HHDX: Something that I don’t think that a lot of people realize is that just because an artist gets a songwriting credit, it doesn’t mean that they actually wrote the song. How does the publishing game really work? Who out there is really writing and who is not? And this time I want some names.
DE: You want some names?

HHDX: Names.
DE: You want some names of who’s not really writing?

HHDX: I want some names of whose getting songwriting credit on their album, when they’re really in the studio like “let’s say “them” instead of “they”… and then they get a credit.
DE: I’m a fighter, so it’s all good, so I’ll let you know. Basically every session I’ve been in control of that shit. I let them know from the gate, if you come through with “we” instead of “I”, you will walk out with your “we” instead of “I”, and if we choose to use that “we or I” are not gonna share publishing with you. There’s a few songwriters out there… I mean, to name names is one thing, because I have not really seen it, so I can’t really put people out there. I have heard the rumors about people who come in and add a hi-hat or maybe a snare drum, and then take 50-100% of people’s publishing. But I haven’t been in that position to see it. Maybe because people are intimidated because they know that I’m not going for the oke-doke. So I can’t really speak on names, but when I do hear stories of people saying someone took my publishing, or somebody only wrote one word, I blame them. I blame the person that lets it get done to them. Every song that comes out has a piece of paper that goes along with it that you fill out. It’s called the publishing slip. There’s an artist agreement, and there’s a production agreement. And if you so choose to roll with the punches and not pay attention, then you kinda deserve what you get. And that’s a million dollar mistake. A multi-million dollar mistake in some cases. So I don’t really sympathize. You wrote the song, how come you didn’t get credit for it? How can someone steal a song from you? I don’t understand. Unless they physically walk in your studio, walk out with the masters and put it out without you knowing about it- that’s one thing. But I don’t think that happens. I think people are hungry and greedy in the beginning, and they think: as long as I can just get in with this person, I’m cool. I’ll settle for five grand or ten grand now, as opposed to waiting for the song to come out. Because no one believes in a song until it’s a hit. Some of the biggest songs in the world, I guarantee that there’s been people who’ve passed on it. In the beginning someone might offer you a check for 5 or 10 grand, because they’re taking a gamble too, because no one can really pick a hit. They can guess, but nobody can pick a hit song and be 100% right. Nobody.