Producers Getting Paid From Mixtape Placements

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I think producers should get paid but not like they should on an album. For me, if I get some pub for producing a track or two on a mixtape, Im cool with that because I know it will pay off in the long-run.
 
There are a lot of good points in this thread... but the ultimate question, IMO, is WHY do producers get paid at all? Does making a beat for a mixtape fit those criteria?
 
RAnthony said:
WHY do producers get paid at all? Does making a beat for a mixtape fit those criteria?
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i dont know if youre asking a serious question or its some spiteful point im just not understanding

but um
producers get paid for their participation in songs
 
Producers should get paid off mixtape tracks, but you gotta play the game, and if it means free beats (for a mixtape), funk it.

I'd use that track to drive people to me and my products/services, and try to continue working with that artist, as you never know where that relationship could lead you.

And if somebody will rip your track from the PMP Track Dump, it's not even worth wasting your time with that dude.
There are still serious artists around, but you gotta look hard to find em.
 
Didn't read the whole thread, but y'all buggin'. Get paid for your work, period. I've been on mixtapes that physically sold more than commercial releases I produced. Meaning the artist was getting $7 a copy with all overhead covered! You telling me these guys can't pay you no different than a label?

If that sh*t has a serial number and scans for a price, you should be paid. Even if it's "free download", an artist the caliber of Wayne would break bread for my track.

You telling me some ordinary guy can hit you up on soundclick and pay you $200-1000(whatever you charge) for an exclusive with the likeliness of never making it back, but these millionaires on TV get a pass to get you "buzz" in a time when no one cares you produced track 12 on Weezy's joint a week after it came out?

That "mixtape tracks are free" sh*t is a hustle, they really want your track, when you say "$3,500" they say "$2500" and you say "deal", lol. Then, once they've paid for it, they're more likely to do something with it than if they got it for free. Might actually make an album or at least a good official youtube vid.

Y'all cheatin yourselves.
 
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deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup said:
Didn't read the whole thread, but y'all buggin'. Get paid for your work, period. I've been on mixtapes that physically sold more than commercial releases I produced. Meaning the artist was getting $7 a copy with all overhead covered! You telling me these guys can't pay you no different than a label?

If that sh*t has a serial number and scans for a price, you should be paid. Even if it's "free download", an artist the caliber of Wayne would break bread for my track.

You telling me some ordinary guy can hit you up on soundclick and pay you $200-1000(whatever you charge) for an exclusive with the likeliness of never making it back, but these millionaires on TV get a pass to get you "buzz" in a time when no one cares you produced track 12 on Weezy's joint a week after it came out?

That "mixtape tracks are free" sh*t is a hustle, they really want your track, when you say "$3,500" they say "$2500" and you say "deal", lol. Then, once they've paid for it, they're more likely to do something with it than if they got it for free. Might actually make an album or at least a good official youtube vid.

Y'all cheatin yourselves.
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Word up!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cheers:

Nobody wants a FREE wack beat. They want it because it's hot! So anything that's hot deserves CASHMONEY.
 
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subscribing!
 
i feel you deranged but at the same time thats why lil wayne uses beats that are already out because he said "producers be wanting their money"
and rightfully so because its just like a commercial the company doesnt make anything off of the actual commercial, but everyone involved in it gets paid. Actors arent like well ill do this for free so i can get my face out there.

but do you charge less for a track thats going on a mixtape, or do you charge the same?
 
Promotional tool or not, producers deserve to be compensated for their work. Networks are paid to air commercials, which are tools of promotion. Advertisers are charged to air 30 second audio commercials on radio. These are no different from producers providing original music to be used on a mixtape that promotes a product for commercial consumption. Rappers will, of course, try to 'bend' this concept in their favor. They'll sell you the "it's a good luck" bull****.
 
most original music that ends up on mixtapes are album cuts that didnt make it...meaning...the producer was trying to get it on your album...u take the track...and give it away for free...u aint come say...give me a track for my mixtape...u said...."give me a track for my album"....if that's how u did it then the producers deserves the negotiated fee because the rapper just made it almost impossible for u to sell that beat once it comes out....

lastly...mixtapes arent credited...so how is anybody gonna know u did a mixtape beat?
 
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Dot_Robinson said:
Promotional tool or not, producers deserve to be compensated for their work. Networks are paid to air commercials, which are tools of promotion. Advertisers are charged to air 30 second audio commercials on radio. These are no different from producers providing original music to be used on a mixtape that promotes a product for commercial consumption. Rappers will, of course, try to 'bend' this concept in their favor. They'll sell you the "it's a good luck" bull****.
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It all comes down to leverage and position. When a corporation wants to reach millions of potential customers they have very few outlet choices that can meet the demand so those outlets (TV networks, commerical radio, major online portals) can say 'pay me or take a hike'. This is called SCARCITY VALUE.

