Does "stealing beats" work?

[dacalion]

I recently read yet another producer/artist was sued for "stealing a beat". What I find very interesting is that by the time the original owner of the beat got his case into court and settled, the "thief" had already made millions of dollars and paid everyone that assisted him in his project. The cat that stole the beat made a slight modification to it but it was still obvious that he stole it. The courts found him guilty and fined him yet he still got over BIG TIME! The settlement was no-where near as much as he made on the song. My question/comment is this...Is stealing a beat another avenue to getting paid in the industry? He may never be able to get away with it again but isn't it a little too late after he's cleared millions of dollars even after the settlement?

I personally would never try to get in the biz that way but the industry seems to have a flaw that allows this type of entry and the bad thing about it is that it has worked time after time again. I just can't help thinking that stealing is wrong due to my integrity, morals and religious beliefs but everyone doesn't share my values. I find this very interesting and deliberate!

What are your thoughts on this?

--dac

 

[chopper]

do the crime get cought you go to jail.

the industry really dosnt have a flaw here if the guy that signed this artist up didnt know the original song then he didnt know it was stolen.
i think that if people steal they will get found out one way or another. im definatly one to oppsoe stealing beats or melodys. if you wanna write songs then write them dont steal them.
but the thing where with him being able to have money left over sounds strange. because in my opinion the judge should have made all the royalties paid to the theif go to the vitim every bit of money made from the song should go to the victim. that guy shouldnt have been left with a cent to spare all money made from the recording is not his money. but thats the legal system and thats life at the moment.
as artists these are things we chould change and if yu fell big on this subject find something to do about it (i dont mean this exact case but stop it from happing in the future)

 

[bigdmakintrax]

Well look let me tell you there are lots of beatjackers out there you would be surprised...I have heard cats so desperate to be a producer they download mp3's from the internet of producers that actually know how to sequence and produce and then sell them locally and get a reputation as being hot from that shit, it is a shame because when that happens it hurts real producers that spend hours making tracks that they actually used their creativity and time, I don't know what the hell they are doing.........I have no respect for producers in the game that are into this, I don't really call them producers....their just wannabees

thats why when sending in anything unsolicited or for projects that are solicited protect your neck and copyright or do something to avoid it...any snippet from a not so hot beat can be turned into a hot hit...just be aware that showcasing your skillz is ok but sometimes it leaves your ideas open for someone else to use and especially if you might use some technique or flip a sample in a way no one else does they can exploit it, especially producers that are already in the game....

 

[DJ Hoppa]

if anyone stole my beat....and i heard about it.....heads would roll. DONT STEAL BEATS, people take it VERY personally....

 

[changalang]

either my beat got stolen or someone used the exact same sample and drums

P.S. Mr Messenger u can PM me now

 

[Bigfatheadmole]

you talking about the neptunes?

 

[WingsOfAnAngel]

stealing a beat = theft of intellectual property
that's so wrong...
people who do that shall get their Doomsday punishment by God All Mighty.

 

[God]

Dear All:

Stealing music or beats is commonplace. Usually small-time musicians or producers don't stand a chance against a large record company in litigation. Plus, there are many ways for a person that "stole" a beat to never admit that they had heard the initial beat or music. People take melodies and modify them enough to get by without a lawsuit.

It happens all the time. Get used to it.

DON'T DO IT, IT'S WRONG.

Sincerely,
God

 

[Equality 7-2521]

dj hoppa......word up.

changalang......ill write in a sec......im not sure if i can recieve your reply though cos i only got two messages in my box but i got an email saying it was full. hopefully it will get through.

bigfat.......i head the neptunes jacked shit too....from some canadian kid. and im pretty sure they jacked Mad Scientist too....motherfuckers.

wings.....word up. hope karma fucks em over down the track

god.....thats so fucked that it happens "all the time". there must be hella beef between producers and jackers. i have not been exposed to this type of shit yet. cant wait lol.....fuck that.

----------------------

beatjacking is wack....obviously. and im pretty sure that every person on this board agrees.....if they dont, they can get fucked. jackis is some cold hearted shit. fraudulant. i agree with what god said....you cant be fretting all your life cosa jackers.....just get used to it and take it on the chin.....at least you will be able to live with yourself. ive never been jackes so i cant really say i know how it feels .....id be pissed off for sure and want to fuck the cunt up but id probably end up shrugging my shoulders and id fire up the mpc. if they got rich off my beat id be mad pissed off though lol.......oops this ISNT a laughing matter mother fuckers!!!

out

 

[Shonsteez]

Man!

Ok this ones simple though -

DONT LET FOOLS HAVE YOUR BEATS FOR FREE AND WITH NO "COPY RIGHT"!!!!!!!


