Who’s To Blame When Rappers Jack Beats?

At this point, it’s difficult to know how to proceed when it comes to rappers jacking beats. But here are some more thoughts in an easy-to-read list form.

1. If Banks really wanted to make “Esta Noche” a proper single, she would have to pay a lot more than $25,000 to Munchi and be down with it. The track contains a Montell Jordan sample, which would obviously have to be cleared unless Banks and her squad really wants to get in trouble. And hell, this is the route she should take, if only because Montell could use the money.
2. If in fact you agree that producers deserve some kind of payment for rappers spitting over their tracks in a live setting, then there should be a law established for that with appropriate and well defined revenue sharing. Personally, I think this would take way too much work, especially in terms of policing. Although, I guess if one lawsuit like Finesse vs. Mac can go through with language regarding live performances, maybe a law could be written? Again, good luck enforcing it.
3. People (read: artists) really need to stop using Twitter to handle business. While I’m not going to blame Munchi here, I will refer to fucking Roscoe Dash basically promoting his mixtape during his rants against Wale and Kanye West. Pick up the phone, stop being an asshat, and settle things like a civilized human being.
4. Pay for the beat if you want to make it a single, turn it into a proper music video, or anything you can make a defined amount of money from. That’s it. Stop being cheap.
5. Who’s to blame when rappers jack beats for mixtapes? Rappers, of course, if they don’t fucking give the producer the credit they deserve! Seriously, how difficult is it to make note of who produced the beat your rapping over? That would take, what, an extra five seconds in Photoshop? C’mon, it’s not like you paid for that Photoshop you’re using either.

UPDATE: Click page three below to read Munchi’s official statement on this mess.