Producers fail to pay unknowns royalties

WHILE some record producers ensure that royalties are paid to young and upcoming artistes who record on their labels, others do not give them a dime and little or no explanation.

Some producers feel that recording an artiste who is virtually unknown in the music business is enough. They are the ones who spend their money for studio time and the pressing of records. And, the promotion which these young artistes receive when their songs are played cannot be measured in real cash, producers say.

However, the Copyright Law states that all recording artistes should get their mechanical rights. According to Mr. Philmore Wong of the Jamaica Association of Composers Authors and Publishers (JACAP), "I would imagine that a high percentage (of artistes) don't receive their (mechanical) rights because they are not aware of them. But these young artistes should get their royalties and this is for every single record pressed, not necessarily sold, because it is the intention for all of these to be sold."

Producers like Jack Scorpio say some producers do not pay young artistes mechanical rights and this is no fault of the producers.

"Artistes are so eager to get a one-song out they do not discuss royalties. So the producer never mentions anything about royalties to them."

Scorpio explains, however, that young artistes who have songs on the flip sides of a records do not attract the buying public.

"It is the established artistes like Luciano or Capleton who make people want to buy that single."

CeCile, who is also a record producer, condemns record producers who deprive young artistes of these rights. "I produce a number of artistes on my "Double Jeopardy" rhythm and I have paid every one of them, even one young artiste by the name of Nigi."

THE STAR spoke with "Nigi" who recorded his first single Stay with CeCile. The song was on the flipside of Hawkeye's Naw Do Right. He was able to produce a royalty statement showing the record sales, deductions and how his royalty figure was arrived at.

Still, most young entertainers who have done recordings say they have never received any such statement from the producers they worked for.

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