Protect Ya Neck

True hip hop heads know that the title of this blog is paying homage to one of hip hop’s greatest groups, the Wu-Tang Clan.  Yet, this particular blog has little to nothing to do with that actual song and much more to do with protecting yourself.  When most of us look at the entertainment industry we see all the fame, fortune, glitz, and glamour, but in all reality, this is a dirty business; filled with crooks, thieves, shysters, and swindlers.  Aspiring artists spend countless hours honing their craft and pour their blood, sweat, and tears into trying to make a name for themselves within the industry known as the “show business”.  However, a major issue for most artists is that their business is not ready for the show and if you don’t know the business, then it will show and others will be hovering above like a vulture in the desert.

I constantly preach about “minding your own business”, because there are so many ways to leave yourself exposed in this business.  If you’re not ready for the fame and fortune, it will most definitely show.  Folks, here’s the thing.  The reason I try to stress the importance of knowing your business and having a strong support team is because even when you have dotted all your “i’s” and crossed all of your “t’s” there is still a great chance that someone is going to test you.

I have recently reviewed a few podcasts pertaining to entertainment law as I try to gain a better understanding of the music industry and look to pass on this knowledge to the next person.  The information I found was great.  If you are planning to take a run at the industry, then this information is definitely something worth noting. 

The first podcast I listened to was called “IP Law Concentration” from the Intellectual Property Law Podcast Series by Suffolk University.  The second podcast I listened to was an Entertainment Law Update Podcast titled “No Copyright, Sherlock?” by Gordon Firemark.  The third and final podcast that I decided to check out was “Music Licensing” from the Business, Entertainment, Sports & Technology (B.E.S.T.) Law Blog by the ARC Law Group.

With the combination of these three podcasts I have found that clear ownership of your works and products are very important.  As an aspiring artist you should know the difference between a copyright and trademark.  A copyright is a form of protection for original works of authorship.  A trademark is a shorthand description of your brand, which identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.  In short, a copyright protects your work whereas a trademark protects your brand. 

What I also found in my research is that intellectual property has significant importance to our economy and this shows as the U.S. Supreme Court now looks at cases involving IP law.   

If you do the research you will find that a lot of the inventions and products we use today do not give credit to the original creator.  “Why is this?” you ask.  This is because the original creator was either taken advantage of or their idea was stolen.  This is something that has been happening for centuries.  And you can trust and believe me when I say that it is still happening in 2014.

This entertainment business can be shady at times, so make sure that you’re not left standing alone in the dark.