Free beats and leased beats
Why You Shouldn't Use Them
There is a high probability that such beats are already used by other artists or licensed to other labels. Even if your release passes the distributor's approval and hits stores, problems may still arise after some time. Thus, using free beats and leased beats can be called a "time bomb".
What problems may arise
Covers and titles confusions
Your track may get someone else's cover and title, or vice versa, your track may appear under someone else's name.
Legal conflicts
You and the other artist may be in the same boat, neither owning the rights to the beat nor having the right to license the track.
Loss of profit
The label will be forced to pull the track, resulting in a loss of revenue for both you and the label.
Waste of time and resources
You will lose the money you invested in vocal recording, mixing, cover design and advertising, as well as the time you spent creating the track.
How to avoid these problems
Writing your own beats
Obviously, this method may not be suitable for everyone. In that case, it is worth considering a full-fledged purchase of bits.
Buying Exclusive Beats
Buy beats strictly on an exclusive basis with 100% copyright and related rights transfer. This ensures that the beat will not be used by other artists.
When is it worth using
If you are just starting out in music and don't know yet if this is your calling, you can use free beats or leased beats for test recordings. The most important thing to remember is that such tracks cannot be published on music platforms, therefore, you won't be able to make money on such tracks, and sooner or later you will have to buy exclusive rights.