What You Need to Know #TheShowMustBePaused

June 01, 2020

In response to the murder of George Floyd, two Atlantic Records executives have issued a plea, #TheShowMustBePaused 

In response to the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, and “countless other black citizens taken at the hands of police”, #TheShowMustBePaused is an initiative created by Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas. 

The efforts are led by Agyemang and Thomas, marketing directors at Atlantic records. The pair of black women describe the movement to be “a reaction to the longstanding racism and inequality that exists from the boardroom to the boulevard”. 

#TheShowMustBePaused comes as part of the greater “Blackout Tuesday”, which will take place this Tuesday (June 2). The movement is in response to the death of Geroge Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers last week. Agyemang and Thomas put a spin on the popular show biz adage of “the show must go on” to try and highlight the urgency of the situation. 

Shortly after Floyd’s death, hundreds within the music industry took to their social media to call for an entertainment blackout. The statement called for  “a day to disconnect from work and reconnect with our community” and “an urgent step of action to provoke accountability and change. As gatekeepers of the culture, it’s our responsibility to not only come together to celebrate the wins but also hold each other up during loss”. 

In their Instagram post and their statement, Agyemang and Thomas said that the blackout was meant to “intentionally disrupt the work week… The music industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. An industry that has profited predominantly from Black art. Our mission is to hold the industry at large, including major corporations + their partners who benefit from the efforts, struggles, and successes of Black people accountable.” 

Some of the many companies participating include, What’s Trending, Warner Music Group, Sony/ATV, Apple Music’s Ebro Darden, and more. 

See the official #TheShowMustBePaused statement here.