Licensing, Collabs & FAQ

50/50 Collaborations — Artist & Producer Agreement

As a music producer going by the name South King Beats, I offer collaborations for artists. If you're an up-and-coming artist looking to take your music to the next level, this is your chance to work together.

To take advantage of this opportunity, here are the terms you'll need to agree to:

1. You must have a DistroKid account. To ensure all records are properly distributed, you'll need a DistroKid account. If you don't have one yet, you can sign up and get 7% off using my link: distrokid.com/vip/seven/1219287
2. All records will be distributed by me. I'll handle the distribution of all records to make sure everything is done properly and your music gets the exposure it deserves.
3. All royalties are split 50/50. Every artist deserves to be paid for their work. I offer a 50/50 split of all royalties earned from the record(s). Where there is more than one artist on a track, I still retain 50%.
4. You must have a following equal to or greater than mine. To make sure the collaboration benefits both parties, you must have monthly Spotify listeners equal to or greater than South King Beats at the time of collaboration.
5. You must be able to professionally record your vocals. To keep the quality high, you'll need access to a studio or recording equipment that produces clean, professional sound.
6. Songs are mixed and mastered by me. As a professional producer, I'll handle the mixing and mastering of all records so the final product is of the highest quality.
7. You must sign the Artist & Producer Agreement before distribution. Unless another arrangement is made, the agreement must be signed before any record is distributed. This protects both parties and keeps everything legal. The agreement is sent via email.

Lease vs Exclusive Rights

Leasing Rights

You'll receive an untagged MP3, WAV, or trackout (stems) file depending on the lease purchased, delivered instantly. Leasing rights allow you to use the beat for commercial use — you have full rights to record, alter, and mix the beat in any way (except reselling the beat itself).

If someone later buys exclusive rights to a beat you've leased, your rights still stand and the beat remains yours to use within your license terms. You must give full credit to South King Beats on all recordings. While you hold a lease, the producer still owns the beat and may license it to other artists until exclusive rights are purchased.

Exclusive Rights

You'll receive untagged MP3, WAV, and track stems (trackout) files, delivered instantly. Exclusive rights grant you unlimited commercial recordings and broadcasts. You have full rights to record, alter, and mix the beat in any way (except reselling the beat).

You do not own the recording as a "work made for hire," so you must provide credit in the metadata of any song you create. Once exclusive rights are sold, the producer may no longer lease or sell that beat — except to prior leaseholders and on the producer's own promotional pages. The producer may still receive a royalty from records or downloads. Full credit to South King Beats is required on all commercial recordings. For both leasing and exclusive rights, the producer is responsible for clearing any samples used.

Special Uses: TV, Film, Commercials & Websites

• Charity organizations: may use the song for free, but must give full credit to the artist/producer.
• Student projects (school/college): may use the song for free, but must give full credit to the artist/producer.
• Commercials, in-house & company publications: for audiences under 50,000, exclusive rights suffice. Terms are discussed for larger publications.
• Websites (under 100,000 monthly hits): leasing rights suffice.
• Websites (larger): exclusive rights required.
• TV / Film: terms are discussed directly.

Terms of Use & License Questions

General Questions

Audio Formats & Stems Explained

What are stems (trackout files)?

Stems, or tracked-out files, are the separate audio files that make up an instrumental — the kick, snare, synth, piano, and so on, each as its own file. They're useful for high-end mixing, where an engineer needs to customize the mix around your vocals. We recommend the Unlimited license or higher for a top-notch mix.

What's the difference between MP3 and WAV?

MP3s are smaller than WAV files because they use lossy compression — meaning some audio information is discarded to reduce file size. How much is lost depends on the bitrate; higher-quality MP3s discard less but are larger.

WAV files are uncompressed, made using the same specifications as CDs — which is why a WAV can sound identical to the original source. That lack of compression makes WAV files large: a three-minute MP3 at ~211 kbps might be around 5MB, while the same song as a high-quality WAV can be nearly 45MB.