Adapted from Words Like That S2 Ep. 6, originally released July 16, 2024.
I must begin with the disclaimer that I am not a lawyer and nothing I say should be taken as legal advice of any kind. Today, I’m going to be talking about a topic that’s near and dear to my heart: copyright.
I am singer/songwriter who produces arts and media commentary and reaction videos, primarily for YouTube, under the record label banner I own and operate. I was once asked in the comments section of a video why I wait to publish reaction videos until after the videos have cleared YouTube’s copyright claim system, a process that often takes 30 days. Although I responded briefly to that commenter directly, I’d like to reveal a little bit more about what I see behind the curtain and why I behave like I do.
I should begin by explaining why copyright is an important topic to me:
First, as songwriter and record label owner, I’ve been filing copyrights with the U.S. Copyright Office for the last 14 years on composition and sound recordings because I don’t want someone else to steal my intellectual property. This is the reason that copyright laws were originally created — to incentivize artists with legal protection.…
Cole Powell is an arts and media commentator and award-winning singer/songwriter from Jayess, Mississippi, USA. Powell holds degrees in computer technology and liberal arts and sciences and wants to be a comic book artist when he grows up and learns to draw.