How to use your streams and dollars to support black musicians

by: Rachel Narozniak Jun 4, 2020

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You participated in Blackout Tuesday, but you don’t want your contributions to the Black Lives Matter movement to stop there. When it comes to showing your support for the African American community, your next supportive step can be simple and might even something that you’re already doing: streaming music produced by black artists. Dancing Astronaut outlines some of the black electronic dance DJs and other artists whose catalogs you can either revisit or listen to for the very first time. Consider sharing the productions you like to your social media platforms; in doing so, you might turn some of your followers on to an artist that they might not be familiar with⁠—and would love.

Beyond using your streams to benefit black creatives, you can also contribute to several non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting African American musicians and their various sonic endeavors, such as The National Association of Negro Musicians. Learn how to help, below.

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Artists of Color You Can Support Just by Streaming

12th Planet

Virgil Abloh

Idris Elba

Channel Tres

Green Velvet

Black Coffee

DJ Maphorisa

DJ Spinna

Honey Dijon

Felix Da Housecat

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Non-Profit Organizations Supporting Black Musicians

• The Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts: benefits black musicians, opera singers, and other performers. Donate here.

• The National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM): The country’s oldest organization dedicated to the preservation, encouragement, and advocacy of all genres of music made by black artists, NANM supports black musicians and honors their contributions to music and culture. Donate here.

• Music by Black Composers (MBC): MBC is committed to fostering diversity in classical music by helping children learn the rich history of music from black composers. Donate here.

Featured image: Boiler Room