Local Rap Artistes demand their royalties

[jumpkickjoe]

Now catching up on some online local news and came across this headline. I thought an artiste is supposed to be paid royalties once their song is played no matter what? Is this a sign of intimidation and thuggery from the Citadel group of radio stations? So because an artiste asks for what they consider their just dues, you stop playing their music? How is local talent expected to grow?

Any other tuners could shed some light on this issue here?

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Rappers__Pay_us_our_royalties-102199169.html

Rappers: Pay us our royalties
Citadel refuses airplay
By Gyasi Gonzales gyasi.gonzales@trinidadexpress.com

Story Created: Sep 3, 2010 at 10:56 PM ECT

Story Updated: Sep 3, 2010 at 10:56 PM ECT

A NUMBER of local rap artistes were "hip-hopping mad" yesterday as they staged a protest outside the Port of Spain offices of Citadel Ltd, demanding royalties for their music, which they said has been played "religiously" by two of the three frequencies owned by the media house.

However, Louis Lee Sing, chairman of the group, last evening said he was not prepared to be "bullied" by any group into "paying royalties, which we don't necessarily have to pay".

Citadel is the parent company of I95.5 FM, urban radio station 96.7 FM and the easy-listening 107.7 FM.

The hip-hop artistes, some of whom fall under the Hi Way records label, were headed by artiste Richard Rajcoomar.

Awesome Ltd, a two-and-a-half-year-old company based in Tunapuna, was authorised to collect royalties on behalf of the artistes. The Copyright Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT) also collects royalties on behalf of artistes, but Rajcoomar said they picked Awesome because it "does it in a better way".

Rajcoomar said, "My group, Chromatics, received a lot of airplay this year, so far. We assigned Awesome, which is a fairly new collection agency, not COTT, the rights to collect our royalties."

He said when Awesome approached the radio stations to collect the royalties generated by 1,000-plus plays in five months, they were notified they (the stations) "don't feel the need to pay".

Rajcoomar said Awesome has a computer programme known as digital footprinting, which notes every time a song is played on a radio station in Trinidad and Tobago, including the time and date the song was played.

He noted, however, what prompted yesterday's protest was a letter from Lee Sing, responding to Awesome's demand for royalties. In the letter, Lee Sing informed Awesome's president, Patrice Fortune, Citdel had "taken steps to ensure no further airplay of the artistes provided on your list".

Asked how they felt about the apparent decision to take their music off the airwaves at Citadel, he said, "This is the music business. This is not the music blighness. We not here to get no bligh. We spend a lot of money for a quality production, and a lot of work goes into that production of our music."

He added, "I can't go to TTEC and pay my bill with exposure and bligh. They not gonna take that."

In a telephone interview last evening, Lee Sing, now the mayor of Port of Spain, said the problem for them was one of who was authorised to collect royalties on behalf of local artistes.

"I am not prepared to trouble myself with every new organisation that pops up in the society and demands five per cent of my revenue for artistes' airplay.

"Let me say further that this matter that the Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association has addressed in detail and the presence of Awesome is another attempt by this group of people to bully the radio stations into recognising and paying royalties."

He added, "It also stands to reason that you do not pay if you do not play the music. I have no problems with Awesome. I have requested from Awesome, time and time again, to send me a list of their artistes to avoid us feeling the wrath of their marauding troops."

[brickman]

Rollin' in ah sunny with ah croakus bag of money (yes i think i spelt it wrong but i dont give a f*ck cause im drunk) is not a song but a shame.New mayor is gangsta son,what money biatch!!All kicks aside,if it play you gotta pay!

[hustla_ambition101]

Dont play their sheit, simple as that

[foss]

lol @ "local" rap artist

[A172]

BURH I WAR MY MORNEY DAN

[InDeForest]

They so smart to cut out COTT, they getting a bigger slice of nothing.

[A172]

just now dey go be demanding dey reparations

[SmokeyGTi]

i pretty sure that they paid cott fees and applicable rpyalties to cott already.
why they must pay it twice?

[buzz]

erm by-pass COTT ?


anywho, for nobodies they should be happy

hell i'd even post my music online for free just for exposure

oh yes i forgot, trini "artists" LOL

[buzz]

We spend a lot of money for a quality production, and a lot of work goes into that production of our music.

