Help! 14 year old got record deal

DJ.Oblivion

DJ.Oblivion

New member
hi! im 14 and i found these guys on youtube: Hologram Records - YouTube


and i sent them a video and they said they were interested in doing an album with me...okay so then they said i have to pay for mastering of my music (isnt that their job) and they said that wed discuss tour vans and all that later...okay so i emailed one of the 2 guys signed on to them and he said that "of course theyre legit, they paid for my album art already and that runs 200" well if they can pay that why cant they pay for mastering?he also said they were non profit...well then how on earth are they going to do anything to help me if they arent making any money from it???? the whole thing seems fishy...i really dont wanna get scammed and end up losing the rights to my music...help someone plz
 
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first of all get your parents involved you can't legally sign any contracts
so you can't be scammed

I don't know if it's a scam but if you're paying for everything what do you need them for
I don't see the value in their offer


-Coach Antonio
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so you're pretty much paying for prmotion. and yes you have to pay for mastering why would someone do that for free.
 
all expenses that you rank up from the beginning to the end of your record are recoupable that's how indie and majors do it

-Coach Antonio
"Let Me Handle your next Praise Party"


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Of course someone has to pay for mastering but its usually something done out of an advance so if your paying it out of pocket, what is their value? Marketing maybe? Something you definitely need to look into and like homie mentioned you cant sign anything personally anyway.
 
Hold on... are you a producer or artist? If you're a producer, then mastering is not your job by any stretch of the imagination. Beats are NEVER to be mastered in a proper recording. Mastering is done after the vocals have been added to the beat first, which would be the artist or label's responsibility.

experience: I've mastered hundreds of tracks from paying clients. Also, I've delt with start-up labels that were no different than a bunch of stoners sitting around a circle saying "lets make a band man."
 
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Whatever you signed as a 14 year old isn't valid. So if it sounds fishy, walk away now. The contract isn't legit anyway so what do you have to lose?
 
It makes no sense for someone to ask you to master your beats...their vocals go in there last...over the beat. It would make a bit more since if they said pay someone for mixing your beats, but mastering should be the final touch. Do they even know your 14? How do they expect you to do that without being of age to work?
 
i told them my age...figured id need to because of contracts or whatever, wanted to get it out of the way...producer or artist? well...idk none of my music has vocals...im not going to sell beats for rappers or anything im a solo person unless i find someone to collaborate with...idk if i already said this but what realy got me was when i messaged the guy signed to the label and he told me that hologram was non profit and that we keep al of the money. I DONT WANT THAT. yea sounds like a dream come true but then how are the supposed to pay for all this stuff they promised me? a tour bus, tour scheduling, (proffessional recording?) im a producer, what is there to record? and then ive got this douche signed to hologram teling me not to sign to anyone because i dont know how the industry works...but i mean those are some pretty important questions...id rather do it indie style than lose the rights to my music and owe them an arm and a leg for the stuff they shouldve supplied.
 
DJ.Oblivion said:
hi! im 14 and i found these guys on youtube: Hologram Records - YouTube


and i sent them a video and they said they were interested in doing an album with me...okay so then they said i have to pay for mastering of my music (isnt that their job) and they said that wed discuss tour vans and all that later...okay so i emailed one of the 2 guys signed on to them and he said that "of course theyre legit, they paid for my album art already and that runs 200" well if they can pay that why cant they pay for mastering?he also said they were non profit...well then how on earth are they going to do anything to help me if they arent making any money from it???? the whole thing seems fishy...i really dont wanna get scammed and end up losing the rights to my music...help someone plz
Click to expand...

I'm just reading this and laughing, not at you, but at this whole situation! Why? Because I was on the same boat! A guy called me and told me he wanted me on his record label after hearing my beats and that it's not "huge" yet but he has talented artists that needs my beats... He talked about contracts and etc. I remember he even told me he mailed one to me... 4 years later, I got nothing. It was all a scam. He lead me on for 2 years before I knew the truth and I was very young at the time, so I was very gullible. I see him on twitter nowadays posting stupid, "no life" things. End result? Still nothing.

At your age, If I were you, I'd tell my parents everything that he said and show them proof of the information he gave to you. Then I'll let my parents call him and talk to him to see if all he said was true. Your parents should know if he's lying or not. If your parents begin to believe him now, hire a lawyer to look over any contract he gives to you. If what he says is true, hiring a lawyer WILL BE worth it!

The whole point is that, you should GET YOUR PARENTS INVOLVED.

Do not give away your contact information, and no label should be asking a 14 year old to sign a contract. That part already sounds fishy. Also, copyright your music before sending it to them. As the last dude said.. if it sounds fishy, it probably is.



 
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that's the first thing I pointed out you have to get your parents involved

I'm glad you could bring a real world experience to your post for the original thread starter to read



-Coach Antonio
"Let Me Handle your next Praise Party"


Make Money from Your Music New Money Marketing Forum
Music Business Professionals Read Their Tips
Elite Services for those Who Want to Attain their Goals
Research and Information Gathering Expert
Building Relationships to Build Success
Get the Information and Direction You Deserve
The Walking On Water Media/Ent. Business Coach Antonio​
 
wow 2 years?! thats insane! and the sad thing is if he was legit he couldve made way more money off ya lol...oh the messed up idiots in this world....
 
Since when did record labels quit having websites/blogs & only using YouTube pages. Just saying... move on. In my 12 years doing this, I've been ****ed sideways, mislead, etc. You will eventually learn to ignore these types of "opportunities". My 2 cents.
 
im very hard to scam...i played diablo 2 for a year and a half...after that you become skeptical of everything...i see through most scams....but if it was real it wouldve been suck a great opportunity :-/
 
Hmmm that smells fishy to me.... I have NEVER had to pay for my mastering usually they front that and then recoup.

My golden rule to the business! If someone offers an opportunity, but then asks for money walk away!
 
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