NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Today, artist-first music streaming and discovery platform Audiomack and the Black Music Action Coalition announced the launch of “Black Music Executives Are The Future,” an internship and mentorship program committed to grooming and developing the next generation of Black executives in the music industry.
As part of the initiative, Audiomack and the Black Music Action Coalition will select five, Black undergraduates – or recent graduates who earned degrees as recently as April 2021 – to participate in three-month paid internships at Audiomack across several departments, including marketing, creative design, editorial & content strategy, content operations and tech development.
Additionally, the five recipients will be assigned at least two distinguished music industry executives to serve as their mentors over the course of the program. The list of award-winning executives includes:
- Amina Diop – Senior Vice President of Republic Records & Artist Manager
- Andrew McInnes – CEO of TMWRK; manager for Diplo, A-Trak, etc.
- Cortez Bryant – CEO of The Blueprint Group; served as artist manager for Lil’ Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Lil Nas X
- Damien Smith – Artist Manager at Full Stop Management; manager for Offset and Anderson. Paak
- Gordan Dillard – Artist Manager at SALXCO, manager for Doja Cat
- Prophet – Co-founder and co-chair of Black Music Action Coalition; Artist manager
- Tariq Cherif – Co-founder and CEO of Rolling Loud
“It’s disheartening to see that, of the 70 major and independent music companies, only 4.2% of high-level executives are Black,” Audiomack VP of Marketing & Brand Strategy Jason Johnson said. “As leaders in this industry, we must commit to hiring, developing and elevating Black talent to better reflect the communities that we serve. With this partnership with BMAC, our hope is to establish a strong pipeline of young, Black talent to enter the music industry and equip them with the resources to thrive.”
“If we are serious about closing the wealth gap and building an equitable industry and society, then there must be a true investment made into the next generation of Black executives and artists,” Black Music Action Coalition co-chair and artist manager Willie “Prophet” Stiggers said. “BMAC’s mission is not to only hold our industry accountable for dismantling systems that have historically prevented us from reaping the benefits of a culture we created, but to also to create new systems, new ideas and new leaders. It starts with leveling the playing field and ensuring that the executives and artists coming up, has the tools, support, resources, and access to excel. If Black lives matter – prove it.”
To apply for the paid internship program, prospective candidates must submit HERE, create an Audiomack account, upload their resume, identify their preferred internship department and follow Audiomack, Black Music Action Coalition and Culture Fusion Agency on Instagram and Twitter.
Finally, applicants must submit a 300-word paragraph that explains why they want to be selected as a “Black Music Executives Are The Future” recipient and outlines how they would leverage the experience to further their professional development.
The deadline to apply for the program is March 4. From there, Audiomack and Black Music Action Coalition will review submissions, announce the program winners on March 14 and assign the recipients to start their respective internships on March 21.
About Audiomack
Audiomack, which launched in 2012, currently reaches more than 20 million monthly users globally. The streaming and discovery service has played an integral role in breaking new acts, such as Roddy Ricch and Kaash Paige; served as a trusted partner to Eminem and Nicki Minaj, among other notable artists, to debut exclusive releases; and helped rising African stars, such as Omah Lay, reach an international audience. As of January 2021, Audiomack is the top-ranked music streaming app on Apple’s iOS in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Senegal, and Kenya.
About BLACK MUSIC ACTION COALITION
Tuesday, June 2, 2020, the music industry went silent for one day to join the fight for equality as part of #BlackOutTuesday…the day the show paused!. This movement spread beyond the business and inspired tens of millions worldwide to follow suit. Galvanized by this historic moment, close to 200 preeminent artist managers, attorneys, business managers, agents, and other industry executives signed up to join forces, instituting and introducing the first-ever BLACK MUSIC ACTION COALITION.
Together, these individuals form one common voice, representing the interests of artists, producers, songwriters, and executives.
This illustrious cadre of industry heavyweights notably represents artists who comprise a majority of the industry’s revenue.
This advocacy organization endeavors to uphold and actualize the mission of Black Lives Matter in the music industry and reach racial justice not just across labels, publishers, agencies, distributors, and DSP’s but throughout society at large. BMAC works together with leaders from various business leaders to hold their companies accountable and implement a system of checks and balances to ensure change takes root. The group fosters and shepherds various educational, mental health, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, policing, social justice, and political causes that directly impact Black communities. In 2021, the BMAC released the first annual Music Industry Action report card that measured and assessed the music industry’s progress toward achieving racial justice and equity. To commemorate the report card, BMAC also held the inaugural Music In Action Awards Gala to honor musicians, activists, and industry professionals who have used their platforms to enact change within the music industry and broader society. The Weeknd, H.E.R., Ethiopia Habtemariam, Ben Crump, and more were honored for their contributions to change.
