Showing 11 results for:
recording-academy
Popular topics
All results
2021 to 2022 was a time when the trend of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) was booming. Celebrities such as Stephen Curry were purchasing NFTs for hundreds of thousands of dollars. In addition, a whopping number of people were launching their own exclusive collections and even creating their own cryptocurrency.
Recording Academy co-president Valeisha Butterfield Jones is moving on to a new role at her old home. Variety reports that she is set to leave The Academy to take on a new vice president role on the diversity team at Google, where she was previously its global head of inclusion. View this post on Instagram A post shared by V A L E I S H A. ™ (@valeisha) Butterfield Jones will officially step down on Sept. 9. Her re-arrival at Google will be in October. “When I came to the Recording Academy over two years ago, I had a clear mission: to make the Recording Academy the most inclusive company in music, and the world,” Butterfield Jones said, according to the outlet. “Diversity, equity and inclusion aren’t just buzzwords and as an organization, we were committed to doing the work both publicly and privately, to drive real and meaningful change. It has been one of the greatest honors of my career to serve this bold, new Recording Academy, and my service to our mission will continue in...
Twitter may have one of its most interesting and intriguing users in legendary singer Dionne Warwick. From her bio (or lack thereof) to the banner photo on her profile, the Grammy award winner has an uncanny way of keeping her followers engaged. If you tweet it, you twote it. https://t.co/aoVbfFdJCF — Dionne Warwick (@dionnewarwick) July 29, 2022 While the singer’s social media antics may entice people, Warwick’s tried, true, and iconic music career made her a household name. Officially named Marie Dionne Warwick, the American vocalist was born on Dec. 12, 1940, in East Orange, NJ. Music was always in sight as her mother led a gospel music group, and her father was a gospel music promoter. So, it is no surprise that she started singing at an early age in church. From there, she started a gospel group of her own and gained the attention of Scepter Records through associated tours and performances. On this label, she released her first single — “I Smiled Yesterday” — in 1962. After...
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...
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...
The Recording Academy is making boss moves! In an all-new power move, the Recording Academy has named Valeisha Butterfield Jones and Panos A. Panay as co-presidents. The announcement was made Tuesday (June 22) by CEO Harvey Mason, Jr. and will become effective on Aug. 16, 2021. “This new structure is recognition that further progress and building of the organization requires exceptional leaders with different strengths and areas of focus in order to drive innovation and accountability,” read the announcement. “With the aim of better serving Recording Academy members and the music industry at large, the team will work directly under Mason, whose title will shift to CEO.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by V A L E I S H A. (@valeisha) Butterfield Jones was named the first-ever chief diversity & inclusion officer of the Recording Academy just last year. Now, as the co-president, she will oversee the Recording Academy’s people and culture, membership, and awards, and...
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ recent election may yield impactful change . For the first time, its Board of Governors now has 26 women and 11 people of color on its 54-person board, including Ava DuVernay. According to The Hollywood Reporter , DuVernay, who defeated incumbent Kimberly Peirce, will serve a three-year term to represent the directors’ branch. She is one of six who will take new seats on the board, including Debra Zane, Stephen Rivkin, Linda Flowers, Lynette Howell Taylor, and Rob Bredow. Also, Whoopi Goldberg was among the ten members re-elected to their seats. “ Thank you to the members of the Directors Branch of @TheAcademy,” the “Selma” director tweeted . “ Life is a funny, fascinating thing. You never know what’s around the corner.” Thank you to the members of the Directors Branch of @TheAcademy . Life is a funny, fascinating thing. You never know what’s around the corner. pic.twitter.com/y1CWtguSO2 — Ava DuVernay (@ava) June 10, 2020 The...
Since forever, Black women have been working mothers. Although it’s no easy feat, these resilient moms—media moguls, dynamic businesswomen, brand influencers, politicians and the like—meet the challenge with grace and determination to balance both. In light of Mother’s Day on Sunday, scroll through these 11 bossed up ladies whose first and most important job is being their kids’ mom. Mellody Hobson Hobson is the co-CEO and President of Ariel Investments, one of the largest Black-owned investment firms. While running the corporation, the award-winning, high-powered businesswoman spends her time promoting financial literacy, scholastic achievement, and investor education while raising her daughter, Everest, alongside her husband and “Star Wars” filmmaker, George Lucas. https://www.instagram.com/p/B-KbhmzJWRh/ Marsha St. Hubert As one of the senior vice presidents of marketing at Atlantic Records, St. Hubert deserves all the praise. She was named one of Billboard’s 2019 Women in Music...
The Recording Academy announced Thursday that Valeisha Butterfield Jones will be the first-ever Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. Butterfield Jones joins the executive team following her position as global head of inclusion at Google. According to GRAMMY.com , the award-winning business and tech leader will guide the team responsible for advancing the Academy’s diversity and inclusion initiatives through the organization. The new appointment comes on the heels of the controversial ousting of CEO Deborah Dugan, who was accused of misconduct from a female colleague. “We are thrilled to welcome Valeisha Butterfield Jones into the Recording Academy family,” Academy Chair and Interim President/CEO Harvey Mason, Jr. said. “Valeisha has been a force in driving systemic change and enhancing equal opportunities for underrepresented groups across entertainment, technology and politics. I’m excited to work with her to continue evolving the Recording Academy as an organization that...
Last week media mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs announced the launch of “REVOLT Black News,” a show that delivers the news from the Black perspective. The show is the latest addition to Diddy’s REVOLT TV, a music-centered digital cable network founded in 2013. Amid the pandemic REVOLT aired “ The State of Black America & Coronavirus, ” a town hall meeting focused on increasing the dialogue around how COVID-19 health disparities are affected the Black community. With positive feedback from viewers, Diddy decided it was time to develop a permanent news outlet. “When I started REVOLT I always wanted to develop a platform to report the news from our perspective, from our lens, from our people, so I decided to launch ‘Black News,'” said Diddy in a video press release. As state-issued stay-at-home orders remain in place, many feel the restrictions taking a toll. Diddy aims to provide much need resources on what the Black community can do during this time. “We’re here with solutions. We’ve...
During the Clive Davis pre-Grammy gala , Sean “Diddy” Combs voiced his frustration toward the mistreatment of Black artists and the exclusion of diversity inflicted by the Recording Academy. According to Black Enterprise Combs’ stated: “Truth be told, hip-hop has never been respected by the Grammys. Black music has never been respected by the Grammys—to the point that it should be,” Diddy continued. “For years, we have allowed institutions that have never had our best interests at heart to judge us. And that stops right now. I’m officially starting the clock. You’ve got 365 days to get this s–t together.” Following Combs’ statement, the Recording Academy announced the development of a diversity initiative in collaboration with its Diversity Task Force. CNN reports Harvey Mason Jr., Chairman and Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Recording Academy, addressed the situation with a message to its members: “Six months ago, when I put my hat in the ring to be your Chair, I did so...