fraternity UK, Kennedy Mensah of Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd, Winston Francis, Mad Professor, etc.

7-8pm: 'The Influence Of Marcus Garvey On Reggae'
We mark the 80th anniversary of the passing of Marcus Garvey in London and the 100th anniversary of the ground-breaking First International Convention of the Negro Peoples of the World convened by Universal Negro Improvement Association-African Communities League (UNIA-ACL) in New York, with a discussion that accesses Garvey's influence on reggae music.

Special guests leading the discussion include producer/manager Mikey Campbell. This session will be simultaneously transmitted on the main IRD platform as part of the global 24 hour reggae-fest programming.

8-10pm Celebrating The Diversity Of Reggae Music
This session, subject to copyright clearance, will focus on showing the diversity of reggae, through various themed DJ sets by the likes of Prezedent (Back 2 Da Future Radio Show; continental African reggae), CeeBee (UK Reggae Expose Show; new British reggae), Geoff Parker (Catch A Fire; reggae anthems), Kwaku (BBM; tribute tracks), etc. 

Brief musical tributes will be paid to recently departed reggae artists, including Delroy Washington, Millie, Bob Andy, UK Principal, Majek Fashek, etc.

The evening should end with each of the DJs playing a couple of their favourite Dennis Brown tracks, to mark the fact that DB passed on JulyOne 1999. We're in talks with Marla Brown about some form of contribution to mark the passing of much loved father.

Heads up - IRD UK partner Reggae Fraternity UK will be launching its People's Choice UK Reggae Music Poll from June 10-23, during which reggae fans are encouraged to submit their favourite UK reggae singles and albums in order to create the 2020 Top 20 Singles and Albums from which participating radio stations will play tracks on International Reggae Day JulyOne.

Watch this space and the reggaefraternityuk and IRDUK.co.uk websites for details.

The various artists compilation 'Black Songs Matter' (Ariwa Sounds), featuring the likes of Macka B, Aisha, Kofi, and General Levy, is the featured album of the Music For Causes Discussion And Sing-along Zoom online event on Saturday June 13 2020, 6-9pm (UK GMT +1part of AntiUniversity Festival 2020). Click here to sample or buy at Amazon.

Click here to head over to Instagram to discover young @raeadore, who's written a song, 'We're Human... Just Like You', and produced a video, inspired by George Floyd's death, which name-checks African British murder victims over a sweet-vocalled, slo-mo soulful groove.

Bob Marley's estate has released a lyrics video for Bob Marley & The Wailers' 'Babylon System', as part of its Bob Marley @ 75 anniversary activities. Click here to check it out the track, or here to stream Bob's most pan-Africanist album 'Survival'.

Want to get active in these stay-at-home Covid-19 days? then join Reggaevity online every Thursday  - 1.15-1.45pm (chair dance), and 1.50-2.30pm (dance fitness). Join via Zoom using meeting ID 844 670 0594 and password: Jahla.

Eclectica In Brief:
To read the 'Back 2 Da Future News June 8th 2020' e-newsletter, click here.

To check out Fuse ODG's Boycott 4 Justice "international boycott of American products in response to its current and historical crimes against humanity", click here.

If you can help Lea Washington, a recent Berklee College of Music graduate hoping to gain a Fulbright Grant to pursue research in the UK on our music industry's engagement with racial equality and equity, click here.

To listen to Anthony Brightly's latest reggae, soul and music history show Sir George Sound History 1, click here.

To discover Maxi Priest's son Marvin Priest's soulful lovers 'I Tried', click here.

To: Boris Johnson And Priti Patel - Windrush: Never Again 'Windrush Lessons Learned' implement and accept all recommendations campaign. Click here.

'Akala has a few home truths for anyone who thinks Britain has no issue with racism' PoliticsJOE interview. Click here.

To read about the commodification of black music, which references BBM/RE:IMI, and "the love of Black cultural production, but stigmatisation of Black people", click here.

To watch the Commonwealth And Windrush Scandal, The Big Shame inspired 'Is Britain Racist?' documentary', click here.

For the acts and programme of the postponed to June 11-12 2021 Positive Vibration Festival Of Reggae, click here.

To read The Guardian's 'How music helps connect people living with dementia', click here.

To read Music Business Worldwide's 'People Over 45 Not Millennials Are Driving Music Subscription Growth In The UK', click here.

To read Gal-Dem's '‘We’ve been organising like this since day’ – why we must remember the Black roots of mutual aid groups', click here.

To find out about the Don't Leave Organise broad network of Left political organisations, click here.

