daylies music: Hip Hop Roll

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Hip Hop Roll

Posted: 10 Aug 2009 05:30 PM PDT

Image by Striatic

A Raleig, North Carolina rapper and fan of the Carolina Hurricanes hockey team is being sued for using their name for use in his tribute song.

Tyrone Banks wrote a popular song that has become somewhat of a local sensation for the Carolina Hurricanes and has become the unofficial song for the team. Banks granted the Hurricanes permission to use his song at games and have in exchange offered Banks free tickets to the game and publicity.

Sounds like a great story except that one of the general managers of the Hurricanes became upset when Banks started referring to the song as “the official themes song of the Carolina Hurricanes”. Realizing that they were not being paid for his use of their trademarked name they have decided to sue Banks for an undisclosed amount of money. They have also stated that he wore their jersey without their permission in a music video.

Banks has decided to counter sue claiming that the Hurricanes promised to always credit him when playing his song at the stadium which they haven’t always done.

Alright folks, here’s a tough lesson to learn in the music industry. You have to get EVERYTHING in writing. Don’t rely on good relationships or verbal agreements to take care of things, you have to have everything spelled out on paper. Anything could happen, general managers change, you could have a falling out or whatever. Good relationships don’t always last so when it comes to any business agreement get it in writing.

Let me also just say that I think the Carolina Hurricanes are delivering a very low blow to one of their most loyal fans. A person who helped bring all Hurricane fans together.

Image: Striatic

Post from: Hip Hop Roll