How much money are rappers making off beats?

[HarryJS]

Obviously there's no right or single answer for this but I just mean like how are rappers making money off beats? I thought they were just putting them on like free mixtapes with songs downloaded for free. How much are they really making? Are they like putting their best shit on iTunes? Is there even a market for small artists on iTunes like that? Just wondering because I heard someone say they sell exclusives for like 3 grand and shit couldn't believe smaller rappers and artists are making money like that selling singles.

[Mudloop]

I'm not sure I understand the question. Rappers usually pay for the beats, it's producers that make money with beats.

Some rappers can of course make beats themselves, but in general, rappers aren't always producers.

 

If a producer is good and has made a name for himself, getting 3k for a beat wouldn't be impossible. But it will take a long time to get there.

 

It's also possible to sell beats to multiple people, using services like premiumbeats. Besides rappers, here's also game developers, people who make videos and trailers etc that often need music and buy stuff there. How much a single beat would make would depend on how good it is, if a lot of people want it, they can make some good money, but for most people it's probably quite a struggle.

[john]

I could be wrong, but I thought the OP meant how much were rappers making from songs they release that use beats they got from beat producers for free. The producers let the rappers use them thinking they will be on free mixtapes, but rappers then upload to iTunes and make money. At least, I think that is what the OP is saying!

 

Truth is, you take any bunch of people who don’t know how the music industry works, and who put in very little effort into learning, is it any surprise that creators of any kind are taken advantage of? It isn’t just rappers and beat makers. It isn’t just a certain age group.... though I think it is more generally a bigger issue for the less experienced. It goes with the whole get rich quick mentality that fuels American Idol and a few million YouTubers.

 

We live in a world where so many feel entitled, who want to be instant millionaires, want everything for free, don’t want to put in any real effort to get there, who want zero inconvenience, and who want someone else to be responsible. They want it on a plate, preferably when they return from a nice vacation.

 

The solution is to learn. To look for the right answer, not quick, inaccurate or entirely false rumours.