Keep Your Masters.
Keep Your Money.

Managers, labels, and friendly faces do not steal in daylight. They hide it in clauses.

This book shows you the traps, the tells, and the exact words to use when someone slides a “standard” contract across the table. Keep your masters. Keep your money. Keep your sanity. Then make something dangerous and honest, with clean paper and louder leverage.

Who this is for:

  • Independent artists who want to stay independent on purpose.
  • Signed artists who want approvals in writing and clean versions of everything.
  • Producers and writers who deserve their points and correct splits.
  • Managers who need a fast translator for legal fog and label speak.
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Your Gut Whispered
They Told You Not To Listen To It

You are not difficult. You are the only adult in the room.

If your gut has ever whispered things like this, you are in the right place:

“This contract looks normal, but why is my name missing from three sections”

“Everyone says sign it, it is fine, which is what everyone says right before a horror story”

“We can fix it later means we will never fix it”

This book translates your instincts into decisions. No law degree required. Plain English. Actual examples. Exact replies.

YOU HAVE HEARD THE STORIES.
NO... YOU ARE NOT THE EXCEPTION

Talent is not Teflon. Charts do not stop clauses. If the biggest names can get tied up by paper, your “it will be fine” pep talk is not a plan. Knowledge is the difference between a music career and you becoming a viral "ohh she fell off" Reddit thread.

  • Prince protested control over his masters.
  • TLC sold millions and then discovered industry math the hard way.
  • Taylor Swift fought to reclaim control after a catalog sale.
  • George Michael went to court over artistic control and restrictions.
  • The Beatles signed early publishing that cost them ownership of iconic songs.
  • De La Soul faced decades of catalog delays because of old paper.
  • Megan Thee Stallion pushed through heavy early contract fights.
  • Leonard Cohen lost millions through trusted insider mismanagement.

Different eras. Same lesson. Popularity does not save you. This book saves you.

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What's Inside The Book

100 traps explained in plain English. We show what the clause looks like, why it hurts, and how to flip it.

  • Contracts without landmines. Term and options. Rights grants. Audit rights. Reversion. No creative edits without approval.
  • Money that actually arrives. No fake deductions. Proper accounting. Royalty base that makes sense.
  • Ownership and IDs that match everywhere. ISRC for the recording. ISWC for the composition. UPC for the release. One map so money finds you.
  • Touring without surprise fees. Settlement sheets. Hall fee caps. VIP splits that are clear before the bus leaves.
  • Manager math that respects you. Commission on net, not funny net. Tail schedules that step down. A clock that ends.
  • Stems that do not become unapproved remixes. Purpose only, then separate deals when you want them.
  • A 48 hour fix plan for when things go wrong. If your single disappears, your metadata splits, or your art changes overnight, you have a script.
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A Little Something You Can Use Right Away

Here is a tiny sample from inside the book.

Clause to stop creative edits without you:
“Partner may make technical edits for timing, format, or clean versions only. Any remix, remaster that changes tonality or loudness, added features, language versions, or compilations requires Artist written approval.”

Audit language that actually works:
“Artist may audit Partner books relating to the recordings once per year with 30 days notice and a 5 year lookback. Underpayments exceeding 5 percent will be cured with interest and Partner will cover audit costs.”

Stems sanity:
“Stems are furnished for mastering, broadcast mixes, and approved sync conforms only. No remixes, karaoke releases, creator platform packs, or derivative products without a separate written agreement.”

In over 350 pages of gold, you get 100 of these scams and traps to avoid. All explained. All easy to swerve.

What This Book Does That Your Group Chat Can't

  • You get scripts... “Here is the email to send.”
  • You get clauses... “Paste this sentence and do not budge.”
  • You get checklists... “Click these five boxes before you upload.”
  • You get leverage... Because you sound like someone who knows the next step.

The moment everything goes sideways, and how to stop it

Some common challenges that you'll recognise:

  • A “non exclusive” distributor quietly bans premieres on specific platforms.
  • A beat lease flips to someone else after your release goes live.
  • A split sheet never gets signed because everyone is chill. Until they are not.
  • A settlement sheet appears with a mystery line that costs more than your fee.
  • You share stems for mastering and they turn up in a creator app as new products.
  • Your artist page splits across stores because metadata is inconsistent.

We show you the exact clause that caused it.

We give you the line that fixes it.

