Amid the BLM protests of 2020 came a call to make the music industry accountable on race – but while new initiatives are helping, real change is still slow in the UK
PRS Foundation has launched an initiative to combat anti-black racism in the music industry.
Power Up will support 40 black music creators and professionals each year with grants and other backing, and will be steered by more than 80 black professionals working across the sector.
Among those figures are artist manager Keith Harris, A&R director of 0207 Def Jam Char Grant and director of Africa for Sony Music Taponeswa Mavunga.
Rapper and actor Kane “Kano” Robinson, Mis-Teeq star Sabrina Washington and the BBC’s DJ Target have signed up as ambassadors.
PRS Foundation, a charitable funder of new music, set up the long-term initiative in partnership with YouTube Music, the Beggars Group of record labels and the Black Music Coalition.