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Universal Music Group’s ties to abuse scandals in West Africa

West African nonprofits allege that major Universal Music Group stakeholder Vincent Bolloré has built his fortune through abusive practices in the region. They’re urging the label’s artists to do their research before making charitable donations.

Universal Music Group (UMG) represents some of the world’s biggest artists today, including Kendrick Lamar, his buddy Drake, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, and Rhianna.

Many of the music corporation’s global names, past and present, have travelled to West Africa over the years as ambassadors of humanitarian and anti-corruption efforts. Most notably, Rhianna has helped to raise some $2bn in Senegal for improved education and has consistently called for world leaders to donate aid, while U2 frontman Bono has campaigned against disease and poverty on the continent for literal decades.

These altruistic endeavours, among many others from UMG-affiliated artists, are undoubtedly well intentioned, but it’s transpired that much of the charity raised may have been fuelling a nefarious empire unbeknownst to talent and consumers alike.

Vincent Bolloré, a major stakeholder – with 28% of UMG shares – is currently at the heart of corruption trials, sexual abuse allegations, and a blanket criminal complaint filed by 11 West African nonprofit organisations based in Guinea, Togo, and Cameroon, among other nations.

‘Vincent Bolloré stole money from our communities and used it to build an empire,’ asserted Jean-Jacques Lumumba, the chair of the watchdog outfit called Restitution for Africa (RAF), in a statement to Fast Company.

The Bolloré family’s industrial acumen was established centuries ago, with origins in the manufacturing of Bible and cigarette paper. The generational wealth established globally has seen the family since expand into industries in West Africa including palm oil, shipping, and rubber. It also gained what the courts called ‘effective control’ over Vivendi in the year 2000 – the media conglomerate that owned UMG until 2021.

It’s the worst kept secret that, despite making UMG public-owned, Vincent’s wealth remains directly tied to the music corporation, and he still has massive influence over its ownership structure, strategic partnerships, and potential acquisitions. You may recall Kanye West, following a familiar public crash out, tweeted in 2020 that he was going to take personal grievances above label execs and straight to Vincent. Rare insight from Ye, that.

So, you’ve Vincent’s shadow still looming large over UMG while the company’s artists are using their own platforms and wealth to fight perceived injustices. In reality, a powerful billionaire may have been undermining these efforts all the way and continuing to build his own fortune at the expense of the impoverished.

Waves of divestment from Vincent’s businesses continue to crash, recently including a complete shutout from Switzerland’s largest pension fund and Norway’s $1.7trn sovereign wealth fund, citing a number of concerning allegations including human rights abuses in Liberia, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone.

The potential rap sheet is too sizable to break down in precise detail, but the major offences include exerting political influence to secure monopolies over ports and rail infrastructure, laundering the proceeds of huge sales of these subsidiaries for eye-watering financial gain, widescale land-grabbing with disregard for local communities, and turning a blind eye to a sexual assault crisis on rubber and palm oil plantations part-owned by the Bolloré estate.

In an attempt to spark remunerations and regain a sense of sovereignty over the continent, RAF launched a public petition last week called ‘Global Billionaire Accountability Project.’ In an attempt to solicit support from 50 major UMG artists including Taylor Swift, Rihanna, The Weekend, and Billie Eilish, the group sent a letter pleading for these big name talents to hold Vincent accountable and demand his divestment from the music corporation.

Arguing that UMG artists are intrinsically tied to a ‘corporate entity accused of profiting from illicit and exploitative activities,’ the letter sounds off with: ‘We want to ensure you’re aware that these ill-gotten gains have been funding Bolloré’s ownership of UMG – dirty money off the backs of African communities.’

UMG itself hasn’t been targeted with any legal pursuits, but Vincent has been locked into complicated court squabbles for years. Thus far – it’s only been a few days, granted – none of the artists contacted through the letter have responded or publicly acknowledged its existence.

Bolloré lawyers have a knack for popping up with ‘gag orders’ when it comes to reporters and nonprofits digging into their business operations – 20 to date, if your counting – but this particular story has spread too rapidly to be supressed.

It’ll be interesting to see who, if anyone, steps up to demand some accountability, or whether the many household names under UMG stay silent. Ultimately, they’re not at fault here, but there’s undeniably public pressure to decide on which side their bread is buttered.

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