The major labels/artists are going through the same fundamental issue with the radio stations in regards to the Performance Royalty Act. Since the radio stations make money off of the music they get from the labels for free (lets put PAYOLA out of the equation for the sake of this discussion) should the artists/labels get a cut of the action or should they be happy with the 'free promotions' they get. Who has the real leverage is the question

In the case of a hip hop producer he doesn't have the same luxury because there are tens of thousands of other music producers that the artist/record company can choose from so REVENUE is traded off in exchange for RELEVANCY (or at least percieved relevancy). In the business world people only spend money if they HAVE to so the question is what are you bringing to the table to force their hand? It could be a record the artist is totally in love with and feel the whole project is a wash if u don't green light it which in that case they will pay you (dont be suprised that they never do business with you again and possibly spread a negative word on you in spite) OR you bring a BRAND VALUE to the table in which the artists sees you as asset beyond just the beat and are willing to exchange money or barter something of equal value for your services.
 
if your a producer and you feel its okay to give away tracks for free you SUCK, step your game up and get your money....
 
las7154 said:
most original music that ends up on mixtapes are album cuts that didnt make it...meaning...the producer was trying to get it on your album...u take the track...and give it away for free...u aint come say...give me a track for my mixtape...u said...."give me a track for my album"....if that's how u did it then the producers deserves the negotiated fee because the rapper just made it almost impossible for u to sell that beat once it comes out....

lastly...mixtapes arent credited...so how is anybody gonna know u did a mixtape beat?
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Yes this is how it often plays out and its a loophole being exploited by the fact its commonplace for a label not to strike a deal until it is CERTAIN the song will be made available in retail (digital or physical). So now artists have the luxury of cutting endless songs for YEARS (ex - Juelz Santanna) and dangle the 'album placement' carrot in front of the producer, tell them to hold tight and even if the song gets leaked online will still tell the producer 'we're waiting to see what the feedback is and if it catches on then it maybe the first single' and then if it doesnt the song then becomes just another exclusive buried in the archives of your favorite hip hop website and/or mixtape material. This takes the leverage away from the producer ESPECIALLY since everybody in the business knows how hard it is to get an actuall paycheck for a real project nowadays. If you play hard ball upfront (and your not a current A tier producer) your either going to get shut down or you may get paid but only once
 
The likelihood of you dealing with somebody of Wayne's caliber is like you winning the lottery. Let's not get ahead of ourselves (yourselves), you're going to be dealing with a dude in the same boat as you on most mixtapes.

If the artist is known and doing shows and is hot, you could ask to be paid but I'd rather just have a "something" that the artist is slinging around that I'm involved in. I have a mouth too, I don't need the artist to do promo for me if I get left off of the mixtape shoutouts, credits or whatever. I can make my own noise and hustle the same joint he's on for myself. It's not like the artist is going to say "He didn't do the song!". I have the responsibility of being my own PR machine.

If you like to give away free songs, sit back and fold your arms and mean mug the artist for not promoting you... make him pay you your $20 and be happy.

I'll say it again, you DON'T HAVE to be paid for everything. Nothing is concrete.

I'll say this again too... I ain't never heard of anybody in this thread outside of FP... except DJay Cas. I don't know what Cas's method is but somehow his songs made it onto my iPod (3 of 'em from different artists) and I didn't get em from an FP thread.

Do what you feel. Keep that hard drive backed up and keep buying those external drives for all of the beats you amass because nobody knows you. When people download stuff from the web, they want completed songs. Artists already know where to go to get beats and if they don't they're probably brand new.

Nobody knows about your soundclick or myspace page.

I always sound like the bad guy, lol. My take on things shouldn't be your take... not once did I say anybody was an idiot for wanting to be paid (why are people taking subliminal jabs with harsh words?). I want to be paid... I just don't have to if the situation is good.

That's the difference between me and you. You hold out, I weigh the odds. If the beat helps the artist, it helps me too. I just have to do my own REVERSE promo using the song the artist did over my beat.

Don't you see threads here where people have completed a song with an artist? That's a producer making his own noise and not waiting for the artist to do all of the promo, whomever promotes the most, benefits the most.

Have a happy back up.

... and the last time you got more than $75 was when Mystikal was hot.
 
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I don't even sell beats...

So do you...

Hopefully, you'll know what situation you're in when you're contacted for music and try to make win / win situations for everybody.

That's what business is...

(if you're not smart enough to know a bad situation though, I can't really hold your hand on that one)
 
The main word that sticks out in this thread is

SHOULD

I don't see many posts that say

Producers ARE getting paid for mixtape beats

Holla at me when you can stick out your chest and say that and I'll change my attitude about the whole thing.

For right now, I'll have to deal with the market as is...

You hold out though, lol.
 
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j.troup said:
So the artist WILL get paid off of those promotional joints...what about the producer?? Nobody ever knows who that person is.
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In the field(s) I'm working in, "apprentices" don't get paid.
It doesn't mean these people are not highly trained, or that they don't have experience in some "professional" field.
Hell, people who sold bottled water now work for majors.

What counts is: do they have the experience for THIS particular job?

Take that concept and apply it to "mixtapes" and you see the whole picture. "Prove to me that you are not a one-hit-wonder and we will call you back for the next project".

Truth is, if you are "what it takes", why should you wait for that next call? This is a business, not love. You don't operate under "one-itis", you try to "diversify your bonds".
If you don't want to pay me for my top-quality product..........somebody will. :cheers:

Promotion is nice and all that, but it's just one part of the picture.
The other is HARD NUMBERS. And if you use DJs for free, producers for free and features for free.......well, you are CHEAP!
And in the end, you shouldn't concentrate on pleasing "gold diggers", when you are a raw diamond.
 
Well, everybody has their own take on it. It's all good.

Make 5 joints today.... wait to get paid from 'em. You'll be a little older by the time that happens and somebody will have taken your spot and be in demand.

I bet Zaytoven can charge more than he used to... while the $100 boys haven't even gotten started...

lol.

You're not getting any younger and wrinkle creams are for women.


I don't see any pro websites or banner ads on the big websites from the people wanting to get paid. I see FREE SOUNDCLICK and MYSPACE links... and people that scream bloody murder if you mention PMP charging to host their music on a professional looking website... sad. Want everything for Free... but swear THEY should be paid... smh.

See how much success your thinking has brought you... great isn't it?
 
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