The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) announced that rapper and activist Cordae and Shawn Gee, President of Live Nation Urban, have joined the organization’s Executive Leadership Council. Cordae and Shawn Gee, who received the Social Impact Award at BMAC’s inaugural annual gala, join a growing list of industry leaders who have joined BMAC in its fight against systemic racism within the music business and the culture at large.
“I am very happy to join the Executive Leadership Council of BMAC because they’re fighting for what’s right for artists and songwriters,” says Cordae. “Right now, the system of the music business is flawed and disproportionately slanted against black artists, especially when signing record deals. BMAC is taking the necessary steps to change these inadequacies. I believe the work BMAC is doing now will pay great dividends for artists of today and the future.”
“It’s an honor to be invited to join the BMAC ELC and be able to work alongside so many great men and women whom I admire and respect. The idea of systemic racism in the music industry did not begin 3 or 4 years ago, it’s been a part of the fabric of the industry for generations. Likewise the problems will not be eliminated in a few years either, but it’s the work of organizations like BMAC that’s laying the foundation for generational progress and change. I’m excited to join the team!” says Shawn Gee, president of Live Nation Urban.
“Black Music Action Coalition is excited to welcome Cordae and Shawn Gee to our executive leadership council,” says Willie “Prophet” Stiggers, co-founder/Chair of BMAC. “As we move into our third year of advocacy, it’s important to continue to grow the organization by including more of our industry leaders to help us shape and execute our agenda for accountability, diversity and inclusion. Cordae is a great representation of this generation’s potential and desire to use their platform to impact society in a meaningful way. The artist community has always been the heartbeat of any movement for change. And Shawn Gee’s vision and ability to execute that vision has proven to be invaluable as we create equity and balance in the industry. We have several initiatives we look forward to announcing soon.”
“The voice of the artists will always be the strongest tool we can use to foster change, not just within our industry, but society as a whole,” says Shawn Holiday, Co-Founder/Co-Chair of BMAC’s ELC. “Cordae will be great addition to the strong group of industry leaders that makes up the Black Music Action Coalition.”
Cordae will participate in Save The Music x Black Music Action Coalition Summit at 1500 or Nothin Academy on September 19th, kicking off BMAC Week in L.A. in advance of the 2023 BMAC Gala on September 21st. This one-day summit, called “Remixing the Industry: Creating Pathways For Students of Color,” focuses on improving awareness of and access to music-related careers for underrepresented students. Modeled after the successful BMAC Music Business Accelerator Program at Tennessee State University (TSU), an HCBU (historically-black college or university) in Nashville , the Save The Music x BMAC summit will be a unique opportunity to inform and educate the next generation of music industry professionals. As part of the program, Cordae, along with his team, will host a fireside chat with the students, offering a realistic look at what it takes to have a career in entertainment today.
Click HERE for more information on BMAC’s 2023 Gala.
This September, BMAC will open general membership to music industry professionals and advocates who want to join the unified force of action for racial equity and justice within the music industry and to use the power of our collective voice to improve communities and drive systemic change. For more information, please visit: https://www.
Since Black Music Action Coalition’s inception in 2020, the organization has been instrumental in addressing systemic racism within the music business and advocating on behalf of Black artists, songwriters, producers, managers, agents, executives, lawyers and other impassioned industry professionals.
Some of BMAC’s recent initiatives include a notable partnership with the Academy of Country Music gave rise to the “OnRamp” program, a pioneering guaranteed income initiative supporting 20 young, Black music community members, including artists and industry professionals, in Nashville, TN. Moreover, the group joined forces with Audiomack to launch the groundbreaking “Black Music Executives Are The Future” internship and mentorship program, offering five Black undergraduates or recent graduates invaluable paid internships at Audiomack, coupled with mentorship from distinguished music industry executives. Additionally, BMAC unveiled the second edition of its Music Industry Action Report Card (MIARC), assessing numerous organizations across various categories – labels, publishers, streaming services, live entertainment, touring, and the Recording Academy – and their actions to uplift Black employees and contribute to racial justice initiatives. Remarkably, these and other initiatives have reached over 5,000 students, provided mentorship to 100 emerging music artists and industry professionals, and directly funded various communities with more than $700,000.
For more information regarding Black Music Action Coalition, please visit bmacoalition.org.
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