Desi Hip-Hop Publishing Rights India: Basics 101

Introduction

Desi Hip-Hop artists are building careers on both streets and streaming charts—but too many leave significant income on the table by overlooking publishing rights.

In FY 2024–25, IPRS collected ₹700 crore (≈ $82 million) in performance royalties, yet underground creators—from Mumbai’s alleyways to Delhi’s basements—often don’t register, split or claim their share.

This guide explains every revenue stream—performance, mechanical, sync and neighbouring—through the lens of Desi Hip-Hop, giving you the knowledge and tools to register, negotiate and capture your earnings.

Key Stats:

• ₹700 crore collected by IPRS in FY 2024–25
• Statutory mechanical rate: ₹0.10/stream
• Average performance payout: ~₹0.02/stream (estimate)

1. Understanding the Legal Framework

India’s Copyright Act, 1957 (amended via the Copyright Amendment Act, 2012; latest tweaks under the Jan Vishwas Amendment, 2023) underpins all music rights. For Desi Hip-Hop artists, two nuances matter:

• Creator Roles Combined: Artists like Divine and Naezy co-wrote and performed Mere Gully Mein, making them co-authors (composers & lyricists) and co-performers—entitling each to both publishing and neighbouring-rights income.
• Label vs. Publisher Roles: Labels (e.g., Mass Appeal/Gully Gang Records) often act as publishers, collecting statutory mechanical royalties unless you negotiate a separate publishing-administration deal.

Key Definitions (Section 2 of the Copyright Act)

• Musical Work: Lyrics + composition (your rap verses, hooks).
• Sound Recording: Fixed performance (final track file).
• Performer: Anyone featured in the recording (rappers, guest artists, musicians).

2. Demystifying Royalty Streams in Desi Hip-Hop

2.1 Performance Royalties (IPRS)

IPRS licenses broadcasters, digital platforms and venues to perform your compositions. Collections flow into a central pool and are distributed based on usage data. In FY 2024–25, IPRS collected ₹700 crore, averaging about ₹0.02 per stream (estimate).

2.2 Mechanical Royalties

Under Sections 31C/31D, any reproduction—CD pressing, downloads or streams—triggers mechanical royalties at ₹0.10 per stream (statutory; negotiable)

2.3 Sync Fees

Negotiated one-on-one: indie placements range ₹50,000–₹5 lakh (micro‑ to mid‑tier budgets), while major campaigns (Bollywood trailers, national ads) can command ₹20–25 lakh+.

2.4 Neighbouring Rights (PPL & ISRA)

PPL India collects royalties for sound recordings on behalf of labels; ISRA distributes 25 percent of collections to performers. Labels like Azadi Records and artists such as Seedhe Maut benefit directly.

3. Who Gets Paid—and How

• Songwriters & Lyricists: Co-writers split the 50 percent writer portion of performance & mechanical pools (e.g., Divine & Naezy each claim 25 percent).
• Music Publishers: Collect 100 percent of mechanical/sync royalties if assigned; consider retaining admin rights to self‑register.
• Producers: Upfront fees + “points” (2–5 percent) on net revenues (indie norm ~ 3 points).
• Session Musicians: Work‑for‑hire fees; joining ISRA unlocks neighbouring‑rights earnings.
• Featured Artists/Vocalists: Claim performance & neighbouring rights—if registered & credited properly.

4. Step-by-Step Registration for Desi Hip-Hop Artists

1. IPRS (Writers & Publishers)
   • Register compositions (e.g., “Yeezys,” “Class-Sikh”) at iprs.org.
   • Upload split sheets pre-release.

2. PPL India (Labels & Recording Owners)

1. • Apply at pplindia.org to collect neighbouring rights.

3. ISRA (Performers)

1. • Register to claim 25 percent pooled by PPL; apply via ISRA’s portal.

5. Contracts & Best Practices in Desi Hip-Hop

• Split Sheets: Signed agreements on contributor shares at session start.
• Producer Deals: Outline flat fees, points, recoupment, audit rights, deadlines.
• Session Waivers: Flat‑fee, work‑for‑hire; negotiate sync reuse fees.
• Sync Licences: Written terms for territory, media, duration, exclusivity, credit.
• Metadata Hygiene: Accurate ISRC (recording) & ISWC (composition) codes for global collection.

6. Case Study: Estimated Breakdown for “Mere Gully Mein”

Note: Figures from Music Metrics Vault report 16,599,856 Spotify streams (original Divine & Naezy release; June 18, 2025).

Total estimated publishing revenue: ₹1,991,981 (mechanical + performance).
Excludes YouTube, radio & other DSPs; actual earnings vary.

7. Actionable Checklist for Desi Hip-Hop Artists

• Join the Key Societies: Register as a writer/publisher with IPRS, as a label/owner with PPL India, and as a performer with ISRA to capture every stream and performance fee.
• Execute Split Sheets Before Recording: Document and sign off on each contributor’s share (writers, performers, producers, sample sources) on day one.
• Register Metadata & Codes: Obtain and register accurate ISRC codes (for each master recording) and ISWC codes (for each composition) to ensure global tracking and collection.
• Draft Clear Written Agreements: Formalize work-for-hire and backend terms with producers, session musicians and featured artists; always include payment terms, points, recoupment and audit rights.
• Negotiate Sync Licences in Writing: Specify territory, media, duration, exclusivity and credit obligations; retain copies for your records.
• Maintain Metadata Hygiene: Keep song titles, writer/performer credits and label information up to date on all DSPs and society portals.
• Audit Royalty Statements Quarterly: Review IPRS, PPL and sync payouts every three months; raise disputes immediately if you spot errors or missing income.