How Floyd’s killing is reflective of the sad reality in our Kenyan backyard

By Salima Muigai | 3yrs ago | 5 min read

When you have your back pressed against the wall, the situation that you are in may escalate within a fraction of a second.

This is the same situation that happened when the music industry together with various TV and radio stations decided to take a stand and reflect on one of the most sensitive matters that happened in the recent past, the murder of George Floyd a 46-year-old African American man who died last week after a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.

Other incidents, such as Breonna Taylor, the 26-year old African-American woman who was shot by Louisville Metro Police Department officers, Ahmaud Arbery 25-year old who was shot by two white residents while he was out jogging and other back citizens also came to the fore. All these, coupled with centuries-old marginalisation that has led to crime, violence, hatred and racism, created the hashtag #TheShowMustBePaused.

The movement was started by Jamila Thomas, Senior Director of Marketing at Atlantic and Brianna Agyemang former Atlantic Executive who is now a Senior Artist Campaign Manager at Platoon.

Jamila triggered the thought to her music industry colleagues through her Instagram account; “Your black executives, artists, managers, staff, colleagues are drained, traumatised, hurt, scared and angry”.

Many might wonder what this protest meant to the entertainment industry that decided to take a stand and engage in a “blackout”.

It called for the gatekeepers of the culture to join in an urgent step of action to provoke accountability and change, and a day to disconnect and reconnect.

Music service providers’ companies and labels such as; Boom Play, Mdundo, Audiomack Kenya, Audiomack Africa, Def Jam Africa, Warner music Group Africa, Universal Music Group Africa, Universal music Group Kenya, Sony, Spotify, Deezer, YouTube, Amazon, Apple Music and Interscope who promised not to release any new music this week are among those who came together in solidarity to empathise with the families that have lost their loved ones as a result of these senseless acts of violence.

It is a wonder that amidst the Covid-19 crisis the society has shown the need for togetherness. It is without a doubt that this will take long for the society to recover from this situation and truth be told it is an issue that affected us locally.

Several celebrities such as The American stand-up comedian Kevin Hart expressed his outrage on his Instagram account urging the media to spread the right message as because the narrative is slowly changing and what the society is looking for is justice.

“This is a message to all journalists and reporters, you control the narrative so I feel like you have a job to do about pushing the correct narrative and right now I’m watching that narrative slowly change into the writing and looting, we are witnessing what we are witnessing and I don’t wanna lose sight of that reason and that reason is because another man died in the hands of a police officer and that man is George Floyd”.

Locally, Universal Music Group Kenya decided to take a stand and their reason for going on the Blackout Tuesday was to sit back and make the work environment better, working on things they need to change such as employee education and assistance and considering the fact that it is a big label and welcomed showing support to the black community.

Bien of Sauti Sol is quick to point out that the movement is a step in addressing global injustices.

“Artists are playing a part in lending our voices in the struggle, there is strength in numbers, we may disagree in many ways, but we are united in our humanity and the zeal to push the human race to do better. The music industry stands for equal rights and injustice. George Floyd’s death may be the straw that broke the camel’s back bringing it to the global stage, but the black community in America has been enduring and protesting police brutality for decades it was a long time coming,” he notes, adding that as an artist he believes the movement is necessary not only in America but moreover in Kenya.

Police brutality in Kenya is an all-time high. The police have killed more people during this quarantine than Covid-19 itself, something Bien believes we must address as a nation.

“We speak on the classism that escorts police brutality here and in other African countries. The Music Industry Blackout is not an eye-opener for artistes, its artistes adding a voice to the already very important conversation of police brutality and racism,” he adds.

Mdundo, one of Africa’s music service providers, voted for the theme ‘Equality’ during the Music Industry Blackout Tuesday and observed the day in solidarity with and support of the movement against all forms of racism, oppression and injustice in our community.

“Black Out Tuesday is an initiative of the artist and entertainment business worldwide to stand with their employees, talent and partners who go through any form of inequality. It was triggered by the death of George Floyd who was killed by a police officer. As a global app, we in one way or another work with all the affected parties and we would like to stand with everyone abroad and home in solidarity. No one should have to feel small,” Frank Muchina of Mdundo tells Pulse.

He too noted that back in Kenya, there are various injustices happening around us and urged that we stand with those who need us. I mean a lot has happened over the years.

“Systematic oppression worldwide and open racism has been piling up all these against the backdrop of Corona. It’s Trayvon, its George it’s all of them, not just one. Hatred, crime, violence and racism, are inexcusable, inhuman, illegal and should not be condoned under any circumstance. We are all equal”.

While the global music industry lent its voice in the Blackout Tuesday, an act of selflessness meant to stand up to the searing vices, King Kaka is quick to reiterate a lingering problem.

“Before we black this Tuesday let’s clean our backyards”.