Does a hip hop production placement for a mixtape(not an album), with a major label artist require any paperwork?

Yes, you would be smart to have a contract. I have seen several instances, including one a couple of years ago with a Grammy Award-winning artist,...

Can you invoke laches if you demonstrated good faith to obtain rights the correct way, were ignored, and are later sued?

Laches would not be relevant, in my opinion. If I were you, I would be very reluctant to conclude that there is no way to contact him. Maybe...

I'm currently working on an album with two singers. I'm the composer, they write and perform.

As already mentioned , there is no stock form for this. You should work with an attorney who has a lot of experience with these kinds of...

You are more likely to have success using a good agent who specializes in pitching reality shows, rather than using an attorney. A great resource...

What are the possible penalties of changing the pitch of a song and claiming it as original work?

You are looking at a copyright infringement case just waiting to happen. For the consequences of copyright infringement, see the applicable...

What does my record label own?

A few things occur to me as I look at your question: 1. Having reviewed many, many recording contracts in the past, I can say that the clause...

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Legal Zoom in my experience is not a reliable resource for such work. You would be well advised to consult with an attorney who has substantial...

How much does it cost to get an entertainment attorney or agent to shop a record deal? Do you work with artists in shopping deal

I don't do 'deal shopping,' but you might want to look at this article I wrote for a Los Angeles music business magazine:...

Can I legally sell a parody album online?

Sometimes in situations in which a new version of a song doesn't qualify as a "parody," the person creating the new version will enter into a...

Does someone own the intellectual property rights to a band name if the band name was never trademarked

My experience with such situations is that you would be well advised to have an attorney review the LLC documents and the contract you mentioned....