Maphorisa, Lady Du shed light on master recordings
DJ Maphorisa recently shared gems about the music industry.
The amapiano DJ and producer went live on Instagram, speaking about how he gets to be the owner of the original sound recordings of music done by other producers.
Maphorisa said rising stars need to educate themselves about the entertainment business.
“When you record music on my computer, my studio, with my electricity, that s**t is mine. “It belongs to me.
“You guys don’t know anything.
“I’m the one who buys food, I’m the one who buys water and all those things.
“So what do you own? “Why must you own things you didn’t come with?” he said.
“You must understand when you work in someone’s studio, that s**t is not yours.
“Go buy your own studio, buy plug-ins, FruityLoops, a microphone and whatever, then make music and release it.
“Then those will be your masters.”
Lady Du has shared the same sentiments when advising artists, so they don’t fall into the same traps she did.
“Guys, educate yourselves on streams and the music business.
“I beg you. “Everything you see on the internet is not what happens in real life.
“You’ll give up on serious careers thinking you can make this work. Entertainment requires a smart mind.
“Don’t chase fame,” she wrote.
The Umsebenzi Wethu hit maker said she had resorted to recording music at her home studio as she’d come to learn that whoever records the music or pays for the studio sessions would “automatically own the master” of the songs.
“Do everything right, sign contracts before recording.
“I’ll advise you, don’t look for a manager.
“Take someone you know, teach them the work and then find promoters to work with. “Learn to do things yourself. “Please create contracts before recording so you know your splits before leaving the studio.
“If you have a lawyer to do it for you, even better.
“Also learn all types of royalties. Never record a song without finding out why you [are] recording it and what’s your benefit.”
The issue also affects international artists, with Taylor Swift having rerecorded many of her old albums so that she can own the masters.