We’re not sure what the request looked like, but the reply to sucessful London TV Production company Betty TV from musician Whitey was perhaps not what they hoped for. We’ve put in a request for the original letter to Whitey and should we get it then we will post it.

You can see the email reply above, it seems to be the straw that has broken the camel’s back. What’s more the email was posted as promised by Whitey onto social media and it’s gone viral. The letter has resonated with the global music community, you can see replies on his Facebook page here. We’re guessing Betty TV may wish they had never asked in the first place.

“I am sick to death of your hollow schtick, of the inevitable line “unfortunately there’s no budget for music…your company set out the budget. so you have chosen to allocate no money for music. I get begging letters like this every week - from a booming, allfuent global media industry.”

Why is this? Let’s look at who we both are.

I am a professional musician, who lives form his music. It me half a lifetime to learn the skills, years to claw my way up the structure, to the point where a stranger like you will write to me. This music is my hard earned property. I;ve licensed music to some of the biggest shows, brands, games and TV production companies on Earth; form Breaking Bad to the Sopranos, from Coca Cola to Visa, HBO to Rockstar Games.”

He goes on to write…

“Now lets look at you. A quick glance at your website reveals a variety of well known, internationally syndicated reality programmes, You are a successful, financially solvent and globally recognised company with a string of hit shows. Working on multiple series in close co-operation with Channel 4, from a West London office, with a string of awards under your belt. You have real money, to pretend otherwise is an insult.

Yet you send me this shabby request - give me your property for free… Just give us what you own, we want it.

The answer is a resounding, and permanent NO.

I will now post this on my sites, forward this to several key online music sources and blogs, encourage people to re-blog this. I want to see a public discussion begin about this kind of industry abuse of musicians… this was one email too far for me. Enough. I’m sick of you.”

So, that sounds like a ‘no’ to us. Discuss.