“Beat Jacking” Are You Ready To Get Robbed???

So, somehow you’ve managed to get your beats in the hands of your favorite artist or music executive. What happens next is the question? Well, the dream situation would be for your track to be the number one song on 106 St and park or spinning on the radio a zillion times. A bet you’re thinking “this is great, I’m going to be rich, I’m a super producer now!” Pump your brakes…that’s assuming that all of your business is taken care of. If you think isn’t possible for an artist of record label to straight steal your beats and release it everywhere…you’re in for a rude awakening!

When you hear the term “Beat Jacking”, the first thing that comes to mind is someone stealing your idea for a beat or using someone else’s beat like Ice Cube’s song “Jacking For Beats”. Today, that term has taken on a whole new meaning. Producers are getting jacked for the beats they are shopping for sale! I’m not just talking about your favorite artist recording to your track in the studio. These wise guys are actually releasing and distributing your music through major retail chains without paying and getting permission. Notice how I use the phrase “major retail chains”. We’ll talk about that later in another article but let’s just say right now that any album released through retail stores for sale is an official album (THAT INCLUDES MIX-TAPES). Anyway, there have been a few cases recently that support these accusations. Check out the dispute between producer Chinky P and Jim Jones. Chinky P is quoted as saying:

“This ya boi Chinky P. I produced some joints on the Bullshit ass, Crappy ass Mixtape/Album Harlem’s American Gangster for Mark ass Jim Jones. Yo on the real I vow to NEVERRRRRRRRR EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!! work with Jim Jones or anybody fucking with Byrdgang. Them marks be on the bullshit fa reelz, and they aint about they paper work mayne. They don’t want to pay me for being on that bullshit Mixtape/Album (THE ALBUM LETS BE HONEST! BY THE WAY I HAD THE HOTTEST S**T ON THERE!!! LOL) they don’t want to pay Max mayne. To all producer. Man if u ever work with Jimmy mayne make sure u get a good lawyer, manager, somebody to represent you because it looks like imma have take this them niggas to court”.

The question is, how does a producer produce so many songs for a major artist and not get a dime for it? How does the label get away with releasing an album without obtaining permission from the producer? To put it simply, they “Beat Jack” you! They are really not worried about getting sued because the situation usually ends the same way. After Chinky P went public with his dispute, they shut him up by paying him. Why does a producer have to complain in order to get paid what is owed to them? This is just one situation out of many but what about all the other producers out there that can’t go public or don’t have the resources to get legal help?

Producers are not the only ones getting jacked for beats, artist are getting jacked for beats too. This is one of the wildest things I have ever heard and it’s going on as we speak. Check out the situation between Ray J, AZ and Koch Records. Ray J and AZ are both artists signed to Koch records and they both released albums this year. To make a long story short, Ray J has a song called “Real Nigga” which contains the same track as AZ’s song called” Go Getta”. Now how did that happen? Koch A&R rep Bob Perry basically allowed two different versions to be released because it would benefit KOCH RECORDS. Who cares if artist look crazy to the public for having the same beat. This unconventional practice that Koch records is employing has serious implications for producers. J. Garfield, the producer behind both versions looks like he is double dipping. Even though Koch records are the main culprits in this situation, J. Garfield’s reputation as a producer is in question. Is he selling beats to Koch records and allowing them to use them any way they please? I think it’s a little disrespectful if that’s the case.

Make sure you get as much information as you can about shopping beats to artist and label executives. As you can see, all people in the music business will not treat you fair. You have to protect yourself and your interest at all times. Every opportunity you might come across, as a beat maker might not be the best opportunity for you. It doesn’t matter if its an unsigned artist or a mega superstar like Jay-Z, make sure your business is correct so you can get your respect…and a check!

Written By T.Smalls