Vybz Kartel is not ‘ramping’ with copyright violation. The hit single, Ramping Shop is being officially released without the flashy Miss Independent rhythm from the Ne-Yo camp.
“That (version) cannot be officially released because that would be a breach of copyright,” explained Claude Mills, publicist of Kartel.
In a bid to capitalise on the popularity of the song which is a Kartel and Spice duet, Adidijaheim Records switched to a local rhythm by producer Not Nice.
Mills argued that licensing the original rhythm would have been prohibitive. As such, they did not approach the Ne-Yo camp for clearance. “We never intended to put it on an album. And we would have to have clearance and pay money. And I don’t think we have that kind of money.”
Mills is correct, according to jukebox executive Shane Brown: “(The Ne-Yo song) is too new, they would not clear it. And secondly, if they did clear it, they would take 100 per cent of all proceeds. Remember, without their consent it cannot be officially released. They have the handle, they can do anything.”
The Ne-Yo track was produced by Stargate, a Norwegian duo that left Scandinavia and hit it big in the US. They did Street Life (Beenie Man), Unfaithful (Rihanna), So Sick and Miss Independent (Ne-Yo), Irreplaceable (Beyonce), Curtain Falls (Blue), One Love (Blue), Stolen (Jay Sean). The independent rhythm arguably helped drive the popularity of Ramping Shop. The Stargate rhythm is on numerous local mix tapes, and at street dances selectors segue from Ne-Yo song into Ramping Shop. This could pose problems for the Kartel team, were the song to go international, argued Brown who manages Busy Signal, an artiste of similar weight. He told Splash that even if the official version avoids the Stargate rhythm it can still be associated with it.
“When you have a remix of a song, you still have to take into account the music from where the song came from… The original composition would have to be taken into consideration,” Brown posited. “If it does get to where
it becomes international and when the cheques are being drawn and to be realised that it was derived from their rhythm, they can own a part of it – the writers’ credit. Because when you talk about the writers of a song, 50 per cent is lyrics and 50 per cent music.”
But for now, Brown said that Ramping Shop is inconsequential to mega music charts.
“The song is not international yet for the Ne-Yo camp to even be concerned about it. Maybe if it were
more successful. Right now Ramping Shop is in the ethnic market creating a buzz. I don’t think it has reached that point for them to be concerned about it yet. It’s not an issue right now.”
Source + Photo: JamaicaObserver
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