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The fight against racism in the NFL is far from letting up. AfroTech previously reported that former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores sued the league in February. The lawsuit claimed that there was “racism in hiring.” “God has gifted me with a special talent to coach the game of football, but the need for change is bigger than my personal goals,” said Flores in a past statement. “In making the decision to file the class action complaint today, I understand that I may be risking coaching the game that I love and that has done so much for my family and me. My sincere hope is that by standing up against systemic racism in the NFL, others will join me to ensure that positive change is made for generations to come.” According to ESPN, former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks and former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Ray Horton have joined Flores’ movement. The two Black coaches have each experienced their own personal share of the league’s longtime racial...
Is this how we’re kicking off Black History Month? Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores will officially sue the National Football League (NFL) for “racism in hiring” per reports from ESPN. He will also sue individual teams for the same alleged racist practices, which include the Denver Broncos, the New York Giants, and the Dolphins. “God has gifted me with a special talent to coach the game of football, but the need for change is bigger than my personal goals,” said Flores in a statement surrounding the news. “In making the decision to file the class action complaint today, I understand that I may be risking coaching the game that I love and that has done so much for my family and me. My sincere hope is that by standing up against systemic racism in the NFL, others will join me to ensure that positive change is made for generations to come.”
It’s no exaggeration to say that Tina Turner is an American icon. With more than 200 million records sold and a genre-defining sound, she’s one of the greatest artists of all time. Her life, of course, wasn’t easy. Born into poverty in Tennessee, she overcame the odds to land a spot with Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm. As her autobiography “I, Tina” — and, later, the film What’s Love Got To Do With It — showed, life with Ike was far from a walk in the park. But, she persisted and finally got away from him. Turner would go on to rebuild her life in ways no one could dream possible , becoming more successful as a solo artist than as part of the Ike and Tina Revue. In 2021, the Tommy actress sold her music, likeness and image rights to BMG for a tidy sum of $50 million. This only added to her $250 million value, according to Celebrity Net Worth . Outside of her career in the entertainment industry, Turner also helped raise four children – let’s take a look at what they’re doing...
The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization that represents nearly 700 independent music labels, is kicking 2022 off right. For the second year, it’s launching its Black Independent Music Accelerator (BIMA), a fellowship initiative designed to amplify Black voices in the independent music community. “Black entrepreneurs have been the backbone of the music industry since the beginning of time. Allowing us to access the resources of counterparts, now opens doors to innumerable possibilities for creators that look, think, and dream like us,” shares Erinn Knight, President of Build Your Own Dreams and 2021 BIMA Fellow. “The BIMA program has made me feel seen and reflected in an industry I have felt alone in for a long time. The ongoing offerings with industry service providers, and the experts in the BIMA program, have been helpful and educational. In addition, access to all the A2IM membership benefits has completely elevated and...
Like many industries during the pandemic, the music industry was a sector that was rocked to the core when live in-person events were temporarily shut down. With no way for artists to tour or throw live shows, companies like Deep Root Records had to make a smart pivot toward technology to still support artists. The independent Black-owned record label based in New York City, founded in 2014, has been known for its live music experiences — including their annual Yacht Party Series in New York and Paris. But when the pandemic hit last year, the company had to find a way to save its live shows so they could continue to thrive in a new realm. It wasn’t before long until Deep Root Records pivoted the way many other brands and labels did, and turned toward hosting virtual shows online. The live show to livestream concept was the root of Deep Root Records’ success during the pandemic, but their ability to collaborate with other labels and brands in the same predicament is what helped put...
There’s not a festival around that’s doing it like ONE MusicFest. The festival space may be filled with a line-up of people who look like us, but it’s rare that we are the ones with ownership of the events that are taking place. As one of the only Black-owned live music events across the nation, co-founder and chief marketing officer of the event, J. Carter has managed to find massive success thanks to partnerships with global brands like adidas, BMW, Heineken, and more. Although he’s succeeding in the festival space, Carter tells Black Tech Green Money’s Will Lucas some of the challenges that come with being one of the only Black entrepreneurs in the industry. “I first had the concept and idea back in ’08 and so the first thing that I do is look for mentorship,” Carter explained. “As the owner of two clubs, with one that’s more of a live music venue, entering the festival space was a different monster and I needed to figure out how to maneuver through it all and I couldn’t really...
