CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 22: Sean Combs attends the 'Killing Them Softly' Premiere during 65th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 22, 2012 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Every year, the same tired conversation about diversity and inclusion resurfaces around major industry institutions like the Grammys—organizations that have long profited from Black culture but rarely give back in meaningful ways. Despite decades of calls for change, the systemic issues remain entrenched. Diddy’s fiery pre-Grammy speech in 2020 still resonates in 2025, challenging us to stop asking for scraps and start owning the whole restaurant.
Efficiency vs. Effectiveness: The Real Power Move
Asking for inclusion is being efficient; building your own platform is being effective.
My 30-year-old media outfit, RadioFacts, has been invited to nearly every Black-owned industry event. But when it comes to gatekeepers like the Grammys, we’ve been sidelined repeatedly—denied accreditation year after year, even as they hand out photos of Black artists for coverage after the fact. So why do we keep begging for a seat at a table that doesn’t want us? Why not leverage our creativity, capital, and collective power to own the entire restaurant?
Diddy gets this. At the 2020 Clive Davis pre-Grammy gala—an event that historically excludes many Black media outlets—he called out the Recording Academy’s ongoing disrespect toward hip-hop and Black music. His message was blunt: the time for passive acceptance is over. We must build our own platforms, own our narratives, and demand real change.
2025: The Year We Stop Begging and Start Building
Fast forward to today, and the landscape has shifted dramatically. AI-powered tools and automation have democratized content creation and distribution like never before. Black creators now have unprecedented opportunities to build independent ecosystems—from AI-driven music production workflows to decentralized streaming platforms and NFT-powered fan communities. The power to own the entire “restaurant” is no longer a distant dream; it’s within reach.
Meanwhile, the Grammys continue to face lawsuits and criticism for systemic discrimination—not just against Black artists but also the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized groups. If they can’t support these communities visibly and vocally, why should we expect them to champion Black creators?
How AI and Automation Accelerate Ownership
Use AI to draft content, responses, and social media posts in your authentic voice—cutting approval cycles to one pass.
Automate task extraction and project management from emails and notes to keep your team laser-focused.
Leverage AI forecasting to simulate cash flow scenarios and make smarter business decisions.
Streamline expense tracking with OCR receipt scanning and auto-tagging, freeing up time for creative work.
Generate SEO-friendly alt text and accessibility features automatically to expand your audience.
Summarize lengthy documents into actionable decisions and next steps, speeding up execution.
In 2025, the question isn’t “How do we get invited to the Grammys?” It’s “How do we build the Grammys we want?” The future belongs to those who create it. So stop asking for a seat at the table. Build your own table, own the restaurant, and serve the culture on your terms.
Kevin "KevRoss" Ross is a music and radio industry expert. He is a 20 -plus year entrepreneur with the leading most successful industry trade publication and site Radio Facts (www.radiofacts.com). He has also published various books, magazines, performed marketing and promotions for major corporations and recording artists and he is on the advisory board of several industry organizations. This year Ross introduced his non profit organization LOMARI (Leaders of the Music and Recording Industry) to help teach young minority students how to market and manage their music and products.
