Should you charge for a verse or hook?

[reecemm]

Hi Guys,

The way I look at this is, giving a feature for free could be used as promotion, to get your name out and mix with more people. Especially for someone like me, who is yet to actually release music. This promotion will be there as use to create a fan-base.

What you guys think? Charge for a feature or give for free? Maybe it depends on if they're wanting the feature enough to pay, or if they have a larger fan-base? And how much?

Thanks..

 

[The Funk Junkie]

Depends on demand, if people are willing to pay for a feature, charge them! If you're still building up a base and have extra time on your hands, nothing wrong with working for free with people in a similar situation. Just make sure you don't do a feature for somebody who's bad enough that you might regret appearing on their track in the future.

 

[reecemm]

Just make sure you don't do a feature for somebody who's bad enough that you might regret appearing on their track in the future.

But If I do better than the artist, surely their audience will be like "Well damn. This other guy is better. Let me check me of his music"? Plus, it's still making money I can use towards equipment. Maybe you mean don't give free to someone who's not that good?

 

[Jay Gravity]

I'm new to rap and I'm looking to feature with some new rappers. HMU so we can plan some heat. I'm 15 not looking to charge anyone at this time. I do wanna help some kats get on tracks to see how it works out. Find me on soundcloud under Jay Gravity or PM me your email....Peace

 

[The Funk Junkie]

But If I do better than the artist, surely their audience will be like "Well damn. This other guy is better. Let me check me of his music"? Plus, it's still making money I can use towards equipment. Maybe you mean don't give free to someone who's not that good?

Well, definitely don't give something away for free to somebody who's not good. Even so though, if you're good at what you do and have fairly good sound quality when you record, you're not helping yourself when you put your vocals on somebody's track that ends up poorly mixed and crappy sounding, or maybe the beat is just wack and the song is bad in general. Whenever I've worked with artists that are more popular than myself or the group I'm producing for, they ask for a sample of my previous work before they even will quote a price. Even if you murder the other guy on the beat, it only takes one awful verse, chorus, or beat to bring down the whole song and make your work look bad. Just my two cents...

 

[reecemm]

Even if you murder the other guy on the beat, it only takes one awful verse, chorus, or beat to bring down the whole song and make your work look bad. Just my two cents...

Thanks, got you bro. I understand what you mean now.

 

[TagYourBeats]

Depends on demand, if people are willing to pay for a feature, charge them! If you're still building up a base and have extra time on your hands, nothing wrong with working for free with people in a similar situation. Just make sure you don't do a feature for somebody who's bad enough that you might regret appearing on their track in the future.

I agree with this...collaborate with as many people as you can for free until you have generated enough of a fan base that someone collaborating with you will be potentially benefiting from your fan base.

Sort of related but not really: one of the things that seriously pissed me off about 7 years ago was when this rapper hit me up and said he liked my beats, would I be interesting in collabing. I was selling beats for £300 at the time but I had a few that just weren't selling so I sent samples over to this dude thinking a free collab might be fun. He chose one then told me he would charge me $100 for a verse or $250 for the whole track. I literally didn't reply.

TBH, I find that working for free is so much more enjoyable. You'll connect with so many more people and be heard by everyone they promote their songs to. That can only be a good thing.