MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The app, TikTok, has gone viral in itself. Its top Black creators are on strike as many say they aren't getting the credit they deserve. Their expression and their moves, it is all their voice. In Steven Prince Tate's class at SubRoy Dance Studios, everyone's nickname is coach.
“I call everybody coach because you learn something from everyone,” said Steven Prince Tate, SubRoy Dance Studios Lead Instructor.
It is a sign of respect.
“Give that credit. Make sure that person’s voice is heard. Make sure that person is recognized that you’re an influence too. I respect you and love your voice,” said Tate.
On the popular app TikTok, voices have gone silent. Many Black creators are on strike saying they are not getting the proper credit for their content.
“It’s sad that people want to take that away from us where our heart is really to give art and be respected for it,” said Tate. "It makes me think of back into the 1950’s and 40’s where they did those doowop groups. There were African Americans who made the songs and made them popular; however, they had to send those songs to their white counterparts to make it play on radio.”
Artists also benefit from the content. Take, for instance, rapper, Megan Thee Stallion. A number of her singles hit big partly due to TikTok dance challenges from Black creators. Since the strike, her newest single released this month has no dance challenges.
“Them going and creating these challenges under those sounds help those sounds get boosted to the algorithm,” said Kenyon Lee, a content creator.
Lee is from Memphis and is also a computer science major. He said part of the blame goes to TikTok.
“It’s really centered around uniting people under one trend…It promotes people to take content. They don’t really have a system in place to show who started any dances or anything under that sound,” said Lee.
How can you get credit?
“It’s definitely going to take someone on the backend side of TikTok to really come in and just find some type of way to mark whoever is trending,” said Lee.
There is something creators can do in the meantime.
“In your video description, you’re going to want to make it really clear that you were the one who started this trend. ‘I created this challenge.’ Plus, the hashtag to seal the deal,” said Lee.
It is a deal that Tate said speaks to a larger acknowledgement.
“We run the world. Us creatives, especially Black creatives, we run the world…I know that without us, there wouldn’t be sound. There wouldn’t be voice. There wouldn’t be color. There just wouldn’t be a flow and a soul,” said Tate.
TikTok released this statement in regards to the strike: "TikTok is a special place because of the diverse and inspiring voices of our community, and our Black creators are a critical and vibrant part of this. We care deeply about the experience of Black creators on our platform and we continue to work every day to create a supportive environment for our community while also instilling a culture where honoring and crediting creators for their creative contributions is the norm."
Earlier this month, they launched the @BlackTikTok account run by Black employees to stay up to date with the Black TikTok community.