COURT CASES: IN THE HIP HOP INDUSTRY

Court cases have swarmed the music industry. An entertainment or production company involves a lot of specific ingredients that are vital to run appropriately, and a lack of knowledge about necessary business components can bring a company down quickly. This especially applies in regards to precautions involving the law. For example, Rostrum Records recording artist Mac Miller

was recently sued by Lord Finesse (producer) for $10 million for copyright infringement, unfair competition, unjust enrichment, interference and deceptive trade practice. Miller was accused of using one of Lord Finesse’s beats that launched Mac’s career. Finesse also included Datpiff.com, a downloadable mix tape website, to the defendant pool for unlawfully allowing Miller’s mix tape to be uploaded and downloaded. I personally understand both parties in this situation. As an artist myself, it’s easy to receive a beat and put lyrics to it, not knowing whether or not it has a copyright. I feel Mac was naïve to the fact that he would become a national recording artist at the time of the song’s release, and may have not been educated on some of the music business pitfalls. Lord Finesse, in my opinion, is old, running out of money, or craving attention. That being said the law is the law and should be handled as such. Pastor Troy

is an Atlanta-based rapper who has been on the rap scene for quite some time. He was recently sued for breaching a contract with his promoter, who wants compensated for costs from radio promotions, venue rental, security, and DJ services for a concert that Pastor Troy backed out on at the last minute. Troy claims that the performance was held at a club where he has had a history of violence and didn’t feel comfortable performing at the venue, and decided to back out even after he signed the contract. I feel this was a misunderstanding between Pastor Troy’s manager and the promoter concerning the location of the concert, along with Pastor Troy’s acknowledgment. This conversation should have been a three-way meeting before the contract was signed, but the law is the law and should be handled as such. New Orleans-based rapper Lil Wayne

was released from prison earlier this year after serving time for a weapons charge relating to a handgun found on one of his entourage members in New York City. Lil Wayne was out of his jurisdiction. It turns out the handgun was registered in Florida to Wayne and not the carrier. This northern state has strict gun laws; Wayne was sentenced to nine months behind bars. I understand why Lil Wayne carries a weapon because he collects a lot of cash while attending to his itinerary while touring on the road. I feel that if you’re an internationally known superstar you should have the proper security. You don’t have to carry a weapon if appointed security is well armed.