El verdadero origen del 'Blackout Tuesday', la iniciativa que tiñe de negro las redes sociales
No hay que confundirla con el #BlackLivesMatters.
Este martes las redes sociales se han teñido de negro. Al hacer scroll en Twitter, Instagram o Facebook el resultado ha sido siempre el mismo: fondos negros y un hashtag #BlackOutTuesday (apagón del martes), que se ha convertido en trending topic durante toda la mañana del 2 de junio.
Numerosos famosos españoles como Paco León, Sara Sálamo, Anna Castillo o Paula Echevarría han compartido este pantallazo negro en sus cuentas de Instagram, algunos también con la frase #TheShowMustBePaused (El espectáculo tiene que parar).
Lo que ha prendido la mecha de estas publicaciones podría parecer a priori claro: el asesinato de George Floyd a manos de un policía estadounidense y las protestas contra el racismo que se han extendido por todo el país norteamericano. Sin embargo, aunque tiene en común su protesta contra el racismo, esta iniciativa nació con otro fin.
Detrás del Blackout Tuesday no hay un movimiento activista ni de una organización política, sino que está la industria musical estadounidense. Concretamente lo han lanzado las discográficas Atlantic Records y Capitol Music Group, a las que se han sumado otras majors como Warner Records, Sony Music y Def Jam. La iniciativa que se empezó a mover el pasado 30 de mayo busca, además de teñir de negro las redes, que este martes se paralice la industria: no hacer conciertos ni lanzamientos musicales, evitar que se compren o vendan discos y reducir —o paralizar— el consumo de música en streaming.
Por este motivo, los usuarios animan a utilizar el Blackout Tuesday únicamente para poner el pantallazo que simboliza el apagón –o con el hashtag #theshowmustbepaused que forma parte de la misma campaña— y no mezclarlo con el #blacklivesmatter, donde se engloban este tipo de protestas.
“El martes 2 de junio Atlantic Records junto a Warner Music Group haremos un parón y apoyaremos a nuestra comunidad, artistas y empleados. La industria musical no será igual, será un día que supondrá un cambio hacia un verdadero cambio”, empieza el comunicado compartido el 30 de mayo para pedir descanso y reflexión sobre el conflicto racial existente en muchos lugares del mundo.
“Como parte de esto ayudaremos a la asociación Black Lives Matters y a otras organizaciones para luchar contra la injusticia racial”, señala en el texto.
Además de las discográficas, numerosos artistas de todo el mundo se han sumado a la iniciativa, desde Britney Spears, Billie Eilish Rihanna, Beyoncé o el productor Quincy Jones a artistas nacionales como Vetusta Morla, Rosalía o Rozalén. Algunos como el grupo Radiohead incluso han borrado sus vídeos de YouTube para hacer un apagón total.
¿Por qué en la industria musical y por qué Atlantic Records?
El movimiento se ha iniciado en la industria musical por ser una de las que más presencia racial tiene. De hecho, de los diez artistas mejores pagados de 2019, la mitad son negros: Kanye West, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Drake y Diddy. Algo que no ocurre en otras industrias como el cine.
Pero el hecho que lo haya iniciado Atlantic Records tampoco es casualidad. Se trata de un sello que nació en 1947 de la mano del turco Ahmet Ertegün y del sueco Herb Abramson con la vocación de competir con la mítica Motown en géneros afroamericanos como el R&B, el soul o el jazz.
En él estuvieron iconos de la lucha racial en la música como Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, John Coltrane o Ray Charles. Desde 1967, tras pasar a ser subsidiaria de Warner Music, se ha orientado más al pop y al rock con artistas como Led Zeppelin, Coldplay o Sia, pero sigue manteniendo cierta esencia de los géneros de su nacimiento con nombres como Bruno Mars o Sean Paul.
Un coche arde en Atlanta en las protestas por el asesinato de George Floyd.
Queman un coche de la Policía en Atlanta.
Protestas en Charlotte (Carolina del Norte).
La Policía carga contra los manifestantes en Detroit (Michigan).
Un edificio destrozado en Oakland (California)
Un grupo de manifestantes en una protesta en Nueva York, Estados Unidos, el 29 de mayo de 2020 en rechazo a la muerte bajo la custodia policial del afroamericano George Floyd.
Un grupo de manifestantes participa en la quema de una comisaría en Minneapolis.
Protestas en Minneapolis por la muerte de un afroamericano a manos de la policía.
Protestas en Minneapolis por la muerte de un afroamericano a manos de la policía.
Demonstrators pray during a march, Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Atlanta. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
A protester tries to talk the police back amid tear gas in downtown Atlanta, Sunday, May 31, 2020. Protests continue across the country over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on...
Police hold off protesters during a solidarity rally for George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Protests were held throughout the city over the death of Floyd, a black man in police custody in Minneapolis who di...
A police officer shouts to members of the media while trying to clear the streets of demonstrators in Memphis, Tennessee, early Monday, June 1, 2020, protesting the death of George Floyd who died in Minneapolis police custody May 25, 2020. (Da...
Manifestantes encienden una hoguera durante una protesta por la muerte de George Floyd el domingo 31 de mayo 2020, cerca de la Casa Blanca, en Washington.
People break into a smoke shop on Monday, June 1, 2020, in New York. Protests were held throughout the city over the death of George Floyd, a black man in police custody in Minneapolis who died after being restrained by police officers on Memori...
People run out of a smoke shop that they broke into as police arrive on the scene on Monday, June 1, 2020, in New York. Protests were held throughout the city over the death of George Floyd, a black man in police custody in Minneapolis who died ...
