Rapper Tinchy Stryder has called on the whole music industry to drop the term “urban” after Republic Records announced it would no longer use the word to describe music of black origin.
The company, which is home to Taylor Swift, Drake and Ariana Grande, says it will no longer use the term to describe “departments, employee titles and music genres”.
A statement from the label added: “We encourage the rest of the music industry to follow suit as it is important to shape the future of what we want it to look like, and not adhere to the outdated structures of the past.”
Tinchy Stryder, real name Kwasi Danquah, told BBC Breakfast “When I came up in music industry that was the norm to me but I always questioned it, is this urban because it’s of black origin?
“Because every black musician who is making music culturally isn’t always urban, if that’s what you’re going to class it as.
“Different people, black artists, they are making music but it’s not the same type of music, so it’s pushing it to the side and putting it in a box and I don’t think that is fair so I think it’s only right they started that as a message and I hope everyone follows on.”
He added: “When you put on a name like ‘urban’ it feels boxed in, if everyone starts doing it, it becomes the norm.”
He continued: “It’s been the time but everyone is waking up, if it doesn’t start somewhere, it’s never going to start.”
Management company Milk & Honey has also said it will drop the term, saying in a statement: “We believe it’s an important step forward, and an outdated word, which has no place in 2020 onwards.”
