Contract

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YoungBlazeHo

New member
So after a few months of making beats, I decided to give it a shot and start sending out beats to rappers and labels.
And yesterday, I got a reply from Coast2CoastMixtapes. I never heard of them before, but I did some googling and found out a lot of good stuff about it.
Their CEO sent me a mail saying that they liked my beats and that they want me to send them 5-10 beats for their future projects and that I would get 25% from the sales of the song I produced.
I was like woah. I was really amazed. But then I saw that there was this contract. A really long one. 9 pages. And after reading it, I'm not sure should I sign it. I mean, it is reasonable and everything but I'm not sure.
So I would really like some of your opinions.
Thanks in advance!
 
Ask a lawyer to review it. It's the best way to be safe and get the actual text of the contract summed up in words that normal non-lawyer people understand. It shouldn't cost too terribly much if you just look up a local lawyer and give them a call. It shouldn't take them more than an hour or so, so at the very most you'd end up paying a few hundred bucks for a top-notch lawyer to look it over.

Contracts are designed to be overly complicated, and some are actually designed to hide "the fine print" that isn't good for your benefit but is great for the writer. If you're not a lawyer, and there aren't lawyers on this site that want to share free legal advice, that's the only real way to be sure you're not getting ripped off.

Cheers,

Rob
 
given that they also run a version of this approach where you pay them to be on their tapes, I would be ensuring that a lawyer looks over it first
 
Olie said:
Another poster on here had a message from them: https://www.futureproducers.com/for...-huge-opportunity-need-advice-if-scam-474355/ I would throw it strait in the trash if i were you but if you want to doll out money for a lawyer go for it.
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Yeah, I will probably not do anything about it. I mean, it all sounded kinda fishy to me from beginning, but I was just not sure. I replied them with some questions and they said since I was not 18, I couldn't sign but that they could make a new contract for my parents to sign. I mean, that's a lot of work to write a new contract and I don't think I am that good so they would do that just to get my beats if you know what I mean...


But still, the message that the other guy on this forums got was on facebook, from ''their official DJ'' saying how the beats he heard were awesome and that he was amazed and shit. That is a classic scam. But I got this from their official email address, with no signs of asking for money. And they didn't tell me that they were amazed and shit.


Here's the exact message:
''Congrats, we like the beats that you sent in and we would like to use some of them on some of our upcoming Coast 2 Coast Compilations that we will be releasing for sale worldwide. All artists and producers will receive percentages from the sales of the projects.


All we need from you is a folder of 5 to 10 beats that you would like to contribute to the projects along with the attached contract signed. Look over the contract and let me know if you have any questions.




Once you sign the contract, reply to this email with it attached and a link to a folder with the beats you would like to contribute. Please make sure that the beats do not have any samples in them and do not have any artists on them yet including hooks.




Looking forward to working with you and making some music money together!''


And i've googled again about them, with more attention ofcourse. And I have found some reports on them asking for money (and I again say they didn't ask me for money, but still, maybe this is a new improved version of the scam since the old one was too simple), but still I have found a lot of videos where some really big artists like 2 Chainz, Meek Mill, Jeremih, Jahlil Beats etc. are giving them a shout out. Would all those artists be linked to a massive scam plans? Do you get what I'm saying?


I'm just not sure about this whole thing. And to make it a bigger problem for me, I'm not from America. English is not my first language. And I can't find anyone near me who can analyze a contract written in english.


Meh, I'll probably just ignore it.
 
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talk it over with your parents - I was not suggesting that you were being scammed, just that this was a different approach from them

based on everything you have told us so far, they seem genuinely interested in working with you
 
Congratulations, that doesn't seem so bad. The fact they sent you a contract straight away means they could actually know what they're talking about and not be some crazy scam. a 9 page contract isn't really that big, in the UK a standard contract of employment is about 15 pages at least. At least they are not asking you for money. Like someone else said, get a friend to have a look at it (got any friends studying English?)

Contracts aren't that hard to understand when you break them down,

One thing I'd look into is how their previous compilations sell.
 
I'd try to sell the actual beat and get your money today--instead of giving them a beat, which may turn into exclusivity, and then hope that they commercially distribute after producing over your beat. Coast to Coast is more mixtapes than hot singles etc.
 
akplay said:
I'd try to sell the actual beat and get your money today--instead of giving them a beat, which may turn into exclusivity, and then hope that they commercially distribute after producing over your beat. Coast to Coast is more mixtapes than hot singles etc.
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Man if I could sell beats, I would not send free beats to a lot of emails. I have like 20 subscribers. I am pretty new. That is why I want this to be real, so I would get some promotion.
If I could sell beats right now all by myself, I wouldn't have this conversation here with you if you know what I mean.
 
its like playing the lottery to be honest man...tons of ppl send in their beats..and if ur lucky ur beat will get chosen for an album that who is going to buy these days??..I can understand that you are excited but you need to maintain your composure and use discernment. You can't trust anyone in this business{not literally but u can feel me}..remember your gut instinct is usually right and stay on top of ur game and don't let anyone take advantage of you
 
Yup--I completely understand, but like I said, I'm unsure of whether they want exclusivity or a time frame for them to have exclusivity, but you're basically turning over 5-10 beats to them, and that's it. If and when they decide to use one, you may find out, and you may receive your 25%. However, you may never find out, and you may just be sending them ideas etc. How about you try to make a connection with somewhere there regarding your contract etc, and see if by a personal relationship you can build a foundation to get yourself in there and start making money, not hoping to make money.

You can sell beats by yourself, hit the pavement instead of the internet. You've got it man!
 
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