Jason Shaltz / Courtesy of SiriusXM
As Black Music Month got here to a detailed, Sirius XM, Pandora, and Cricket Wi-fi workforce as much as foster Black youth’s curiosity via music and creation.
On Tuesday, June 25, excessive school-aged college students from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles spent the day at Sirius XM for his or her “Rhythm in Motion” occasion, whereby they discovered from firm leads, engaged with panelists, participated in workshops, and sang alongside to a reside efficiency by LA-native, KalanFr.Fr. In an effort to lean into intentional programming for the month-long celebration, the businesses got down to illuminate what potentialities are on the market, if the place to look.
The ultimate panel, moderated by Joshua “J1” Raiford, VP of Programming at SiriusXM Pandora, was stacked with business professionals together with recording artist KalanFr.Fr, music producer Ray Romulus, Senior A&R at RocNation Earl Johnson, and Maurice Slade, the Head of Advertising and Artist Relations at SoundCloud. Inquisitive college students requested how every of them received their begins within the business, who their inspirations have been, and what led them down their explicit paths.
Simply earlier than KalanFr.Fr ended the panel with a customized efficiency (one which discovered bubbly teen women singing alongside phrase for phrase), he was requested the way it felt to be onstage alongside so many different LA artists for Kendrick Lamar’s Juneteenth present, “The Pop Out: Ken and Mates.”
“It was an incredible expertise as a result of so many people artists wanted that. Not simply career-wise however emotionally. The narrative has been for thus lengthy that the LA music we make and love is frowned upon, is simply too “LA-sounding,” he explains. “For all of us to be collectively up there with Dot, and for the variety of individuals watching? What it’s doing for the artists concerned is unexplainable; I over-appreciate it.”
This concept of chance, inspiration, and belonging permeated each dialog and lesson bestowed that day. “My job as an artist is to maintain up with you guys. You guys are writing the long run. Ya’ll can form it. It’s as much as ya’ll,” KalanFr.Fr affirms to the room.
Lauren Williams, SVP, Organizational Tradition and Change Administration and Jennifer Rogers, Director of Variety, Fairness, Inclusion and Belonging at SiriusXM sat down with ESSENCE to debate these themes and extra as we take a look at the significance of Black music and its legacy. The titles they maintain are strong, however the significance lies in how they’re fulfilled. With regards to the music business which is so entrenched within the tradition, and by default, Black music and tradition, Williams says it’s essential for DEI & B to be “embedded inside the material of the corporate.” This evolving purpose is the driving precept behind a lot of their programming for the month.
A lot may be mentioned about variety initiatives birthed in 2020, however 4 years later, Williams and Rogers are resolved to counterpoint and develop on guarantees made. Rogers particulars how the thought behind occasions akin to “Rhythm in Motion,” is to carry the subsequent technology into this house, enable them to see what may be achieved by individuals who seem like them, and really know and consider that they belong. “You may’t be what you may’t see,” she expresses.
The 2 executives clarify that whereas Black Music Month presents a possibility to additional highlight the contributions of various Black artwork to society, the main focus doesn’t begin and finish with the month of June. On championing variety and belonging at Sirius XM, Rogers and Williams emphasize three central tenets: authenticity, stitching roots in neighborhood, and guaranteeing the corporate’s personnel displays the artists it platforms.
“I one hundred pc firmly consider that when you’ve gotten variety in your partitions, it positively impacts your backside line,” says Williams. In an business that advantages significantly from Black music and creation, it will be significant for the artists to be represented and advocated for in any respect ranges, which begins by diversifying who’s doing the work.
Kimberly Washington, VP of Useful resource Growth at Boys and Women Golf equipment of Metro Los Angeles additional stresses the significance of alternative, in addition to optimistic and different publicity. Black youth have to see the big selection of potentialities inside the music business and past, additional than the restricted choices they’re introduced with. By her work, Washington finds that greater than something, the youth must be heard. Considered one of her major targets is to foster these voices, particularly of Black Los Angeles youth, and present them that the problems they’re obsessed with, the desires they’ve, “it may be finished.” With regards to music and occasions akin to this one, she states, “it’s about [having] a spot and a platform.”
Washington discusses how the missions of Sirius XM Pandora and the Boys and Women Membership aligned and introduced this to fruition as a result of on the core, “we wish to empower youth; to be their finest selves, to hunt, to guide, discover, obtain and dream. [Sirius XM] provides college students a platform to discover and discover out what else is occurring within the business to attain their targets.” Washington seems to the way forward for the music business and all others by flipping the time period ‘workforce’ on its head. “It’s about giving youngsters inspiration, and letting them know that they’re the drive behind what they are often and what they’ll do.”
“Rhythm in Motion” concluded with Sirius XM and Cricket Wi-fi donating $20,000 to the Boys and Women Membership of Metro LA to help their continued efforts, and despatched college students off with newfound concepts about the place their creativity can lead them.
