The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC), in partnership with Wasserman Music, Nashville Music Equality, RIAA and YouTube Music, recently concluded its first annual Music Accelerator Program with Tennessee State University. Culminating over the weekend, the three-week program’s final class was held at the National Museum of African American Music, where each student received a gold plaque from the RIAA.
In addition to music biz curriculum, the program included internship placements across Wasserman, Warner Music Nashville and LVRN, as well as guest lecturers Dre London, Artistry Group Founder/CEO Max Gousse, YouTube Music’s Tuma Basa, MAC Agency’s Andrew Lieber, Shawn Holiday, Ashaunna Ayars, RIAA’s Jackie Jones, Wasserman agents Lee Anderson, Lenore Kinder, Callender, Chappel McCollister and Mallory Smith, artists BRELAND, Blanco Brown, Joy Oladokun and more.
This program ended with producer Dallas Austin and recording artist Sir the Baptist, both of whom received honorary doctorates in music from TSU.
“The Music Business Accelerator course was a one-of-a-kind learning experience that exposed students to successful music professionals,” said Dr. Mark Crawford, Professor of Music and Coordinator of Commercial Music, TSU. EMPIRE VP, Tina Davis, added, “The level of passion and focus I saw at the accelerator program gave me so much hope and excitement for the future of the music industry.”
“Black Music Action Coalition wants to be intentional about addressing the erasure of Black artists, executives, and the creative community on Music Row by creating a real pipeline to opportunities and resources to level the playing field in Nashville,” shared BMAC co-Founder/co-Chair Willie "Prophet" Stiggers. “This was an incredible first step, of which many BMAC will take with those in Nashville dedicated to racial, social and economic justice.”