Protestors celebrate after eluding authorities and stopping traffic along Interstate 55 in Memphis, Tennessee, Sunday, May 31, 2020, during a protest over the death of George Floyd on May 25. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian via AP)
Police stop a driver in the SoHo shopping district Sunday, May 31, 2020, in New York. Protests were held throughout the city over the death of George Floyd, who died May 25 after he was pinned at the neck by a Minneapolis police officer. (AP Pho...
Arrested protesters are loaded onto a transport bus by police on South Washington Street, Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Minneapolis. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officer...
Demonstrators march, Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Atlanta. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Motorists are ordered to the ground from their vehicle by police during a protest on South Washington Street, Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Minneapolis. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minnea...
A white man and a black man clasp hands as police in the background guard the old state capitol in Raleigh, N.C., on Monday, June 1, 2020. It was the second day of protests in the North Carolina capital following the death of Minnesotan George F...
A protester runs through tear gas on the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Las Vegas, during demonstrations over the death of George Floyd, who died May 25 after he was pinned at the neck by a Minneapolis police officer. (AP Photo/Stev...
A brick protrudes from a shattered window in downtown Raleigh, N.C., on Monday, June 1, 2020. It was the second day of protests in the North Carolina capital following the death of Minnesotan George Floyd while in police custody. (AP Photo/Allen...
A protester confronts police during a rally in downtown Lexington, Ky., against the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor on Sunday, May 31, 2020. (Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader via AP)
Motorists are ordered to the ground from their vehicle by police during a protest on South Washington Street, Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Minneapolis. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minnea...
A woman walks past a store boarded up with a message as protests over the death of George Floyd continue Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Los Angeles. Armed National Guard soldiers lined the steps of Los Angeles City Hall, and cities across California d...
Nick Brentley demonstrates in San Francisco on Sunday, May 31, 2020, to protest the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
CHARLOTTE, USA - MAY 31: Following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, protest in downtown Charlotte turn violent in NC, United States on May 31, 2020 (Photo by Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, USA - JUNE 1: People gather during a protest held against police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in New York, United States on June 1, 2020. (Photo by Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 01: (This image has been converted to black and white.) Protestors march down Queen Street on June 01, 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand. The rally was organised in solidarity with protests across the United States follo...
VANCOUVER, BC - MAY 31: Thousands attend a protest against racism and police brutality at the Vancouver Art Gallery on May 31, 2020 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 01: (This image has been converted to black and white.) Protestors march down Queen Street on June 01, 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand. The rally was organised in solidarity with protests across the United States follo...
VANCOUVER, BC - MAY 31: Thousands attend a protest against racism and police brutality at the Vancouver Art Gallery on May 31, 2020 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 01: Protestors march down Queen Street on June 01, 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand. The rally was organised in solidarity with protests across the United States following the killing of an unarmed black man George Floy...
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 01: UFC fighter Israel Adesanya joins in the protest down Queen Street on June 01, 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand. The rally was organised in solidarity with protests across the United States following the killing of ...
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 01: A protestor marches down Queen Street on June 01, 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand. The rally was organised in solidarity with protests across the United States following the killing of an unarmed black man George F...
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 01: Protestors march down Queen Street on June 01, 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand. The rally was organised in solidarity with protests across the United States following the killing of an unarmed black man George Floy...
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 01: Protestors march down Queen Street on June 01, 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand. The rally was organised in solidarity with protests across the United States following the killing of an unarmed black man George Floy...
VANCOUVER, BC - MAY 31: Thousands attend a protest against racism and police brutality at the Vancouver Art Gallery on May 31, 2020 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Motorists are ordered to the ground from their vehicle by police during a protest on South Washington Street, Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Minneapolis. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minnea...
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 01: Protesters take part in a 'Black Lives Matter' demonstration on June 01, 2020 in London, England. Protests and riots continue across American following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minn...
A protester reacts after being hit by pepper spray from police as their group of demonstrators are detained prior to arrest at a gas station on South Washington Street, Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Minneapolis. Protests continued sparked by the deat...
A protester reacts after being hit by crowd dispersal rounds as a group of demonstrators are detained prior to arrest at a gas station on South Washington Street, Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Minneapolis. Protests continued sparked by the death of G...
EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / A worker removes graffiti near the White House after a third night of violent protests over the death of George Floyd June 1, 2020, in Washington, DC. - Police fired tear gas outside the White House late Sunday as...
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 01: Protesters take part in a 'Black Lives Matter' demonstration on June 01, 2020 in London, England. Protests and riots continue across American following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minn...
People remove graffiti near the White House after a third night of violent protests over the death of George Floyd on June 1, 2020, in Washington, DC. - Police fired tear gas outside the White House late Sunday as anti-racism protestors again to...
The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization.
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Marina Prats es periodista de Life en El HuffPost, en Madrid. Escribe sobre cultura, música, cine, series, televisión y estilo de vida. También aborda temas sociales relacionados con el colectivo LGTBI y el feminismo. Antes de El HuffPost formó parte de UPHO Festival, un festival urbano de fotografía en el marco del proyecto europeo Urban Layers. Graduada en Periodismo en la Universidad de Málaga, en 2017 estudió el Máster en Periodismo Cultural de la Universidad CEU San Pablo y en 2018 fue Coordinadora de Proyecto en la Bienal de Arte Contemporáneo de Fundación ONCE. También ha colaborado en diversas webs musicales y culturales. Puedes contactarla en marina.prats@huffpost.es