A committed couple. While Beyonce, national figure of « empowerment », will open the Oscars ceremony in music from a tennis court in Compton, a popular suburb of Los Angeles, her husband, the very democrat Jay-Z, chooses to finish the night at the Bar of the Château Marmont. The rapper thus hopes to perpetuate a tradition: two years ago, he organized an evening on the sidelines of the ceremony in the parking lot of the famous establishment, known to house all the excesses of Hollywood since the 1960s. Soberly baptized Gold Party, Jay-Z’s party was etched in the memories of Rihanna, Reese Witherspoon, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Travis Scott, Gabrielle Union and Charlize Theron. And cell phones were banned, as in the darkest Berlin after-parties.
In 2022, Jay-z’s decision to return to the hotel is not, however, the wisest he has taken during his career, when the Château Marmont is the subject of a boycott. Launched by a union of employees, the movement denounces the working conditions within the establishment: a work environment where racism, sexism and harassment are commonplace. For the past few months, Hollywood’s largest union has been supporting the boycott and big names in the 7th American art have joined the ranks of supporters: Spike Lee in particular, but also Issa Rae, Robin Thede, Roxane Gay, Ashley Nicole Black and Samira Wiley.
UNITE HERE Local 11, the employee union, is now calling for a picket at the entrance to the rapper’s party this Sunday. “The fact that Jay-z chose to organize his Gold Party at Château Marmont is shocking, insists Kurt Petersen, co-president of the union. He needs to move his party to a place that treats its black employees with respect and dignity.>>
In 2021, Thomasina Gross, a former black hotel employee, sued its management, alleging discriminatory practices among staff. She explained in particular that promotions had been frequently granted to white employees whom she was responsible for supervising, without anything ever being offered to her. « I’m a huge Beyonce and Jay-z fan, so working at their Gold Party year after year has been such an honor and a pleasure, » she told The Hollywood Reporter. They made it a point to recognize our hard work and treated us like human beings, not just waiters. They said that our presence meant a lot to them in terms of contributing to the success of their party. As I allege in my lawsuit, I was sexually harassed as a black woman while working on other events at the castle. I can’t help but think that if Jay-z knew how the castle treats its employees, he wouldn’t overlook that fact and wouldn’t stop throwing parties there. >> sacred evening in perspective for Knowles-Carter.