Radboud signs contracts for world stars: ‘I’d love to work with Jay-Z’

Ripper works for the law firm Greenberg Traurig. From Amsterdam, he not only works with Dutch stars, but also with big names. World stars, although he is not allowed to give names due to his duty of secrecy.

But whether it’s a multimillion-dollar troupe from the US or a budding pop artist from the UK, Ripert’s work is basically the same. It is about protecting the creative work of the artist – and it doesn’t just mean music.

“The standard deal itself has already been arranged,” says Riebert. “It’s also about protecting the artist as a trademark and all the contracts related to it. It’s about protecting the copyright and the investments the artist wants to make.”

Ribert sees them pass: artists signed a contract with their company very quickly, without contacting a lawyer. They think it’s too expensive, or it won’t work for the record company. It’s all about achieving a quick goal, the attorney says, but there is more to it than that, says the attorney.

killing

“An artist who wants to keep going, wants to be known, wants to break out. Then he takes the first decade for granted. Whereas often killing Things in it, which keeps them tied to their record company for years to come. I still see it happening a lot. ”

Not only abroad, but also in our country. “There are companies that arrange a lawyer for the artist, and some don’t. Then you get a hit in the short term, but you get in trouble later.”

Perfect moment

Because there is so much that you can earn as an artist or from you as an artist. With songs, performances, and also with the artist’s own branding or tagline (for the band). And of course with the human if the strokes were written by the artist himself.

Artists like Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and (out of necessity) Taylor Swift have already capitalized on it in recent months. They sold a portion of their music rights or immediately sold their entire catalog. A trend sees Ripert, too.

“For artists, this could be an ideal time to sell now. The song is copyrighted for up to 70 years after the creator’s death. So selling can be a smart thing, if you’re over 60, you can put up 70.”

Exchange with European teams

American artists are making money now, but in Europe the artists are just not ready. Or are there fewer stars on our continent who have precious hits? “We have a lot of big names here! U2, The Rolling Stones. What do you think about ABBA?”

According to the attorney, the latter band is a written example of how to “recycle” your music. “All the praise for these people. In fact, they have a catalog of fewer than 30 famous songs and they’ve been able to recycle them for decades. In a movie, in a musical. Every time exploitation generates new income.”

Although, he finds it difficult to sell the work of the aforementioned European teams. The bands have many hit songs in the world, which are well worth a lot of money. If an investment fund wanted to buy all of these rights, it might have to put hundreds of millions on the table.

The whole concept

Because the sale of rights hits separately? According to the lawyer, this is not intelligence. “Imagine that you sell the rights of the master, the rights to record the songs, to various parties and tear the rights, then you have a problem when The strongest songs The album. You must then enter into agreements with all of the owners of these registry rights. “

According to Repbert, it can be compared to finding a buyer for a country house. There are interested parties, but it is more difficult than finding someone who buys a regular home. “But such a sale would greatly exceed the $ 300 million that Bob Dylan got.”

The attorney would like to work for ABBA again. He gets excited when he talks about the Swedish band. “Very nice wallet.” Or Jay-Z. Artists, he reveals, are not represented yet. “When you see how he and his wife Beyoncé put this whole concept into practice and approach it in a practical way, I think it’s great to see that.”

Get on the plane

He’d like to get on a plane for them. Something he also does with other world stars, whom we all hear on the radio or on Spotify on the charts. Although he was no longer able to do so due to Corona.

“If possible, I’d get on a plane and go. Unfortunately I can’t now. But normally I would have traveled to the United States several times this year.”

However, it is not calm. Even if there are no concerts, there is a lot to do. Ribbert sees artists dive into the studio en masse. Recording albums. “New studio work entails new assignments. I also consult with that.”

Personal Contact

Although he doesn’t see this famous singer or famous band member in real life anymore. Something a lawyer misses, like going to concerts, being behind the scenes, and seeing clients in person. “It could be while on a tour or here in the Netherlands during, for example, friends of Amstel. It’s great to be out there and meet people you work with.”

And he stresses something he knows too without personal contact. It’s more than just drafting a contract. “You’re always busy with creative expressions in my profession. Music expressions, you can hear them on the radio. Advertising messages, and then you see them again at a bus stop or supermarket. That makes my job a lot.”