This is not a witch-hunt. This is going to be revelation on exactly why this behaviour, the institutional racism within my industry of work won’t be tolerated any longer. I understand many watching these next tweets have existing relationships....
and I completely understand also that there are those who will chose to observe rather than engage in any part of what I’m going to say next. But I’m not having a discussion on the timeline about this other than the solution..
You have no right to talk on the validity of what I’m about to say. If you’ve followed me for a while or actually know me. I’m a balanced person and I am too, empathetic and considerate of different perspectives. Not just my own.
Even as a Heterosexual Black man, playing House. I’ve had to do my own education on the roots and try to best understand my positioning when it comes to the artform because it’s history is not in areas of life I’ve come from. So I’ve had to learn. Be respectful. Be considerate.
So fundamentally that’s what this is all about. Institutional Racism/White Privilege that’s how it works. It’s the belief that usually white men, consciously or subconsciously feel above conversations which really affect all of us.
I want start by saying that I’m very disappointed in you @SimonDunmore and I’ll explain why your positioning on matters reflecting the Black community are an issue...and exactly the problem which won’t continue.
You have built up a very successful and lucrative business career in the genre of House music and genre which historically comes from the activism of the Gay Black and Latino communities of Chicago.
The reason why you have to deal with this diatribe is because you my friend are COLOUR BLIND and working in an industry literally built on the frustrations of Black people, you can not afford to be.
You recently answered on the 30th May that “Music has no colour” you answered this in response to an account representative of the LGTBQ community who initially said to you “never forget House music is Black music” .... 
to be that tone deaf to respond to an account which is practically giving you the answer is part and parcel of how you’ve found yourself in these circumstances.
Your contributions to House music are undeniable. But that does not absolve you of any moral and emotional investment to the people who operate within the culture and it’s message purely by the fact they are Black 24/7 365
Between that Twitter exchange and since #BlackoutTuesday.... The ability to see colour returned as your Defected brands very quickly labelled all of its catalogue as BLACK MUSIC 🤔
I’m here to make sure you continue to observe the commitment and new found revelation that the House you know and operate and live off of, is, was and always will be Black Music. Not just when you can be bothered to observe it.
Your attitude is arrogant to the degree that even when I posted my thread about Black female performers in House music, you DM’d me offering your consultation on the matter. 🤷🏾♂️ I still don’t know why you followed me to send me that message. I replied. Then you unfollowed back. 😕
I started tweeting the other day and I guess if you were one of my long time followers you would see that I’m not for the witch hunt. This isn’t an assassination of your character as everything I’ve mentioned apart from the DM is in the public domain anyway.
Which brings me on to what happens next. That all depends on you. But to begin with at this time you do not get to occupy spaces of Blackness and not observe moments PROPERLY which are of deep hurt to the Black community.
As a Black man of Ghanaian heritage born in Britain I respect the customs and traditions of this country. I’m obligated to have a level of intuitiveness as to what is offensive to different white people. You do, and have not reciprocated that to Black people in House music
You was incredibly tone-deaf about what was required of you in regards to the police deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Maybe even from your perspective it happens so much what’s the difference this time around. 🤷🏾♂️
Except you was asked by one of your Glitterbox dancers and choreographers, Raven if you could put out a message which would resonate through the Black LGBTQ community, a community which Raven represents, to show that YOU and your brands stand in solidarity with Black people.
You gaslit Raven in the exchange which again is in the public forum as to why I’m referencing it. It needs to be made very clear to you now that unless you treat your Black clientele throughout your company with the same respect as your White members of staff.
It’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to operate without Black co-sign. One obviously you feel conscious of its power based on your company’s decisions to overcompensate on the “Black Music” narrative on their social media posts.
I’d like an apology for Raven and also I would like to see you hopefully take part in future discussions with myself and Mixmag to rid this bias from the whole of the industry and truly make it more inclusive for all Black groups especially and more.
From Man to Man. Father to Father. The realities and possibilities I have sell to my children who are Black are very different sadly to the realities you can sell to your child. Because of the notion that if, and when needed, you don’t see colour.
Some people may say, that by looking at that this thread today, that THIS “is causing division” ....hilarious!!!
You must have been living under a rock.
We’ve always had division. Just that many of us were FUNCTIONING through that division. 💪🏾❤️
You must have been living under a rock.
We’ve always had division. Just that many of us were FUNCTIONING through that division. 💪🏾❤️
If as your brand states “we are all equal” under your House then be one of many influential White people to consciously bring about fairer circumstances to your Black colleagues.
If you do now go and have your own personal conversations with all your Black peers in House you will undoubtedly find much forgiveness. But also undeniable frustrations that you may have previously been unaware of.
Forgiveness even from Raven, who bares no grudge other than believing like myself that your dismissive attitude is what we deal with everyday of our lives, but will no longer be tolerated.
Have those conversations and you will see despite various states of our career development life has NEVER been fair for Black people, especially in music.
The light at the end of these uncomfortable times you find yourself in is that you can absorb, process and reconnect and hopefully build an environment which is genuinely inclusive and fair through all aspects of its structure. Club, radio, PR, booking agencies etc.
Update :
“I understand my responsibility and I agree with you”
thank you for the phone conversation @SimonDunmore and I appreciate your perspectives I’m really enthusiastic about how we can broaden this awareness out across the industry so working practices really do change.
“I understand my responsibility and I agree with you”
thank you for the phone conversation @SimonDunmore and I appreciate your perspectives I’m really enthusiastic about how we can broaden this awareness out across the industry so working practices really do change.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE :
Despite this thread Myself, @SimonDunmore and @MandellaRaven all want the same thing. The conversations are uncomfortable. But we MUST have them and ALL move forward.
Please be RESPECTFUL ✊🏾❤️
Despite this thread Myself, @SimonDunmore and @MandellaRaven all want the same thing. The conversations are uncomfortable. But we MUST have them and ALL move forward.
Please be RESPECTFUL ✊🏾❤️
“There’s nothing NEGATIVE about having these conversations” - @MandellaRaven ✊🏾❤️
