George Floyd, an unarmed black man, was killed in police custody on May 25, 2020. This incident highlights a growing resolve in American consciousness to end police brutality especially when it comes to racial profiling and inequality as the African American community is disproportionately impacted by excessive force among law enforcement. According to Mapping Police Violence, “African Americans are 3x more likely to be killed by police than white people.” It’s not only happening in America! Other countries are facing similar issues. The Netherlands, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Iran all have taken to the streets in protest to rally against racial discrimination and deadly police force.
Watch Anitra’s Take here…
In addition to protesting, a lot of people have taken to social media platforms to voice their opinions and express concerns about recent events which have sparked heated debates and long threads of dialogue. As musicians, we use social media to engage with our community on a daily basis. It can be argued that as artists we live and thrive on social media to maintain our brand and keep the momentum going with our fans. But what can a musician say in response to the George Floyd incident and the civil unrest that resulted? In this guide, we’ll cover why musicians should respond, what you should consider saying, and what you might want to avoid during these times of hardships.
Should musicians respond to the George Floyd incident and the protests?
Yes, and here’s why. Your community is looking to you to understand your position on this issue. If you don’t share your voice on this issue, you leave it up to your followers to make assumptions about where you stand. That’s not a good idea. Silence can lead people to believe you are complicit in wrongdoing. Or they may believe that you don’t care. They may believe that you empathize with violence on either side. Either way, you may end up giving your audience the wrong impression about your beliefs. It’s important to be vocal and straightforward about what you believe, your values and where you stand on these hot button issues.
Secondly, sharing your thoughts on this issue can reinvigorate your relationship with your fans. Posts about this issue are being prioritized right now on social media. Therefore sharing your opinions will give you a chance to connect with your fans on an important topic.
What should musicians say in response to the George Floyd incident and the protests?
The old adage is true, just be yourself. Being honest about what you’re feeling will help you to come across with more authenticity. If you’re not sure where you stand, try and determine where this issue falls in the context of your musical purpose and mission statement. Use your mission and purpose as a compass to navigate your words during this time.
When responding to civil unrest you have three options:
- To pick a side
- To be neutral
- Not respond at all
We’ve already ruled out option three, so your next step when coming up with a response is to either pick a side or remain neutral. We’ll start with the neutral option first. If you have followers that lean on both sides, maybe being neutral is the best option. Neutrality offers a balanced state of mind and promotes a sense of fairness. Here are some examples of neutral statements…
- I believe in equality for all people, nationalities, and races.
- I believe in sharing thoughts and grievances peacefully, I don’t condone violence on either side.
- What can we do to resolve this issue?
- If we ever hope to see resolution, we must work together.
NOTE: If you don’t want to alienate your black supporters, avoid saying #alllivesmatter. This is not a neutral statement. On the contrary, it’s a rebuttal to refute that #blacklivesmatter. See why “All Lives Matter” is a toxic phrase.
The other option is to pick a side. Be mindful that if you choose this option, you may spark a very heated discussion on your threads that may need to be moderated. You also may end up alienating a segment of your audience. In this situation, it’s very important to know who your audience is. If you’re intimately familiar with your audience, then you know how they think and how they will respond. Proceed with your audience in mind. We’re not saying to say what you think your audience wants to hear. That would be the opposite of authenticity. But it is important to be sensitive to the values and belief systems of your audience and speak directly to them as though you were sitting across the table from them. Having tact regardless of your stance on something is paramount.
There is a right way and a wrong way to handle your social media strategy during a time like this. We don’t recommend posting things that can anger your audience or make them feel unwanted or undervalued. It may be unwise to post divisive commentary that can supercharge hostility among your followers. Also, we recommend using caution with regard to posting misinformation. Double-check all sources and make sure you are posting correct information.
There are many ways you can approach these issues on social media responsibly. Here are some examples…
Join other movements and post about your activities.
Share an original song or work of art that’s related in some way.
Share someone else’s post and talk about your feelings on the matter. You can also share a list of practical things your fans can do to help or contribute.
Share relevant statistics.
Share your position on the topic of racism and/or diversity.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide how you want to respond. A good practice is to respond in some way. Saying nothing leaves your fans to make unwanted assumptions. However, musicians should use caution and think about their fans when speaking on hot button issues like racial injustice. Be genuine and use tact and kindness with everything you say. Use these guidelines as a sounding board to create your own heartfelt response to this very important issue and initiate healthy dialogue between you and your fans.
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Another thing to consider is that if you do state your honest feelings you could still end up losing fans. I made a few posts stating my position and how I feel about the matter and I think I may have lost 10 fans on facebook. But I know that my tribe is with me because they uphold and honor the same values that I do, so whoever leaves on account of me posting what I believe, was never really a part of my tribe in the first place. Personally, I’ve unfollowed and unfriended a few ‘friends’ after recent events. I’m okay with that. I’d rather leave a conversation than getting pulled into an emotional tug of war on a social media platform.
Thanks for tackling this tough subject! Some folks think that artists and entertainers should stay away from political issues, but in reality, political issues affect all of us. And it’s artists and entertainers that tend to have the biggest megaphones, so I think they should use them. I also agree with you that if they don’t honor your same values, especially when it comes to racial injustice and equal rights, then they weren’t truly in your tribe to begin with and this is just a way to filter them out.
I think it’s insulting for people to say you shouldn’t have an opinion on this whether you’re an entertainer, athlete, artist, etc. You are right! I agree, that it’s these influencers who should be speaking out because they do have a platform. When it comes to hot button topics like this, the more you share about your opinions, the more you attract like-minded individuals to your tribe. I see a following as circles. There are some who are invested in you. Some who are watching from a distance. And there are others in an even larger circle who are there for other agendas. They don’t tend to stick around once you start getting real. But they were never a part of your inner circle to begin with!