Anyone have a link on youtube or sumn for their songs ?

[MG Man]

this group is not affiliated with the one in the article, but gives an idea of the local standard nontheless

[buzz]

Production aite unno, got some ideas

just that bass kick could lil more punch for that type of musi... stuff

i just talking about the music/beat itself eh

then again its just u toob and i'm listinin tru some shiddy computer speakers

[wagonrunner]

Songs remind me of some '94 '95 hip hop joints. Don't see anything wrong with it.
I listened to it, didn't watch the videos.

[Rimz]

All dem trini rappers is real sheit dey cyah rap for nothin dey only ppl good in de country iz Vmax and nebula868 dem go actually reach sumwhere

[MG Man]

u sayin the guys in thse vids shiddy?

[wagonrunner]

u sayin the guys in thse vids shiddy?

he's probably one of the 5 greatest rappers in the world.
Rimz, Rimz, Rimz, Rimz and Rimz

[joel]

u sayin the guys in thse vids shiddy?

mg man

[Rimz]

yea dem iz real sheit compare to Vmax who iz de best trini freestylist

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

^ post up something from Vmax lets hear him

However, Louis Lee Sing, chairman of the group, last evening said he was not prepared to be "bullied" by any group into "paying royalties, which we don't necessarily have to pay".

I dunno but that sound like "me eh bound to pay the ticket, the officer eh go show up in court anyhow and it go get throw out, so i not paying it".

If they played the ppl music then pay them the royalties. IMO it's not a matter of IF it's necessary to pay them. If they claim they already paid COTT the fees then the artists need to take up the matter with COTT since COTT should be paying artists they collect for - not so?

[shogun]

Meh! he's ok at best. Production is pretty good though.

[Kinday]

I wanted to stay out of this one but let me explain something real quick. Lee Sing has a point but in a lot of respects he is wrong in the treatment he is metering out to the artists. Just like any other form of work, intellectual property has a cost...because we as a people have grown "accustom" to certain freedom we take a lot for granted and believe we have the right to whatever we feel when it comes to music. And it is true but there is a cost attached. You're free to do what you choose with music that you paid for on a personal level but in the realm of public domain you have to pay....ANYWHERE in the world, regardless of genre. Just as if you asked a designer to create a piece for you or an architect to draft up a plan, you got to pay and it's same with music.

Because the radio stations broadcasts in the public domain they have to foot the bill in this case. In the past most did not but they are slowly understanding the way it works in the real world and a lot of them are paying up even though it is quite tardy at times. Here's the tricky part....the royalties are never really accounted for properly. So even if your song plays 15 times a day next to a popular song by a prominent artist...trust that in most cases the royalties are not equal and mostly in favor of the "big artist".

In comes Awesome to solve the problem with their software checks and balances program. However the are not even remotely respected like COTT (who is struggling for respect themselves in trini freedom land, ask any pirate). In fact we have 3 popular collection bodies in Trinidad but COTT is the definitely the most prominent. What often happens now is that when a station pays their fees to COTT they assume they have done their part and it's over. However because of the "guesstimated system of accountability" where royalties are concerned everything is lumped. Many artists are signed with the various collection bodies outside of COTT and are left hanging as in this case as your music can only be represented by one collection agency.

It's exactly the same in the US with BMI, ASCAP, SESAC, etc but they are organized much better and music stations, even internet based HAVE to pay when the relevant bodies apply pressure for their various artist music play fees. So the local station has a good argument because of our lack of technology in royalty accounting on the radio it could appear like they are being taken advantage of....and even though Awesome's excellent software does a superb job they still face the same old condescending "WTF is Awesome? I done pay muddac@%t COTT ahready" stares when it comes to collecting for their clients.

Oh and BTW....like in most other areas in sweet T&T, it have real beef between the collection bodies. So they not splitting money between each other, if Awesome approaches them. When COTT collect they holding it in the coffers even if some of it belongs to Awesome or TTCO. Why? cuz we have NO proper system so they claim to be within rights to claim it all...not to mention they need to stay as the most prominent for commercial reasons. Maybe one day we'll get it right.... *finger crossed*....that's enough I out

*walks out whistling Buffy's melody "COTT wining on anything"

[wagonrunner]

so COTT is the TTASA of local music then.

i dont watch videos, when "listening" to music.
and i sorry, but that track lost me at autotune.