On Aug. 17, Sony Music Publishing announced to extend Tyler Perry’s worldwide agreement with Tyler Perry Studios (TPS). The Oscar and Emmy award-winner owns the largest production studio in the nation and made history as the first African American man to own a major production studio in 2019. Sony Music Publishing’s Visual + Media division (previously known as Broadcast Media Rights) has worked alongside Tyler Perry Studios and music supervisor Joel C High for the last decade. The extension with Sony guarantees authorized music for over 60 productions, comprising 26 films, 20 plays, 1,5000 series episodes, and future projects, Market Insider previously reported. Tyler Perry stated, “I’m very pleased to continue my creative partnership with Jon, Cathy, and the Sony Music Publishing team. I’m grateful for their support and passion for Tyler Perry Studios, and I look forward to future successes together.” Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Jon Platt shared, “Tyler Perry Studios...
Spotify has adamantly continued to place a hyper focus on Black talent and voices, from its new initiatives to curated playlists featuring Black artists globally. The streak of the spotlight being on Black creatives carries on as Spotify is sponsoring Levels, a new program dedicated to aid in leveling the playing field for junior and mid-level Black professionals in the music business. With the recent rise of Black executives taking over record labels and creating more seats at the table by building their own , it’s still critical to note that the margin of Black executives compared to their counterparts is significantly low. A wake-up call for action presented itself when USC Annenberg reported that across 70 major and independent music companies, only 4.2 percent of the executives were Black. Launched by the non-profit Executive Leadership Council, Levels’ four-month virtual cohort program will onboard 60 participants and each will be partnered with an International Coaching...
Last year, the Recording Academy and social justice nonprofit Color of Change announced their joint initiative, #ChangeMusic, to bring equity to Black creators and professionals in the music industry. This week, Color of Change continues that work by partnering with Diverse Representation — a database of Black agents, attorneys, managers, and publicists in the sports and entertainment industries — to launch the Black Music Executives Pipeline Program. According to Forbes, this new program is the first to be released from #ChangeMusic and will rely on the expertise of both the non-profit organization and diversity database to help increase the number of active Black executives in the music industry. Additionally, the program will also be responsible for creating an effective tool that will “allow record labels, publishers, video production companies, streaming services and touring companies to quickly identify and hire Black professionals,” Billboard reports. While #ChangeMusic was...
Music executive Ericka Coulter is taking her talents over to Warner Records in a new role. Coulter — who’s most recently served as VP of A&R at Epic Records — has been named the new Senior VP of A&R at Warner Records where she will be working with the label’s talented acts. According to Variety, the seasoned executive will be reporting to label co-chairman & CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck at Warner’s Los Angeles headquarters. “Ericka is an extraordinary champion of new talent,” Bay-Schuck said in a statement. “She’s not only a great A&R exec, with a gift for discovering and nurturing amazing performers, but she’s taken her passion to the next level by creating a fantastic environment where artists can find the people and resources to develop long-term careers. Ericka has incredible drive and insight into what makes a hit record and what it takes to make an artist a star.” Upon launching her label career in 2008, Coulter worked with artists like Rick Ross, 21 Savage, Keyshia Cole, Giveon and...
Hip-Hop and the gaming industry have always gone hand in hand, but these days more artists and playmakers in the music industry are taking cues to become the new trendsetters of recreational gaming. After a tumultuous year in the pandemic, the music and entertainment industries found several innovative and tech-advanced ways to stay afloat. And in the midst of so many changes, it gave OTF general manager Ola Ali the perfect opportunity to launch his latest venture, OTF Gaming. Ali — who’s well known for managing artists like Lil Durk, the late King Von and others — spurred the idea for OTF Gaming at the height of the pandemic last year to explore all the possibilities the world of gaming had to offer. In doing so, he’s been able to establish another extension of his business endeavors that’s bridging the gap between music, Black culture and the gaming industry. “I believe during the pandemic people paid attention to opportunities they might have overlooked before the shutdown. I...