The Haze as a Musical Work

Imagining that “Haze” is music.
The Lost Origin of Haze Music

Brother Haze
Brother Haze is a passionate music artist who composes an instrumental piece called "Haze." This music, although talented, does not achieve international success. However, Brother Haze, in an act of generosity or perhaps negligence, gives the music to Sam, a producer he knows, without selling the copyright or demanding compensation.

Sam
Sam is a producer with a dubious reputation in the music industry. He takes Brother Haze's song "Haze" for free, without regard for copyright. Seeing an opportunity, Sam begins to do some promotion for the song to get it noticed. Although his efforts are limited, they manage to catch the attention of Neville, a renowned music producer and artist.

Neville
Neville, searching for new sounds for his musical projects, stumbles upon "Haze" through Sam's promotion. He is immediately captivated by the melody and decides to use it as the basis for a new creation. Neville purchases the "Haze" sample from Sam for a considerable sum, believing that this will pay the royalties and become the rightful owner of the sample. However, this transaction is made without the consent or knowledge of Brother Haze, the original creator.

Neville adds his own personal touch to the music, incorporating his own instruments and arrangements, and manages to turn this new version into a worldwide hit, winning several awards and accolades.

Who owns the copyright?

Brother Haze

• Original Creator:: Brother Haze is the creator of the original music track "Haze." While he didn't directly monetize this music, he remains the author of the basic composition and holds the original copyright.
• Victim of Unfair Appropriation: By giving the music to Sam without a formal transfer of rights, Brother Haze finds himself in a situation where his work is being exploited without his permission.

Sam

• Illegitimate Purchaser: Sam takes "Haze" from the Brothers without paying or obtaining the royalties. This action reinforces his reputation as a fraudster, as he sells the sample to Neville without having legitimate ownership.
• Opportunistic Promoter: Sam plays a crucial role in introducing "Haze" to Neville, but does so unethically.

Neville

• Creator of the Remixed Version: Neville transformed "Haze" into a new musical creation that became an international hit thanks to his production talent and by adding Thai backup vocals.
• Purchaser in Good Faith but Disputed: Neville purchased the sample from Sam, thinking he was paying the royalties and becoming the rightful owner. However, this acquisition was contested because it was made without the consent of the Haze Brothers.

Conclusion

The story of "Haze" is complex and highlights issues of intellectual property and ethics in the music industry. Brother Haze is the original creator, but he is denied recognition and financial compensation. Sam, the con artist, takes advantage of the situation to make money without having the legitimate rights or even sharing the loot with Brothers Haze.
Neville, despite transforming the music into a worldwide hit, finds himself in a difficult position, having acquired the rights illegitimately. In an ideal scenario, legal action could restore Brother Haze's rights and clarify ownership of the work.
But since we're talking about cannabis, the law of pirates prevails... Haze didn't really make the money he deserved for his creation, Neville should have changed the name "Haze" but surely wouldn't have made as much money with another name. Sam is a real crook who proves once again that we can't trust anyone, especially not the middlemen in this unprotected market.

Percentage of Rights on the Basic Piece "Haze"

Brother Haze (Author/Creator)

• Contribution:Creation of the original composition.
• Percentage: 100%

Brother Haze is the sole creator of the basic music, so he should initially own 100% of the rights to this release, but didn't make much money from it.

Percentage of Rights on the Remixed Version (Final Haze)

For the remixed version, everyone's contributions should be taken into account:

Brother Haze (Author/Creator)

• Contribution: Provides the original composition on which the remix is ​​based.
• Percentage: 40%

Neville (Composer/Director + Special Effects)

• Contribution: Transforms and improves the original music by adding new elements and producing the final version.
• Percentage: 50%

Sam (Sales/Distributor)

• Contribution: Introduced music to Neville and played a crucial role in its dissemination and promotion.
• Percentage: 10%

Distribution of Rights for the Remixed Version (Final Haze)

• Brother Haze: 40%
• Neville: 50%
• Sam: 10%

Justification

• Brother Haze: Although he is the author of the original work, his role in the remix is ​​limited to providing the basis for the composition. A 40% allocation reflects the importance of the original work without minimizing Neville's additional contributions.
• Neville: As the remix composer, Neville adds significant creative elements and transforms the music into a global hit. His efforts warrant a 50% majority share.
• Sam: Although Sam did not contribute directly to the artistic creation, his role in promotion and distribution is crucial to the commercial success. A 10% share reflects this contribution while acknowledging the questionable ethical aspects of his acquisition of the sample.

Or a movie:

Brother Haze: The Screenwriter/Creator (Author) Trophy

Neville:The Director + Special Effects (Composer) Trophy

Sam: The salesperson, distributor (salesperson) trophy