Breaking corporate colour barriers in music
Program aims to get more Black voices into business side of industry
While Black musicians from the GTA have become international hitmakers, local music industry boardrooms and executive suites have remained very white.
Kardinal Offishall, successful Toronto rapper and record label executive, says that disconnect between Black talent and decision-making power helped push him south of the border to build on his early promise.
“Anti-Black racism within corporations … I have felt that within my career, I have experienced it, and to be honest it’s what led for me going to the U.S.,” he told reporters Monday, after the launch of a new local initiative to tackle the problem.
“It’s not that we like the U.S. better than our home territory, but the reality is we’ve never had the proper things (in Canada) to support us the way that we needed to.”
American artists including Jay-Z and Dr. Dre have built business empires and helped break corporate colour barriers in that country.
Here, lack of supports or understanding for young Black artists is often not “malicious,” said Offishall. But unintentional racism still limits potential so it’s imperative to get more Black decision-makers on the business side, he said.
He’s a founding member of ADVANCE, Canada’s Black Music Business Collective that is partnering with the city of Toronto and the Slaight Family Foundation on a program to remedy the stark under-representation.
The city and the foundation overseen by Canadian radio mogul and philanthropist Gary Slaight are each contributing $250,000 a year, for a total of $2 million over four years. The money will fund internships, master classes and more for Black professionals. Universal Music Canada, where Offishall is creative executive director, has pledged to participate. Other firms and non-profits are being invited to join. “I want to see as many internships as humanly possible, from agencies and labels and publishers,” said Vivian Barclay, a musician, fellow ADVANCE member and general manager of Warner/Chappell Music Canada.
“I’m the only Black person running a major music company in Canada. I’ve always said, ‘If you want to see another me, you have to make changes very early on,’ ” Barclay said.
That means creating “runways” so Black interns become permanent employees who develop and have a shot at senior jobs, even if they don’t have the traditional start from college or university programs, Barclay said.
The new initiative, similar to a successful city program that helps young Black Torontonians get experience in the film and video industry, will be a “fantastic starting point” for a movement that needs to grow, she added. Toronto Mayor John Tory said the first recipients will get opportunities starting next year, with the program reviewed and improved if needed in 2022. Coun. Michael Thompson, chair of the city’s economic and social development committee, and the only Black member of Toronto city council, pledged “meaningful, immediate actions” to help fast-track Black talent to key positions.
Offishal says the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd in May that sparked anti-racism protests around the world has helped shine a light on prejudice that exists in Toronto and his industry, even if it’s not as overt as in parts of the U.S.
If anyone has doubts, he says, “read the comments” posted online in response to media reports like this one.