Lil Wayne is making headlines again for allegedly stealing beats. Because I see this kind of mixup happen far too often, I’d thought I use this opportune moment to address the importance of contracts and copyrights. But before I go there, let me lay out the conflict among the parties involved.
A lawsuit was filed in L.A. by rapper Rich Rick. Rick claims that he bought a beat some years ago that’s used in Waynes song “How to Love” from a group of producers who call themselves the Drumma Boyz. Rick then Read the rest of this entry »
I’ve seen some artists sign some fucked up contacts in my day. Whether it was with a record company, management, or production company. These contracts were almost always signed without a lawyer involved. Most of the time artists only seek counsel when they’re trying to get out of a bad agreement. Bad agreements can stagnate and ruin any chances you have of living out your dream of having a career in music. Music attorney Ed Fair in this video clip expresses the importance of knowing when seek legal help.
Peter Shukat, an entertainment lawyer with Shukat, Arrow, Hafer, Weber & Herbsman in New York City, discusses key issues in a recording contract such as the amount of product the label agrees to give and what kind of advance/royalty is going to be paid. He also covers the restrictions and limitations an artist can put on a record company and the mechanical royalty clause.
Dina LaPolt, an entertainment lawyer based in Los Angeles, CA, reveals what aspects of a record deal are worth fighting for, and how to tell when your relationship with your label is about to hit the skids.
