The Weeknd is stepping up in a big way.
The After Hours singer has donated half-a-million dollars to causes supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. Taking to Instagram, he shared receipts his donations including $200,000 to the Black Lives Matter Global Network. He gave another $200,000 to Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp Legal Defense Initiative to “help advance the liberation and well-being Black and Brown communities.” And another $100,000 to the National Bail Out program to help bail out protestors who can’t afford their own bail money.
“Keep supporting our brothers and sisters out there risking everything to push for actual change for our black lives,” he wrote. “Urging everyone with big pockets to give and give big and if you have less please give what you can even if it’s a small amount.”
The Weeknd also encouraged others to donate by sharing links on Instagram Stories to all the organizations he supported.
His fellow Canadian Drake also donated $100,000 to the National Bail Out program after Toronto musician Mustafa the Poet asked him to match his donation. “Let’s help reunite black families,” wrote Mustafa, to which Drake replied, “Say less brother.”
Protests continue across the globe following the killing George Floyd by a Minneapolis police ficer. Celebrities are using their platforms to bring awareness to the issues. Nicki Minaj took to Instagram to demand justice for George Floyd, while JAY-Z spoke with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and pledged his commitment to fighting for justice.
The music industry is also observing Black Out Tuesday. The initiative was started by two black female music executives, who ask that their peers refrain from conducting business as usual. “It is a day to take a beat for an honest, reflective, and productive conversation about what actions we need to collectively take to support the Black community,” reads a statement on TheShowMustBePaused.com.