Tomorrow, June 2, #TheShowMustBePaused. Set up by Atlantic Records Jamila Thomas, and Platoon’s Brianna Agyemany, two black women heavily involved in the music industry, the initiative is to stand in support with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Following six days of protest due to the murder of George Floyd, and the many other black citizens who have been abused and murdered while in police custody, ’Blackout Tuesday’ is a day on which the industry will not be conducting any business. Instead they will be observing a day of silence, in remembrance of the many black lives that have been unfairly cut short. Brianna and Jamila included ‘If you have been impacted by the recent events, take a break – there is a lot going on and sometimes we all just need a minute. Take that minute.’.
They also state ’This is not just a 24-hour initiative. We are and will be in this fight for the long haul. A plan of action will be announced.’. For information and updates, and to support the initiative in the long run, you can follow @pausetheshow on Twitter, and @theshowmustbepaused on Instagram.
Record labels, management companies, artists, and music magazines have all pledged to suspend their daily activities, disrupting the entire work week, to show unity and support to those who have suffered, at any point, from any racial injustice.
You can, and should, visit TheShowMustGoOn.com to read the full statement from Brianna and Jamila. They’ve also included a list of links to help with ways we can all help. This includes donation pages, ways to connect with grass roots campaigns, and anti-racism resources for allies.
If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. Tomorrow, in solidarity with #TheShowMustBePaused and #BlackLivesMatter, we will be joining the blackout.