John Washington III Tells Spotify His Answer on Remixing American King Records Masters Is a Big No

Presidential candidate John Washington III is drawing a hard line with the world's biggest streaming platform - not over politics, but over property. John Washington III, the owner of American King Records, says he has a serious problem with streaming platforms attempting to negotiate deals that allow other people to remix artists' music. "MY ANSWER IS NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT!" he wrote.

"Spotify is a streaming platform. SPOTIFY IS NOT MY RECORD COMPANY!" John Washington III wrote. He said he did not build his record label, invest his money, develop his artists and create his music catalog just to have a streaming platform negotiate how other people can use the label's master recordings - and he is not interested in handing over control of those recordings in exchange for an undisclosed streaming royalty that might amount to fractions of a penny.

There is a proper way to do business, John Washington III wrote: "YOU COME TO THE RECORD COMPANY!" Anyone who wants to remix, sample or commercially use one of the label's master recordings contacts American King Records and negotiates a licensing agreement covering the upfront payment, royalties, ownership and terms of use. "YOUR MUSIC IS AN ASSET. YOUR MASTER RECORDINGS ARE PROPERTY. YOUR RIGHTS HAVE VALUE!" he wrote - closing with his position in four lines: no unauthorized remixes of the label's masters, no third-party licensing without the label's approval, and no giving away control of the catalog for pennies.