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UK based forum for discussing black music issues, networking, providing
training and pathways To
join our mailing list or to contact us, please email: editor@britishblackmusic.com
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O Box 14092, London NW10 1WL, England For updates check out: Debate/Event Booking navigation bar at www.bbm-on.net
or Events pages
of
www.britishblackmusic.com
Black
Music Congress declares
What Can We Do To Build A British Black Music Industry? Saturday 15 January 2005. 3-6pm. Room U215, City University, Northampton Sq, London EC1. £Free, but it’s advisable to pre-book by emailing editor@britishblackmusic.com subject: booking building or use booking form BOOKING FORM
Check
out www.bbm-on.net for updates Click
here for Identity Report Click
here for Violence Debate Documents Click
here for Violence debate Click
here for Gun Culture press release Black
Music Congress debates for 2004 Are
white artists like Eminem, Justin Timberlake, Christiana Aguilera
appropriating black music?
Jan.
31, 3-6pm. £Free,
but it’s advisable to pre-book by emailing editor@britishblackmusic.com
subject: booking race. Are
the sisters really doing it for themselves?
March
13, 3-6pm. £Free,
but it’s advisable to pre-book by emailing editor@britishblackmusic.com
subject: booking gender. Is
it black music or urban music?
May
22, 3-6pm. £Free,
but it’s advisable to pre-book by emailing editor@britishblackmusic.com
subject: booking genre. Oliver
Thompson Theatre, City
University, Northampton
Square, London
EC1 (Between
Goswell Road and St John Street, EC1; Angel
or Barbican tube station; bus 4, 56, or 153). Black
Music Congress Response to 2 news issues: ’racist’
Eminem? & ‘molester’ Michael Jackson? ‘racist’
Eminem? “Eminem’s
racist diatribe on the tape is indefensible. However, I believe the
argument ought to shift from, ‘Is Eminem racist?’, which I don’t
know, as I’m not aware of any overt racist utterance from him since he
became a star, to where do we
stand when black rappers say the same things Eminem is being harangued
about? “If
The Source co-owner Benzino did not reveal that old Eminem tape for some
mischief making, then I wonder if The Source and all the media that have
given the issue much coverage, would be bold enough to also expose the
many black male rappers who dis black women? While they’re at it, they
may want to find out why some of these black rappers think it’s cool to
call fellow blacks ‘nigger’, but take exception to whites and Latinos
using the supposedly ‘term of endearment’.” ‘molester’
Michael Jackson? “There
is no evidence presented to make one believe Jackson is guilty of the
charges. Indeed, the fact that these allegations seem to come around
release periods makes one wonder whether there’s a grand orchestration
behind it. His British fans must be commended for taking an ‘innocent
till proven guilty’ stance by supporting Jackson’s new album and
single, which hit number one and five, respectively. “On
a broader note, The
Mirror was kind enough to supply us with the definition of molestation.
Under Californian law, we were informed, it means ‘arousing or
gratifying the lust, passions or sexual desires’. As our pundits
pontificate about the Jackson case, one wonders whether they will realise
you only have to watch any music video show to see how are young are being
continually ‘molested’ by their music idols. Can we expect the fallout
of the Jackson case to be a mass arraignment of artists for
‘molesting’ our young ones?” Also,
check this: legendary record producer is charged with murder. Bail set at
$1m. Legendary entertainer Michael Jackson is charged with sexual
offences. Bail set at $3m. “When
you get to the point where you give someone a $3 million bail, [that's
ridiculous]," says Jackson supporter LL Cool J. "I mean, people
hit court with 50 kilos of cocaine and don't get $3 million bail. Murders
don't get $3 million bails." Makes you think, doesn’t it?
Saturday
Oct. 25,
3-6pm:
Black Music & Britain: what are the problems and possible
solutions? Yes, we seem to know of the problems, and we're constantly
hearing the complaints about British Black Music! Why doesn't it sell? Why
is it under-funded and under-promoted? Can it be a world-beater? Why do
British punters look to music from abroad, rather than home-grown? Whilst
looking at black music generally, there will be a focus on genres that
particularly deserve our support. Hence there will be panels/workshops
specifically for reggae & African music; hip-hop
& black rock; jazz & gospel. Hopefully,
we will end the programme not only having listened to the problems, but
more importantly, drawn up a list of possible solutions for the way
forward. £Free.
City University, Northampton Square, London EC1 (Barbican or Angel
tube, buses 4, 56, 153). £Free. Click to book: Black
Music & Britain or editor@britishblackmusic.com After
the frenzied media coverage linking gun crime and inner-city violence to
certain types of black music in the British press earlier this year, the
Black Music Congress has decided to mark its first anniversary by debating
the issues and also use the opportunity to find out about the outcomes of
some of the recent initiatives around black music and violence. Black
Music Congress debate: ‘Black
Music & Violence: scapegoat or influence?’ June
14, 3-6pm Oliver
Thompson Theatre, City
University, Northampton
Square, London
EC1 (Between
Goswell Road and St John Street, EC1; Angel
or Barbican tube station; bus 4, 56, or 153). Panellists
include Chief Inspector Leroy
Logan
(Black Police Association chair), Lee
Jasper
(London Mayor’s policy director for equalities and policing), Tony
Sewell
(educationalist and journalist), Marc
Wadsworth
(journalist and community activist), Viv
Ahmun
(In-volve youth development director), Cindy
Butts
(DisArm/Operation Trident), Tee
Max & Fusion
(Izm Consultancy) and Charlie
Parker
(FasFwd Records/57th Dynasty). The
recent black-on-black killings in Southall, London and Birmingham has
generated a lot of media interest, diverse commentaries, and knee-jerk
responses from some Government ministers. The
Black Music Congress (BMC), a forum for discussing black music issues,
abhors all forms of violence. It hopes these tragic deaths will mark the
beginning of constructive steps to seriously address the situation. At
last month’s Black Music Congress debate ‘Black Music &
Employment: what about gender & race?’, one of the panellists,
Rosemary Emodi, an executive business manager at the London mayor's
office, pointed out in her address that the music industry is one where
the Government has consistently maintained a hands-off approach. However,
the upshot of the deaths, particularly of the teenaged girls, Charlene
Ellis and Latisha Shakespear, has prompted
Home Secretary David Blunkett into seeing the need for Government to talk
to the music industry. “I
am concerned that we need to talk to the record producers, to the
distributors, to those who are actually engaged in the music business
about what is and isn't acceptable,” says Home Secretary David Blunkett. Culture
Minister Kim Howell accused certain black artists of glamorising gun
culture in words and imagery, while they and their supporters have been
wheeling in the stock answer: “We are only reflecting society.”