You copy. You paste. You get the result.

What People Say
After Reading The Book...

“I stopped a bad clause in five minutes. I typed the exact line from the book. Silence. Then a yes.”

“I finally understand how my recordings and compositions connect. My statements make sense now.”

“We caught a venue fee that would have eaten our entire night. We kept the money.”

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Frequently Asked Questions

1.

What exactly is this book and how do I use it?

It is a field guide you can act on today, not a theory lecture. You jump straight from the numbered Table of Contents to the exact trap you are facing, then follow the rhythm in every chapter: Understand, Avoid, Fight Back. There are checklists, plain-English definitions, email language you can copy, and quick tests to know when to walk. It is education, not legal advice, and it explains terms in human language.

2.

Who is it for?

Artists, writers, producers, managers who do the real work and sign real paper. If you are indie, on a small label, or negotiating your first serious deal, it shows you the traps and the words to push back. The book is built for everyday situations like late-night offer emails, studio split disputes, distro issues, tour settlements, and “standard contract”

3.

What topics does it cover?

One hundred traps across deals, royalties, touring, merch, distribution, publishing, metadata, samples, and branding. That includes audit rights, 360s, packaging and breakage deductions, tour support, pay-to-play, VIP splits, ISRC and metadata hygiene, PRO and MLC registrations, neighboring rights, moral rights, artwork and credit approvals, and more. Browse items 1 to 40 for label and touring money, 41 to 60 for manager and business traps, 76 to 85 for studio, split, and distro chaos, and 91 to 97 for credits, artwork, and control.

4.

Does it include templates I can actually paste into emails and contracts?

Yes. You get core contract clauses, ready-to-send email openers and counters, a clean split-sheet boilerplate, and a release quality-control checklist. They are written in plain English so you can use them as-is or hand them to your lawyer to tweak.

5.

Will it help if I am already stuck in a bad deal or a dispute?

There is a rapid response section that maps the first 48 hours when things go sideways. It shows you how to stabilize, identify the root cause, contain the damage, and escalate with the right language. There is also “aftercare” so you do not repeat the same mess on your next release.

6.

Does it explain samples, beats, and split sheets like I am five but without being condescending?

Yes. It lays out how sample clearance really works, what can kill your master after it goes viral, how to avoid “free beat” traps, and the exact split-sheet clauses that stop mystery writers getting added later. There are step-by-step receipts, email templates, and quick greenlight tests.

7.

Will it stop money leaks from bad metadata and IDs?

That is a core focus. You get practical fixes for ISRC chaos, UPC and ISWC mapping, and cross-platform metadata cleanup so plays, claims, and payouts land where they should. The book includes the clauses and emails to force partners to preserve IDs and file mapping notices.

8.

I tour. Does it help me keep more from shows and merch?

Yes. It covers pay-to-play “marketing fees,” soft and hidden hall fees, VIP splits, backline scams, and tour support tricks. You get language for offer replies, what to require on settlement sheets, and how to cap, approve, and reconcile expenses so your guarantee does not evaporate.

9.

Will it help me protect my name, credits, and brand?

You get credit approval tactics, artwork approval language, and moral-rights carve-outs that stop partners from shipping bad covers, stripping your name, or placing your music in ugly contexts without consent. It also shows what to do if that already happened.

10.

How long is it?

It is a full reference, not a pamphlet. The Book is 363 pages, built for jumping to exactly what you need and then acting. Print sections you use often or the whole thing if you like to mark up paper.

11.

Is it US-only?

Many traps are universal, and the book flags jurisdiction issues where they matter. For example, some countries do not let you waive moral rights the same way, so the language and remedy shift. You get guidance on what to insist on and what to reject.

12.

What format do I get and how fast?

Instant PDF download. That is it. You can read it on desktop, phone, or tablet, and you can print it for your sessions and meetings.

13.

Is it legal advice?

No. It is education plus leverage. You will learn what a clause means, why it hurts, how to counter, and what to ask for. For actual legal decisions, hire an entertainment attorney and hand them the exact language you want. The book even tells you how to work with a real music lawyer.

14.

What if I do not know where to start?

Open “Read This First,” pick the trap that matches your email or contract, and use the checklist and scripts right away. If you are prepping a release, pull the split sheet, the release QC checklist, and the core clauses. Make one clean win this week and you will feel the momentum.