Whitewashed 2016 BRITS AWARDS

If an unworldly tourist happened to be at London’s O2 centre last night the nation's premier music awards -The Brit Awards- they would have left the with the distinct impression that British music is 100% white, consisting predominantly of ballads, indie and rock music.

With the exception of international stars Rihanna and Drake, Black artist were not even there at last night's proceedings, with Black Brits most definitely almost nowhere to be seen.

As we highlighted in yesterday's piece regarding the online petition about the ‘Whitewashed Brits, the reality is that the most exciting, innovative, energetic music in the UK is coming in no small measure from Black British Grime scene which the establishment clearly overlooks.

As Anant Naik stated in his online petition https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-brits-whitewash-britssowhite#petition-letter

Did JME and Skepta not set up one of the most refreshing years for UK Grime in bare time? Did Stormzy not get rightfully "gassed" when he scooped 'Best Male' and 'Best International Act' at the MOBOs and BET Awards respectively?” And where was Watford’s own Naughty Boy who had a monster international hit ‘Running’ with Beyonce last year?

Whitewashing the Brits Awards is not just a travesty of justice for the Black British artist who are denied the recognition for their talent, it’s also a travesty to Britain PLC and society as a whole, because as a nation we would be financially and culturally richer if we duly recognised our very own home grown talent.

Simon Woolley