George Floyd protests: Kehlani calls music industry's Blackout Tuesday 'bulls**t', fans say they're 'conflicted'
On Tuesday, June 2, leaders and artistes from the music industry will hit pause on their business and work with communities to fight racial inequality and join the protests that have erupted across the nation after George Floyd's death. This movement is spearheaded by music executives Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang. They initiated the push to suspend normal business operations on June 2 via their #theshowmustbepaused initiative. In a letter explaining the effort posted to their official site, Thomas and Agyemang said it is "in observance of the long-standing racism and inequality that exists from the boardroom to the boulevard."
All top music record labels have pledged their support to the movement. Warner Records wrote on its official Twitter account, "The music business at WMG will not go on as usual." Universal Music Group quoted Martin Luther King in its announcement of observing 'Black Out Tuesday'. The statement on their Twitter page read, "There comes a time when silence is betrayal," before stating, "At UMG, we're committed to being a force for constructive change". Interscope Geffen A&M, which is also a part of the Universal stable, made a similar announcement stating there will be no new release for the entire week starting June 1.
Talking about the 'Blackout Tuesday' observance, singer-songwriter and dancer Kehlani tweeted on Monday, June 1, "This blackout Tuesday, industry blackout shit BULLS**TTTTT". However, fans on Twitter are not seemingly impressed by her or rather the whole music industry's support. A lot of reactions poured in stating that doing this on a Tuesday doesn't make sense as release days are usually Fridays. "Does the music industry understand that their #BlackOutTuesday ain’t shit. We don't care if you drop a song on a Tuesday. We want your donations. What's not clicking? (PS. we all know those release days are Fridays y'all ain't slick)," wrote a fan. While another fan called it "pure BS."
Another confused fan, while still giving this movement a benefit of the doubt, wrote, "In conflicted on it, since normally Friday is the music release date, but it is supposedly created by two black women who in Atlantic records. Just didn’t make sense on why they would choose this day?"