Its as simple as that really...Thats why i dont allow downloads on soundclick, cuz there really are some shady ass bitches out there that have nothin better to do than claim fame off someone elses shit!

Protect your music!

COPY RIGHT YER SHIT
BE WISE
NO FREE TRACKS



Steeze

 

[mod1]

I just couldn't take it,if someone stole my shit.

 

[Craig Gantt]

see Im glad someone brought this up I got no love for beat jackers at all although I havnt done anything to be jacked yet (fortunaly....I guess) I see people that just wanna build up a name off of other peoples work like every day and my question is whats the point? If youre not already established and you steal someone elses beat because they are better than you in the first place you wont be able to stay consistent with the material you just stole and put out. On another note people jack all aspects of creative work I had a homeboy that got an entire song jacked by this dude named Kiotti down here, and he didnt even notice until I heard it on a mornin mix and called him to listen to it then the dude plays the track in clubs around here too, on top of that my homeboy didnt copyright the song (his fault) but now its just jacked count it a loss. And thats not the first time this dude kiotti then done shit like that he has a hit club song out right now called "the hooka" that he jacked from some niggas up state on top of that the beat is jacked too! Its a dirty game yall Im tellin ya.

 

[bigdmakintrax]

That's why a lot of real established producers don't let people hear any of their work, and I sort of abide by this myself nor do I post a lot of beats on the internet if I do I am prepared for the consequence of hearing it on the radio or on an album, If I have some really hot shidd I don't let anyone hear it except maybe during a live in studio beat listening and then if you got a hot melody some producers are good enuff to go back home and recreate it...I know I can do that myself....but bottome line like Goldy said as bad as it is.....this game is dirty real dirty and it applies to rappers and producers though...

 

[BROUSSARD BEATS]

yea have many beats only post the not so good ones but still i have to watch my steps i also have beats with hooks i rap myself i never post them

 

[dacalion]

I've noticed alot of cats saying "copyright your beats and to protect your music", well the beat that was stolen was copywrited! My thing is that it didn't matter, the "thief" still made millions on it! This brings up a question in my head like...
1. Does copywriting a beat really protect you? I mean SLIM SHADY could start a scam business...say that he offered all you cats a deal on handling the copywriting of your music. He offers his service for a cheap price and would guarantee that you would be provided with legal representation on any matter that involved copywrites on your music for a "small" fee (sounds great). Now you sign up and someone steals your beat. You call SLIM SHADY and all he gives you is the name of a lawyer and his obligation to you is complete. Now lets evaluate your position. Your beat was stolen, SLIM SHADY got your money and the cat that stole your beat has gotten PAID IN FULL. You have to file your case, hire a lawyer, probally do alot of traveling and so on...all the while, youre spending money out of your pockets. Finally the "thief" offers you 1.5 million to settle. I think that 99.99999% of us would go for it without thinking twice. Case Closed! you got 1.5, SLIM SHADY got whatever you paid him (which was obviously for nothing) and the cat that stole your beat cleared (hypathetically) 4 million.

Something is wrong with that picture. I'm pretty sure that if the courts and the industry would be alot more strict on cases like this, we wouldn't settle so fast and that would make cats think twice about stealing your beats.

I know that was a far out situation but ish happens and it is very posible that it could happen to us. Remember INDUSTRY RULE #4080!

--dac

 

[Cold Truth]

aanything sublminal with that slim shady reference?

 

[Bigfatheadmole]

the neptunes stole nigga please from JOSEPH ZAKONI

 

[soundboy2]

Making music , banging the Mp or what ever you do is pure and great and innocent , but the rap business is whole another kind of pie.

Nas said this 10 years ago , the rap game remind me of the crack game, but since then, Its got worst than that. Cause you can't kill the folk who rob you. But they just as ruthless as the street cats.


But this is somehting that been in music since money has been made from it.

Check the history, people just don;t steal beats they steal culture and genres.

In the 60 and 70's group would make a song then a popular rock group would make the same song and make it a big hit and the orginal artist would get nothing. If you dig in the crates a lot i know you came across the same song by different artist. I've done that a lot and was like damn I thought so and so made this song.

 

[Bigfatheadmole]

p.diddy ruined hip-hop. i know he probably got permission to redo those 80's songs but how could you be the "best" and unoriginal?

 

[bigdmakintrax]

I think you have to look at some of the producers that are able to mangle the sample so much and alter it....you don't even know its a sample...it just becomes a sound that might remind you of a record....when needed Pete Rock could do that brilliantly....but it makes me wonder what is going to be sampled next some old RCA Victrola records from the Thrift shop??? since just about everything made on vinyl in the 60's - 80's has been used, I myself do not like hearing sample re-used that was already on a hit from the 90's......