For many young people, going out to a club to dance and have a good time is supposed to be a fun and liberating experience. However, what is becoming a disturbingly dirty little secret and more frequent occurrence of the nightclub scene is beginning to raise more and more eyebrows.
A Montrealer, who prefers to go by the initials NL, is irate over what he says is shoddy treatment of young black people by club owners and staff. According to the former deejay, now in his mid-twenties, racist club policies exist and are affecting not only black patrons but black artists as well. "Clubs are telling deejays not to play too much hip-hop because they don't want to attract too many black people," explains NL. He says this revelation is just the tip of the iceberg.
"I have black comic friends who are being told not to do too much 'black material' in their acts," he continues. "Comedians draw on their families and life experiences for material and to be told that you have to censor your act is ridiculous. It seems like it's not enough to be funny when you're black, you have to be that much better."
NL believes that owners take one look at the way some black people dress and they're scared off. One bouncer told him he was instructed not to let too many black people into the club. NL believes that club owners see violence in gangster music and films and automatically believe that similarly dressing patrons will also be violent. "Rappers are over the top in their music for expression and artistic reasons. I believe owners are buying into this stigma when it comes to young black people that dress in this style. In fact, if you look at most clubs' promotional flyers, you'll see that they always put white people on them."
"Club owners are telling deejays not to play too much hip-hop
because they don't want to attract too many black people."
While NL concedes that this discrimination doesn't apply to black patrons in their thirties or older, he finds the collective attitude of club owners in Montreal towards young black club goers to be unacceptable.
One club owner, who only agreed to comment on condition of anonymity, says that it isn't an across-the-board policy against black people. "First and foremost, our focus is to make money," explains the owner. "We play whatever helps us make more money and sell more drinks. I don't care who my customers are as long as it helps our bottom line."
NL isn't buying into the notion that club owners aren't stifling black talent and discouraging black customers from frequenting their establishments. "Something is going on and it needs to be talked about."
What can you do?
If you're in a club and witness or hear something that isn't quite right, confront the parties involved and/or consider filing a complaint. You can also send your comments to
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