BGOL Legal-Pete Rock Plans To File A Lawsuit Against Nas For Unpaid Royalties From His Work On ‘Illmatic’

[dik cashmere]

Pete Rock Will Sue Nas For Unpaid Royalties From Work On ’Illmatic’

Pete Rock has writing and production credits on ’The World Is Yours,’ one of the album’s biggest songs.

uproxx.com

Pete Rock and Nas are at loggerheads. The producer has revealed his plans to file a lawsuit against the rapper for unpaid royalties from his work on his classic album Illmatic. According to Complex, Rock claims that he hasn’t been paid for contributing to the album since its 1994 release, despite having production and writing credits on “The World Is Yours,” one of the biggest songs from the album. “Nas and his people have stonewalled me since 1994,” Rock said about the matter. “My New Year’s resolution is to be compensated for my hard work on Illmatic.”
Rock’s legal team says he signed a contract that gave him a right to a portion of the royalties from “The World Is Yours,” and they now predict that the amount owed is in the millions of dollars. They also say Nas failed to uphold his end of the deal, despite numerous requests from Rock to be compensated. The lawsuit will be filed later this month, according to Complex.

In addition to being one of the more popular cuts from Illmatic, “The World Is Yours” has also been sampled in nearly 100 songs, including records by Eminem, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Mac Miller, Rick Ross, and more. Nas and Rock were last paired together on “The Art Of It” and “Queensbridge Politics,” which appeared on Nas’ 2019 compilation album The Lost Tapes 2.

 

[playahaitian]

@woodchuck

bgol music legal need to review this

 

[mailboxpimp]

Sad

 

[playahaitian]

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[playahaitian]

Pete Rock Produced Nas' “The World Is Yours” In Less Than 10 Minutes | DailyRapFacts

Pete Rock claims he produced Nas' 1994 “The World Is Yours” beat in under 10 minutes.

dailyrapfacts.com

 

[playahaitian]

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[playahaitian]

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[playahaitian]

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[playahaitian]

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[playahaitian]

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[playahaitian]

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[playahaitian]

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[playboy_d]

27 years later? I saw DJ Quik going through something similar not long ago about his work on All Eyez On Me and several other projects. Are there business affairs not straight or is it that easy for producers to get shafted?

 

[playahaitian]

27 years later? I saw DJ Quik going through something similar not long ago about his work on All Eyez On Me and several other projects. Are there business affairs not straight or is it that easy for producers to get shafted?

both

 

[TEN]

Smarten up nas

 

[DJCandle]

27 years later? I saw DJ Quik going through something similar not long ago about his work on All Eyez On Me and several other projects. Are there business affairs not straight or is it that easy for producers to get shafted?

I can’t speak in today’s music business world, but back then, as an up and coming aspiring producer, you’d often give out material in exchange for some air time or exposure. Sometimes you simply did it for the culture of hip hop and let it slide. No contracts, no NDA’s, no royalty promises etc. It was a very “love-of-the-music” way of doing things which is most likely unheard of today.

I remember Premier giving away some of his works to MOP in the early days for free so they could get on. Never charged the NYG’z a cent for their records either.

That being said, I could see where Pete was promised XYZ from Nas back then and waiting to reimbursed later. The fact he has a contract that stipulates it makes it strange as to why Nas has yet to pay him out what’s owed after all these years.

 

[dik cashmere]

I can’t speak in today’s music business world, but back then, as an up and coming aspiring producer, you’d often give out material in exchange for some air time or exposure. Sometimes you simply did it for the culture of hip hop and let it slide. No contracts, no NDA’s, no royalty promises etc. It was a very “love-of-the-music” way of doing things which is most likely unheard of today.

I remember Premier giving away some of his works to MOP in the early days for free so they could get on. Never charged the NYG’z a cent for their records either.

That being said, I could see where Pete was promised XYZ from Nas back then and waiting to reimbursed later. The fact he has a contract that stipulates it makes it strange as to why Nas has yet to pay him out what’s owed after all these years.

Might be searchlight not paying the producers

 

[playahaitian]

Might be searchlight not paying the producers

I was just about it post that

But apparently Serch gave them back or something?

 

[LordSinister]

Contracts back in the day were extrashady

 

[jack walsh13]

both

Yeah it looks that way

 

[DJCandle]

Might be searchlight not paying the producers

There’s been alotta controversy surrounding this publishing outfit. Wouldn’t be surprised if so.

Someone needs to audit them ASAP.

 

[dik cashmere]

I was just about it post that

But apparently Serch gave them back or something?

There’s been alotta controversy surrounding this publishing outfit. Wouldn’t be surprised if so.

Someone needs to audit them ASAP.

Never really trusted search

 

[mrcmd187]

Never understood why kats wait so long to go after shit almost 28 years later, my question is why is he the only one coming forward were the others paid and he got shorted or is it that he figures he deserved a big share. Got to see how this one plays out.

 

[peterlongshort]

I can’t speak in today’s music business world, but back then, as an up and coming aspiring producer, you’d often give out material in exchange for some air time or exposure. Sometimes you simply did it for the culture of hip hop and let it slide. No contracts, no NDA’s, no royalty promises etc. It was a very “love-of-the-music” way of doing things which is most likely unheard of today.

