In this episode of the Music Business Newsletter with Matthew Rix, I read an email from a rapper from Birmingham, Alabama, who’s been carrying the weight of a bad record deal for more than a decade.
Back in 2011, he signed with a small indie label that promised him the world. The problem? They never paid for studio time, marketing, or production he made all his music at home on his own. By 2013, the label shut down completely, but no one ever sent him his release papers.
Now in his 30s, he has been releasing music independently for over 12 years, collaborating with other artists and building a solid catalog; however, he still doesn’t have that one piece of paper stating he’s officially free.
To make matters worse, the old label’s name is now being used by a European company that doesn’t even do rap music. He is worried that someday they might discover his contract and attempt to claim ownership of his work.
In this episode, I break down:
-What to do if your record label no longer exists
-How to prove your independence legally
-When to get a lawyer involved (and when you might not need one)
-How to protect your music from being claimed by anyone else
If you’ve ever been trapped in an old music contract or just want to make sure you never end up in this situation this one’s a must-watch.
Got a question or story about the music industry?
Go to https://MatthewRix.com and send it in.
The more details you share, the better advice I can give and your story might help other artists too.
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