REAL FACTS ONLY 🇳🇬

Upcoming Artistes Take Note🧏🏾‍♂️

THINGS YOU MUST KNOW BEFORE SIGNING A RECORD DEAL .

With the recent fightings going on left and right in the industry about record deals , i thought it wise to put up this so many of you can learn .Before you even sign any contract , know it is legal and incase of any issues, it will be solved legally .We won't solve any problem using Emotions on the streets of Facebook . . Before you sign any deal know the following.

What Will the Record Label do for you ?.
Listen , most Record contracts do not even require the label to release your music . Most often the label is paying you to give them material that they have rights to it and can distribute if they like .If they are paying you , it is up to them to release your recordings or not .They owe you nothing , if they did not tell you they will be releasing your songs .They might even prefer to just use it in their adverts and they are right .Read your contract very well and get to know exactly what the label is promising to do for you .Don't assume please .

How many Albums is the Label going to Produce for you ?

Getting a 5 year deal or 10 year deal does not mean that the label will produce five Albums for you.
You might have a 5 year deal and they produce just one depending on what they see .If they are impressed with your work , they can produce a second , third or fourth .It is their choice .Make sure you read the terms and understand, some terms even says if after the first Album, they are not happy , they can drop you .
Make sure you read your contract well and get what they are saying .let them not drop a single song for you and you start grumbling .Read your contract ….

How long are you tied to this label ?

If the terms says 5 years and after a year you start carrying your shoulders up and talking about quitting , Bro , you digging your own grave .Either you pay a certain sum which is never less than 5 million or remain there and drop nothing .If you leave forcefully , know that you can end up in the police cell .
Enable to read your recording contract before you jump into signing .

HOW WILL YOU BE PAID ?
Many of you sign deals without even knowing how you will be paid .
Will you be paid
Via
Advances
Royalties
Publishing income ?

With Advances, you are paid a huge sum of money and you make no franc again from your streamings , merch or anything .It's like they bought you over .

Royalty payments are made from the sales of CDs , Performance Streaming , or when your song is being used for an advert . If the label is paid 300k you will have a percentage from it like 25%. Meaning you get 25% of everything.

Publishing Income is more for song writers .So if someone gets to use the song you wrote , you get a percentage of the money .

Guys , Make sure that you know how you will be paid before you use your short hands to sign any contract .

When is a 25 Point Deal not a 25 Point Deal ?

See, the fact that the label said you will always get 25% of all the royalties doesn't mean you will always mean you will always get 25% of Every Record sold.
If the Record label makes deductions in the Prices of the CDs or the merch , or even give out some for free, bro you don't expect 25% again .Deductions of the free Goods they gave will be subtracted from everybody .At this point , a 25% deal is no longer a 25% deal..
You must know this before signing any deal.

ARE YOU GIVING UP YOUR PUBLISHING RIGHTS?

This is where many of you fall victim.
Some of you give up your facebook , YouTube , Streaming platforms and everything out of excitement without knowing .Some of you don't even have a right to perform any songs you made under the label before you exit if you gave up your publishing rights .
Your publishing income is a great source of income , it includes mechanical license fees, Public performance ,( payments you can get from SONACAM, ASCAP etc) Synchronization rights ( when your song is used in a movie or advert).
Be sure you know your Rights before giving them as part of the Record deal .

WHAT LEVEL OF CREATIVE CONTROL DO YOU HAVE ?
Will you have any say if the company decides to use your songs in a Pornographic video , or on any form of advert ? Do you have the right to forbid them ? .
Get to know the level of creative control you have .
Think , before you sign .If you have no degree of creative control it's sad.

MUSIC BUSINESS IS DEEP , learn , study it before anything . We’ve seen Ego and Pride move from 3 record labels in no time and we think it’s normal ?