I remember Premier giving away some of his works to MOP in the early days for free so they could get on. Never charged the NYG’z a cent for their records either.

That being said, I could see where Pete was promised XYZ from Nas back then and waiting to reimbursed later. The fact he has a contract that stipulates it makes it strange as to why Nas has yet to pay him out what’s owed after all these years.

And there is a another play that they ran…Pete cleared the sample from Ahmed Jamal(one of many), through his production company. Whatever points from the Nas album were automatically assigned to the production company. Pete, as the producer, is hired out to the Nas record by his own production company. He may be an employee of his own company, but the points pass straight through to Ahmed Jamal for using his samples. The fact that they are ‘about’ to file suit speaks. File the suit or shut the fuck up. I have no inside info, but you had a couple of controversial samples on that record.

 

[bgbtylvr]

Integrity must be more rare than I assumed. I don’t give a fuck what a contact says, if somebody sold me a beat for $3 and that shit made me millions I HAAAAAAAVE to make sure that person is good. It’s a fucking must. Fuck a handshake, contract, whatever. I wouldn’t have a hit record if someone else didn’t also have a vision. AND if I’m eating well and he isn’t, I’m gonna step up. Only way I wouldn’t is if the dude did some grimey shit.

 

[peterlongshort]

Integrity must be more rare than I assumed. I don’t give a fuck what a contact says, if somebody sold me a beat for $3 and that shit made me millions I HAAAAAAAVE to make sure that person is good. It’s a fucking must. Fuck a handshake, contract, whatever. I wouldn’t have a hit record if someone else didn’t also have a vision. AND if I’m eating well and he isn’t, I’m gonna step up. Only way I wouldn’t is if the dude did some grimey shit.

But what if he got the beat from somebody else? Does he owe T La Rock for ‘It’s Yours’? Does he owe Ahmed Jamal for the piano chords and progressions?

 

[ballscout1]

Well Fat Joe and Remy just prevailed in a lawsuit claiming non-paymnt

Fat Joe & Remy Ma Win Copyright Lawsuit Over "All The Way Up"

The New Yorkers came out the victors in the case.

allhiphop.com

 

[mailboxpimp]

I ALWAYS...... wondered why they never made any more joints together....

 

[mailboxpimp]

Queens niggaahz be the shadiest.

 

[bgbtylvr]

But what if he got the beat from somebody else? Does he owe T La Rock for ‘It’s Yours’? Does he owe Ahmed Jamal for the piano chords and progressions?

It’s not about “owe” if Scott LaRock has a wife or kids and you made millions, help em out. Simple concept. Who care where we agreed on; if someone did you right and you came up nicely break em off. People agree to rap on tracks or supply beats to rappers and agree to little or nothing. Give back. That simple.

 

[HotNixon36]

Petty shit, Nas needs to just cut him a check, keep it moving. Nas' money is longer that train smoke now, it will not hurt him.

 

[ViCiouS]

@woodchuck

bgol music legal need to review this

nothing sounds right here...

I can’t speak in today’s music business world, but back then, as an up and coming aspiring producer, you’d often give out material in exchange for some air time or exposure. Sometimes you simply did it for the culture of hip hop and let it slide. No contracts, no NDA’s, no royalty promises etc. It was a very “love-of-the-music” way of doing things which is most likely unheard of today.

I remember Premier giving away some of his works to MOP in the early days for free so they could get on. Never charged the NYG’z a cent for their records either.

That being said, I could see where Pete was promised XYZ from Nas back then and waiting to reimbursed later. The fact he has a contract that stipulates it makes it strange as to why Nas has yet to pay him out what’s owed after all these years.

Large Professor & Search did all business (A&R / Publishing) on Illmatic

I was just about it post that

But apparently Serch gave them back or something?

its never that simple

And there is a another play that they ran…Pete cleared the sample from Ahmed Jamal(one of many), through his production company. Whatever points from the Nas album were automatically assigned to the production company. Pete, as the producer, is hired out to the Nas record by his own production company. He may be an employee of his own company, but the points pass straight through to Ahmed Jamal for using his samples. The fact that they are ‘about’ to file suit speaks. File the suit or shut the fuck up. I have no inside info, but you had a couple of controversial samples on that record.

if this is true-
when ASCAP / BMI etc weren't sending statements, why didn't Pete check on if Serch submitted split sheets?
Pete should have taken action over 20 years ago

he dawdled avoids suing Serch for decades... but when the masters revert to Nas... he doing press releases about taking legal action?

 

[ViCiouS]

But what if he got the beat from somebody else? Does he owe T La Rock for ‘It’s Yours’? Does he owe Ahmed Jamal for the piano chords and progressions?

if not cleared-
yes...

T.LA Rock record was not sampled

 

[peterlongshort]

nothing sounds right here...
Large Professor & Search did all business (A&R / Publishing) on Illmatic
its never that simple

if this is true-
when ASCAP / BMI etc weren't sending statements, why didn't Pete check on if Serch submitted split sheets?
Pete should have taken action over 20 years ago

he dawdled avoids suing Serch for decades... but when the masters revert to Nas... he doing press releases about taking legal action?

Bingo.

 

[peterlongshort]

if not cleared-
yes...

T.LA Rock record was not sampled

It was sampled my G.