Photograph courtesy of The Voice: Darcus Beese poses with his OBE

Via The Voice

ISLAND Records president Darcus Beese has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to the UK music industry.

The music expert was given the prestigious honour by Prince William on Friday (Nov 14).

Beese is most famous for signing a string of top artists including Florence & The Machine, Mumford & Sons, Jessie J and The Sugababes.

Today (Nov 17), Bang Bang singer Jessie J posted an Instagram photo of Beese collecting his OBE. In the caption she said: “Darcus you signed me in the UK 5 years ago to @IslandrecordsUK. Continue Reading….

Well, you learn something new everyday. I had no idea the president of Island Records was a black man.

I look at today’s musical landscape in the UK and I just shake my head. Darcus is a relatively powerful black man in the music industry, but even under his watch the “face lift” continues, where there is still an active push to totally erase black artists from genres that they are responsible for creating. 

This is yet another reminder that ownership key. 

Congratulations on your OBE Darcus.