Source: iOne Digital / iOne Digital
Black lives don’t just matter, they create, inspire and guide the masses—and that’s why it’s crucial that African Americans aren’t just creatives but also gatekeepers in the music industry.
On June 24th iOne Digital and the National Museum of African American Music hosted a dynamic discussion on “The State of Black Music Today: A Timely Conversation Between Voices of the Music Industry”.
The talk was led by Janee Bolden, senior content director at iOne Digital and the heavy hitting panel included veteran professionals from across the industry, including LeToya Luckett Walker (Grammy winning singer); P. Frank Williams (Emmy winning TV/Film producer); Henry Beecher Hicks, III, President and CEO of NMAAM; Eric Roberson (Grammy nominated singer and producer) and Samantha Selolwane (SVP, Urban Promotions, RCA Records).
“Looking at our history, music has always played a role in lifting Black people up and seeing us through challenges like what we’re living through today,” says Henry Beecher Hicks, III.
Panelists courageously addressed topics ranging from the increased accountability for artists— sans professional grooming —due to “cancel culture” and lack of diversity in executive spaces to “movement music” and how the arts/artists provide an invaluable resource to the masses.