Dear Mr. Music Producer,

I know you are a creative, and you’re very busy and may not be interested in legal jargons but I’m sure you are interested in making some more money.

Stated below are some reasons why the artistes you give your beats, are ripping you off.

1.  You are not taking steps to ensure you get your share from ring tones and caller tunes, when you could… and should.

2.  You are not taking steps to ensure you benefit maximally from international collaborations on songs you produced, when you could.

3.  You are busy trying to transform yourself into an artiste/singer/rapper when you just don’t have what it takes.

4.  You are not taking steps to maximize yield on each of your beats through multiple streams, when you could.

5.  You are not taking steps to ensure you get your fair share from well sponsored public performance of songs using you produced, when you could.

6.  You are not taking steps to ensure you get your fair share from any advertising and endorsement related to use of songs performed on your beats, when you could.

7.  You are not taking steps to ensure you make money from local and international music royalties when you could.

8.  You are not taking steps to ensure you make money from local and international music publishing, when you could.

9. You are not taking steps to organize yourself in a group to learn and insist on your rights.

10.  You are not taking steps to organize your business within the legal framework which positions you to fully get what the law says is your own.

Now that you are fully aware of 10 (ten) different reasons why you’ve not been making the kind of money that you should be making- you should also be aware that unless you have or develop the required boldness to insist on your legal rights and organize your business within the required legal framework- nothing will change.

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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Justin Ige MCIArb is Managing Partner at CREATIVE LEGAL, a Media and Entertainment Law practise.

Follow @creativelegalng. @ogalawya