To read The Guardian's Abolition compensation 'When will Britain face up to its crimes against humanity?', click here.

To contribute stories to Chanel Four's 4 minute 'George Floyd Matters' documentaries on racism in the UK and US, click here.

To read 'Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been 'quietly' educating themselves about Black Lives Matter by holding meetings with community leaders', click here.

For the AntiUniversity 2020 self organised radical learning and mutual education events June 6-13 programme, click here.

Windrush Day 2020: Join Lambeth Council’s biggest ever door-step celebration this #WindrushDay. At 10:27am on Monday 22 June the Council's calling on you to join together as one to celebrate the Windrush Generation with a special song in their honour, which will be revealed on June 15.

The celebration acknowledges the Windrush Generation’s continued contribution to Britain, especially to the NHS and other key service workforces during the battle against the coronavirus – often at great personal cost. The time 10:27am represents the arrival of 1,027* people on the original Empire Windrush. Click here for playlist and other resources. *Not quite correct, but we'll leave that to the #WindrushNarratives debates!

In this Covid-19 pandemic, we are encouraging musicians and non-musicians alike to make some noise, or music, this summer and brighten up spirits. That is why we're supporting Make Music Day. Although new to us, and perhaps you too, this initiative stems from the 1980s. Make Music Day June 21 is now celebrated in some 125 countries - For UK: https://makemusicday.co.uk and international: www.makemusicday.org.

Perform: Whether you sing or play, make an event of it and share your music with the world by streaming your performance! Click here.

Create: Join in with one of our participatory projects, from the Lockdown Sound Challenge and Bash the Trash, to our Bring Me Sunshine covers competition and more! Click here.

Watch: Enjoy all the music being made across the country on Sunday 21 June via our specially curated stream – Make Music Day UK Live! Click here to search or add your event.

Music Business Worldwide reports: Sony Music Group, the umbrella for Sony's recorded music and publishing operations, has announced the launch of a $100m fund to "support social justice and anti-racist initiatives around the world". SMG, which is headed by Chairman Rob Stringer, says it will immediately begin to donate to organizations that foster equal rights. Stringer, who is also Sony Music CEO, said, “Racial injustice is a global issue that affects our artists, songwriters, our people and of course society at large. "We stand against discrimination everywhere and we will take action accordingly with our community fully involved in effectively using these funds.” Click here to read the full article.

Forever Africa Conference and Events, a Pan-African initiative brought together by staff and students at the University of Bristol, presents An Online Prelude to FACE 2021, which are free lunchtime talks June 22-26. Click here to book or for more info.

The Save Bridge Park Campaign has won on appeal the right to be recognised as an organisation with charitable objectives, so the Attorney General can join them, in its case against Brent Council, which claims to be the owner of the Bridge Park  Complex, once as beacon as a community hub in north-west London. Clic here k to watch campaign group chair Jay Marston, explaining the  complex legal battle, which returns to court on possibly July 24 2020. Supporters are advised to keep Monday June 29 2020, from 7.30pm free, for a possible huge community feedback meeting. To make a donation for legal costs: www.bridgeparkcompex.com/donations.

June 4 2020 - After making the effort to write this comment to Nadine White's excellent Huffington Post piece 'Exclusive: Labour Is Losing Black Members Over Allegations Of Anti-Black Racism', I posted it (with linked text) here, just in case the moderator didn't post it. My instincts were right - for whatever reason, not only was it not posted, but the comments facility was also closed somewhat prematurely*

Good job!

It's not surprising that African members are leaving the Labour Party, and that can't be just because of the #LabourLeaks. Unlike his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn, it seems like Keir Starmer hasn't much regard for Labour's African members, supporters, and even MPs. Why?

+ Immediately upon becoming party leader he apologised to the Jewish community for his party's supposed anti-Semitism. Where is the apology to the African community for his party workers Afriphobia, as revealed in the #LabourLeaks documents?

+ From what I understand, Starmer has ordered an investigation into how the document got leaked, but not an investigation into the Afriphobic behaviour of Labour Party HQ staff, or their suspension – contrast that with the many members suspended or expelled for far less infractions.

+ African MPs made to apologise for being on Zoom online meeting on which expelled Labour members, falsely described as anti-Semitic, were present. As if the MPs had control over who joined the meeting. Click here to read rest of comments.

•Dear @HuffPostUK @HuffPostPol Comments editor, I notice Comments option on @Nadine_Writes's 02/06 article on which I left a comment is now closed, whilst earlier articles are still opened. What's your criteria for closing the Comments?