Are up & coming producer’s ideas getting stolen by the industry?

It’s a catch 22 when trying to come up in the ranks of the music industry, “How do I protect my work, without protecting it so much that it doesn’t get heard?” That’s the million dollar question that will make SOMEBODY a million dollars; it might or might not be you though.

It’s been a lot of cases emerging lately of artist claiming their song, idea or work has been stolen by more established names. Most recently an artist named Total Kaos claims T-Pain, Just Blaze & Maino jacked him
TOTAL KAOS EXPOSES T-PAIN - PROVIDES SONG PROOF (Part 3)

Another producer Mali Boi claims Lil Wayne did him dirty,  also Interscope Records artist Charles Hamilton stealing producer Black Spade’s beat and telling him right to his face that he didn’t.

The question with these allegations that seem to be springing up weekly is, are they legit claims? Is it a hungry producer/artist just reaching for an opportunity? Are the established veterans of the industry running out of ideas? It’s really a damned if you do , damned if you don’t scenario for the up and comer trying to get out there.

One thing common for super producers are ‘beat apprentice’ , understudies working an assembly line of beats, keeping the production ‘brand’ going. Producers such as Timbaland, Kanye & Dr. Dre have admitted to this method unapologeticly, because they themselves started out as understudies. The established producers have the experience and ear of the game, they know how to take a ‘beat’ and make it a song. The understudy sits under the mentor-ship of the established producer, learning how make the transition from bedroom beat maker to professional producer.

Are the established producer giving back to the game? Or draining ideas from the young mind to keep himself hot?

Timbaland, after changing the entire landscape of R&B/Pop music when he hit the scene, seemed to be hitting a creative wall by the mid 2000’s, looked like the fall off was inevitable, here comes Justin Timberlake’s ‘My Love’ in 2006, changed the whole game again from the production stand point, Timbaland was ‘BACK’ the people were yelling. But it actually was Tim’s understudy “Danja Handz”who was the mastermind behind the track that saved A LOT of folks careers. Not saying Timbaland didn’t do ANYTHING, but it’s been confirmed that Danja came up with the infamous synth sound that drives that whole song. Danja has since broke off on his own to produce for T.I., Trey Songz, Britney Spears, Madonna and just about everybody.

Though it seems Danja & Timbo had an understanding, a lot of times that’s not the case between the head producer & the understudy. An example is the A Millie controversy with producer Bangladesh, and it’s co-producer Co-Li, the one who came up with the “A Millie, A Millie A Millie” vocals that you hear. Bangladesh thought it was original from his co-producer, turns out the A Millie vocal was an “A Tribe Called Quest” sample. Now what should be a great landmark in the producer’s career is a big mess, courts, arguments, disputes, threats like, “Imma kill you” as you can see at around the 4:00 min. mark of the below video…you know the norm..

Up and comers are not the only ones swimming with the sharks though, even established producers like DJ Toomp are leery of sending out Beat CD’s because of what I call ‘sound sharks. They sit and take your IDEA, they won’t steal your track out right, just the idea, treading the fine line between inspiration and bitting.

So what’s the solution? Are the up & comers desperate? Are cats paranoid? Are the old heads leaching relevance? Finding inspiration without looking out for the one who inspired them? No one has a factual answer for this, besides COPYRIGHT YOUR SHIT!.. (copyright forms are at the bottom of my article)..

I heard an A&R in the music industry discuss this topic at a music conference, he was asked, “How do I stop from other people in the game jackin my sounds & beats?” The A&R replied back, “Come up with something else.”

-Alpha twitter.com/KingAkai.com

Copyright PA form
http://www.federalresearch.com/services/form_pa.pdf

Copyright SR form
http://www.benedict.com/Info/Law/Forms/formsr.pdf
How to copyright your music, beats, songs
http://www.musicpowers.com/copyrights.html