However, continually “reflecting” without offering a glimmer of hope
or possible solutions, only serves to perpetuate and glamorise the
situation. At his
lecture in London last October, American political activist Rev. Al
Sharpton, succinctly countered the “just reflecting” viewpoint with
his own stock answer. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I use a
mirror to correct what’s wrong with me,” said Sharpton.
“I don’t look in the mirror to see my hair messed up and my
teeth need brushing, and just walk out of the house that way. I use the
mirror to fix me.” He
went on to say that hip-hop culture must use its influence to correct
what’s wrong, and not to just continue to perpetuate or promote what’s
wrong within our society. Whilst
those artists involved in gun culture await hard, empirical
evidence that proves or disproves any link between their lyrics and
imagery and its influence on the streets of urban Britain, soft evidence
from studies, such as that carried out in America by Harvard academic
Robert Ferguson, and anecdotal evidence, does point to some link. The
issue of gun culture lyrics and imagery has been of concern within the
black community for quite some time. Indeed, gun culture and its effects,
particularly on the youth, was one of the issues discussed at the BMC
debate “Black Music & Profanity: what’s keeping it real?” last
June. The
resolutions passed included a) the acceptance that music
makers, producers and distributors bear a responsibility to ensure that
the music they handle does not promote violence, misogyny, or the use of
profanity among music listeners; and b) the publication of an open
letter to the music industry proposing a voluntary code of ethics for
artists and record companies. An open
letter to the music industry was written by panel member Ms Serwah,
co-ordinator of Beyond The Will Smith Challenge (copied below). We
hope the issues these resolutions attempt to address will find a voice at
the meeting the Home Secretary has convened this Friday with senior police
officers and community leaders, which hopefully will also include
representation from the black and mainstream music industry, plus the
film, TV and video-game industries too. The BMC expects serious
contributory factors, such as social deprivation and exclusion, to be on
the meeting’s agenda. Kwaku BMC
founder 020
8450 5987 END Editor’s
notes 1
The Black Music Congress is a forum for discussing black music
issues. It’s supported by an advisory group made up of black music
industry practitioners, and City University’s Cultural Industries Unit. 2
Resolution 0002: Black Music & Profanity:
what’s keeping it real? JUNE 29 2002 1.
To write and publish an open letter to the media and industry bodies
demanding that record industry - artists and record labels - adopt and
sign up to an ethical code to halt the use of profanity and offensive
lyrics in their music output. 2.
The Congress agrees that explicit lyrical content in black music does have
a negative impact on particularly the youth audience. 3
The Congress further agrees that music makers, producers and
distributors bear a responsibility to ensure that the music they handle
does not promote violence, misogyny, or the use of profanity among music
listeners. 4
The use of explicit language in black music and explicit imagery in music
videos degrades and devalues black music and black people by reinforcing
racist stereotypes. 3.
BTWSC open letter Beyond
The Will Smith Challenge (BTWSC) has noted with concern the marked
increase in the use of questionable lyrics and imagery in music aimed
particularly at the youth. This is not confined to gangsta rap. Other
genres, such as R&B and UK garage, are increasingly attaining parental
advisory status. In our view this has a negative impact on vulnerable
youth. It
is not being suggested that artistic creativity be stifled. We are of the
view that artists are creative enough to express themselves without the
use of expletives. Will Smith has demonstrated that artists can also sell
their craft without resorting to gratuitous use of profanity. Indeed, he
has sold millions without his work warranting parental advisory stickers. The
purpose of this letter is to appeal to artists and the record industry to
take responsibility and address the issue of offensive lyrics and imagery.
We are aware a step has been taken by ensuring that music is labelled with
parental advisory stickers where necessary. However, we are counting on
them to go further and say no to lyrics and imagery that glamorise
violence, misogyny, and profanity. We are sure you will agree that this is
degrading and reinforces racist and gender stereotypes. BTWSC
has made a small effort in addressing the issue by encouraging 11- 17 year
olds to write positive lyrics, poems and articles devoid of profanity,
which were entered into a competition. The results have been encouraging.* Ms.
Serwah BTWSC
co-ordinator *
The Beyond The Will Smith Challenge booklet will be officially launched at
the end of the BTWSC Newham Youth Spotlight prize-giving ceremony Saturday
18th January, 3.00-5.00pm at Durning Hall Community Centre, Forest Gate,
London E7 |
