Notnice backs calls for persons to be paid when artistes use their voices in songs
Billboard-charting producer Ainsley ‘Notnice’ Morris says it’s only fair for artistes to pay up when they use‘popular phrases’ created by social media influencers in their music.
“From a my voice yuh affi pay me,” Notnice told THE STAR in an interview yesterday.
“You affi gimmie some percentage a supm, yuh can’t just tek mi voice and just put inna yuh music suh, and den a mek money affa it and me naah get compensated. Suh I think if dem [artistes] use di people dem voice in dem song, they should be compensated for it,” Notnice reasoned.
The newspaper reached out to the renowned producer following a plea from ‘Preecha’ of Morant Bay, St Thomas, urging dancehall artiste Intence to “use his discretion” and “do the right thing”. Preecha noted that Intence incorporated his phrases in the introduction of his latest single, SHH.
Last month, social media user Derrick Morgan reached out to female dancehall entertainer Jada Kingdom, via his social media platform, after the Top Tier singer used a viral comment made by him in her ‘dis track,’ Accept Dat. The song was aimed at London-based singer Steff London.
A few days after his appeal, Morgan appeared in another stating that Jada Kingdom had reached out and paid him.
“Jada bless mi up already and thank God fi help mi out Jada,” said Morgan.
As a musical expert, Notnice emphasised that on the flip side of this, artistes would charge for their work if used without acknowledgement or adhering to the proper process.
“If smaddy tek di artiste dem voice and use it, it count as sampling, suh yuh cya just tek dem ting, is either yuh gi dem a upfront money or a percentage or supm offa di song,” he reasoned.
The top-class producer revealed that he had faced similar situations where artistes requested unauthorised sampling of others’ work, but he refused to comply.
“Artiste do dat to me already [where] him send mi a intro – supm off a TikTok – and seh ‘Yow, cut out dat and put inna di song fi mi’, and mi seh no, mi nuh really do dat. If mi a guh do dat, mi a guh find di person and dweet di right way,” he shared.
In moving forward, Notnice urged producers and artistes to ‘do di right ting’.
“Treat the business like a business, it’s a music business and not just the music but all part of it is important so just go about things the correct way and do di right ting,” he advised.
The Yeng artiste, Intence, promised to personally comment on the matter, but efforts to reach him have proven futile up to press time.
However, his booking agent said he had spoken to Preecha and made arrangements to “meet with him this week with the intention to compensate him”.