his bar, his choice.” She went on to explain that her father founded Progress and he didn’t care for rap either. Is that racist? The owner of Progress doesn’t like rap. After the fact, everyone was like, “the black guy was the aggressor and pushed the white guy through the window.in reality.*view the video* /WETit25XeZ- Music Junkie May 27, 2019Ĭomments in support of Progress Bar are scarce, but one Facebook commenter wrote, “Please don’t hate on Progress ya’ll! I worked at a bar that didn’t allow country music because the owner didn’t like it. A fight started at Progress Bar in Chicago. “You won’t catch me at any business like this.” “No room for hatred or discrimination under the guise of creating a ‘fun vibe,’ especially in Chicago,” another Tweeter wrote. “A rule like this is not implemented to make the space more enjoyable for everyone, but to control who comes (blacks/ latinos).” “Hip-Hop is the most popular & most versatile genre in the world with hundreds of different sounds to enjoy over the decades,” a Twitter user wrote. Good luck with keeping your clientele,” wrote another. “Seems like more of a damage control post rather than a genuine post from people who are willing to learn.
Just put out a sign that says NO BLACKS,” one commenter wrote. “NO racial intention but y’all specifically mentioned WGCI which is an urban station. Many commenters, however, said they feel the statement is insufficient. A screenshot from Progress Bar’s Facebook page Progress Bar/Facebook The post read that DJs will continue to play hip hop. Anyhow, there’s a new rainbow crosswalk outside the bar so yay for inclusion (unless you’re Black/Brown)! /en8Bpw04vw- shania twink May 30, 2019Īs tweets, posts, and negative reviews began pouring in, the bar’s leadership posted a statement to Facebook: “We hope you will stand by us while we tweak things here and ease don’t read too much into this.” It did not include an apology or indicate that the policy will be reconsidered. Progress Bar in Chicago has a new policy and it’s qwhite interesting. See a snippet from the leaked email below. Progress Bar’s email, which was leaked and shared widely on social media on Wednesday, goes on to ban “anything vulgar, aggressive, or considered mumble rap (including certain Cardi B tracks and newer Nicki Minaj).” It also mentions the bar will bring in “added security to help with this transition and one specifically next to the DJ booth.” Progress Bar confirmed on its Facebook page that the email was genuine. This news comes on the heels of a violent string of incidents in Boystown, including one at Progress Bar on Sunday night when a man punched through a window, shattering the glass, and then screamed at patrons and people standing outside the bar. Halsted Street that first opened in 2013, sent an email to workers announcing a change in format: “we have implemented a no rap rule effective immediately” to promote a “super open format POP/DANCE focused atmosphere.” Leadership at Progress Bar, a gay dance club at 3359 N. A Boystown gay bar’s new policy to ban rap has prompted sharp criticism over racial discrimination on social media.