Black Bandcamp was founded in 2020 amidst the BLM movement. As a result of a long-awaited reckoning with structural inequities, the energy of the movement propelled Black Bandcamp to become a vital resource and unique discovery tool for music fans.
Black Bandcamp has relaunched as the Black Artist Database. An expanded offering with the same mission. "To Bring the richness of creative talent from the global Black diaspora to the surface, in pursuit of wage equity, transparency, and stable employment for our communities.”
B.A.D. currently features a global community of 3,500 Black DJs, producers, and musicians. The new database will expand its coverage to include publishing, visual and digital art, media production, curation, and discourse. It’s a step in creating more space for the tireless work of Black creatives to shine.
The launch lines up with Bandcamp Friday. One Friday every month independent music platform Bandcamp waives its artist fees and gives all revenue to creatives.
B.A.D. has also unveiled the [pause] initiative. A partnership with prominent music brands including Mixcloud. The program aims to encourage more equitable workplaces. B.A.D. says, “The partnership is not intended to be an all-encompassing fix, but rather to be a positive and proactive step in the right direction. With only 11.4% of music industry jobs filled by Black creatives, [pause] aims to encourage those in positions of power to actively bridge this inequality gap.”
The rebrand comes complete with a new monthly mix series called B.A.D.mix. Detroit Techno legend Eddie Fowlkes provides the first exclusive mix. Electronic music has become a global community. And as the events of the last year unfolded, it's become evident that education on its Black roots is a necessity.
B.A.D. will continue to tell the stories of Black innovators in dance music in their Voices series. The series has already featured stories from Ifeoluwa, Russell E.L. Butler, Chris Inperspective, and DJ Paulette. This month they will feature Edington Again.
Submissions for creatives from all fields to be part of the database are now open. You can apply here.