[jusme]

1st things 1st, kinday, u sir know what you're talking about...........
2nd things 2nd, V MAX, make up your mind. Either you're using our accent or theirs. you cant use both.
my $0.02

[wheelbarrow]

who say local hip hop???

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

I wanted to stay out of this one but let me explain something real quick. Lee Sing has a point but in a lot of respects he is wrong in the treatment he is metering out to the artists. Just like any other form of work, intellectual property has a cost...because we as a people have grown "accustom" to certain freedom we take a lot for granted and believe we have the right to whatever we feel when it comes to music. And it is true but there is a cost attached. You're free to do what you choose with music that you paid for on a personal level but in the realm of public domain you have to pay....ANYWHERE in the world, regardless of genre. Just as if you asked a designer to create a piece for you or an architect to draft up a plan, you got to pay and it's same with music.

Because the radio stations broadcasts in the public domain they have to foot the bill in this case. In the past most did not but they are slowly understanding the way it works in the real world and a lot of them are paying up even though it is quite tardy at times. Here's the tricky part....the royalties are never really accounted for properly. So even if your song plays 15 times a day next to a popular song by a prominent artist...trust that in most cases the royalties are not equal and mostly in favor of the "big artist".

In comes Awesome to solve the problem with their software checks and balances program. However the are not even remotely respected like COTT (who is struggling for respect themselves in trini freedom land, ask any pirate). In fact we have 3 popular collection bodies in Trinidad but COTT is the definitely the most prominent. What often happens now is that when a station pays their fees to COTT they assume they have done their part and it's over. However because of the "guesstimated system of accountability" where royalties are concerned everything is lumped. Many artists are signed with the various collection bodies outside of COTT and are left hanging as in this case as your music can only be represented by one collection agency.

It's exactly the same in the US with BMI, ASCAP, SESAC, etc but they are organized much better and music stations, even internet based HAVE to pay when the relevant bodies apply pressure for their various artist music play fees. So the local station has a good argument because of our lack of technology in royalty accounting on the radio it could appear like they are being taken advantage of....and even though Awesome's excellent software does a superb job they still face the same old condescending "WTF is Awesome? I done pay muddac@%t COTT ahready" stares when it comes to collecting for their clients.

Oh and BTW....like in most other areas in sweet T&T, it have real beef between the collection bodies. So they not splitting money between each other, if Awesome approaches them. When COTT collect they holding it in the coffers even if some of it belongs to Awesome or TTCO. Why? cuz we have NO proper system so they claim to be within rights to claim it all...not to mention they need to stay as the most prominent for commercial reasons. Maybe one day we'll get it right.... *finger crossed*....that's enough I out

*walks out whistling Buffy's melody "COTT wining on anything"

thanks for that Kinday!

It seems just like we NEED a device to accurately measure tint, the music industry in T&T needs the software that Awesome has. Artists are the ones who need to lobby for ALL the collection agencies to have similar software. Guestimates cannot work and from this example it is suffocating the very music industry that the radio stations and collection agencies make money from.

[Shango_13]

makeithappn bad too

[mars]

COTT uses the same software AFAIK. Also, the USA is the only country in the world (beside Trini) to have more than one collection agency.

[Razkal]

any local 'artist' that raps with a damn yankee accent deserves to be paying the listening population for defiling their ear space.

"run my chune".....everytime i hear that sheit on the radio i feel like slapping someone.


Vmax is a young biter, biting phrases and whole lines from Demigodz, Immortal Technique...atleast he knows what's good hiphop to listen too..



extreme, X-games style LOL and a olympic ROFL @ pioneer loving trance (doop tss doop tss doop tss) and saying hiphop ain't real music! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAA *breathe aks...* AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHHAA!

[Rooki3]

so COTT is the TTASA of local music then.

i dont watch videos, when "listening" to music.
and i sorry, but that track lost me at autotune.

this episode was epic, man end up selling crack

[SR]

roflmao at COTT