What type of agreement do you use for beats?

Unlike R&B songs with lyrics already added to the music; Hip-Hop beats, (under the current copyright law) become a new copyright once a rapper adds their lyrics.(Unless their stupid enough to check the "Work For Hire" box) But...What if Jay-Z wants that same beat, but your local homeboy already paid $$$ for it? What then? My safegaurd is to lease the beat and type up a small agreement regardless. If you have a hook and title to your beat(s), then you can copyright it and the leasing really becomes more stable. Don't let the MPC become a toy in this game..It's your weapon, know how to cock it and shoot it. Keep making them hits..!!

DeNiro, Hip-Hop Producer

Or break the local rapper off with some of that jayz bread and hook him up with a beat for half the jay z money he recieved. That local rapper saw something in your music when other might not have. From a producer prespective, Your plan sounds good. However, as someone who wrote his first rap in '86, That lease shit ain't going to happen. I buy a beat, I own a beat. If I break bread, I don't want to hear then same beat on 50,000 other kats songs. With the lease deal, I might a well go download an instrumental and go about my business. but, go do your thing. All money ain't good money. Your name and rep is what will follow you in the end.

try an exclusive deal for a set amount of time, lease it only to one person for a year or whatever... I've done that, if they don't do anything with it, then so be it... Still get some cash, and in todays market with everyone producing, some money is better then no money.

If you got Hott beats and your homey aint doing nothing with it then you have to keep it rollin'. No different from when they remixed in between the sheets a million times. I know this is hip-hop, but it's a business. If you aint hott you aint gonna stop me as a beat maker. If a million other cats got the same beat then it must be hott! Don't get your feelings caught up in this business.. That's why you don't see to many female producers......