Asked to use my car in Rap video?!? UPDATE!

[NYCMille]

Well, just got a phone call at 10:30pm... nice right. The guy who called said that they did indeed want to use the car in a video for Chuck D of Public Enemy. They would need the car for min. 2 hours., with me there of course. The premise is some guy needs to get to his girl at some fancy ballroom - in this case the Plaza in NYC (which would be cool) but that the car (my car) breaks down. They said that Chuck D has a 396 Chevelle that they were going to use but that when they saw the Charger they wanted that instead. Said he'd never seen one like mine and it would be perfect for the video. They would pay, but I don't how much as I said I would sleep on it and call them back sometime tomorrow. Very nice guy on the phone... whattya' ya'll think... as mentioned above, it's not for some hip hop nobody... Chuck D is a real heavy hitter in the industy.

Don't know what to do?

[golden73]

Its your call, but if it was me, I would jump all over that.

Just get everything down on paper, to cover yourself.

[runningman]

Yeah I would do it, just have all the bases covered.  I am a Public Enemy fan though, kind of biased 

[74Charger]

As long as you go in knowing that something could happen to your car or property.   And you are fine with that.   I would do it.   I rented some property to a movie company recently.   And everything went fine. I would do as 6T9 said too about the insurance.   In my case the movie company had a million dollar policy on the site and a million dolllar policy on a helicopter that was used.   Our name was on the insurance policy.   And I had a copy of the policy in hand before they began shooting.   I also made sure to get paid prior to them using the property.   Learned that mistake the hard way with another movie company.

[Blakcharger440]

I would definitely do it! It would be great to see your car on TV! I would record it so I could watch it again and again! 

1) It would put the old Chargers even more in the public eye again so people can appreciate it. 

2) Make sure to get paid "BIGTIME" as they are a big name in the industry   

3) Getting the muscle cars on TV,to car shows and cruises lets the younger folk know what these cars
are about and how good they look!   

4) Its a great compliment to your Charger and to your taste in fine Mopars
   They know its cool or they wouldnt have asked!

[Johnny SixPack]

Sounds cool, Mike!

Yeah, Chuck D being involved definitely lends some legitimacy to the whole deal.

Like everyone is saying, keep yer @$$ and yer car covered.  

[bull]

One thing you probably need to check on for sure is the insurance issue. If you have your car insured through a classic insurer like Hagerty I believe they would want to know about this because I know the Hagerty application specifically asks "Is any collector vehicle used for commercial purposes (rentals, commercial hauling, etc.)?" and I think this might qualify as a rental or possibly a short-term lease. You should also ask the people organizing this video if they have insurance to cover you personally and request a copy of the policy as it relates to you and your car. Other than that I think it would be cool. Be sure and get all the freebees you can out of the deal too, ie., autographs, CDs, posters, access to the video for use on dc.com, etc. Have fun. Oh yea, take lots of pictures too.

[Silver R/T]

id let chicks sit on it, depends on what chick though

[SuBLimE 69]

I'd ask them to name a price and see what they say.  I'd have no idea what something like that should go for but if I wasted a day I say 1k would be worth the hassle.  I'd also imagine it would take more than hour.  I mean jeez, they gotta put all those baggy clothes on get half drunk and roll some blunts before anyone is gonna start "rappin".  Also make sure you tell'em NO HOT BOXIN IN THE CAR !  They'll get a kick out that. 

[Doc74]

DO IT ! Seriously, for all reasons mentioned and a few more .Honestly, I don't like rap or hip hop but I'd do it, that's an opp you don't get very often.The charger will be immortalized on video ! Even if you drove it home afterwards and a semi totalled it, you'd still have the video ! I didn't scare you now did I ?   
Get insured, get overpaid and have fun...and bring a camera to snap some bling chicks while you're there ! 

[TruckDriver]

Its your call, but if it was me, I would jump all over that.

Just get everything down on paper, to cover yourself.

[BrianShaughnessy]

If they want to use YOUR car,   and then embarrass the community by having it broke down on screen - well soak 'em for every penny you can.   Aside from that... good luck!   I think it's a pretty cool opportuinity.

[plum500]

Hell ya. And given who it is, I would hope it was professional operation - sure the logistics of it would be as much a concern and on the table from the production co.  -- and probably decent compensation.

Though I'd do it just for the cool factor and any expenses covered.

I'd be more upset about the breaking down role it would be playing than anything.

They need to have the Chevelle break down, and the Charger come to the rescue.

[Chris G.]

I would do it as well. Everyone pretty much covered all the bases in this thread. The only thing that would prevent me from going, would be the weather. So far we've been lucky, so I say good luck and go for it!

ps- Chuck D. is far from a heavy hitter. He was a big shot back in the day, but if it's a video for him and not someone on his label, you'll be lucky if they even play it on BET.

[NYCMille]

Thanks for all the replys guys - I am going to call them back at 12 o'clock and find out all the particulars. Then I'll post back and let everyone know what I'm doing.

It does sound pretty cool though.

[69_500]

I would let them use the car if it was up to me. I would just simply ask for about $3-400 a day that they use the car, and have a very specific list of do's and don'ts for the car. If they complied with those then I'd say go for it. If you try to get a huge amount of money out of them, they may pass and go back to another car instead. You have to weigh your options, get paid a few hundred dollars and have a car in a music video, or get nothing out of it?

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Go for it dude!

just make sure they fit in the fact that you fix the car and do a hellacious, smoky burnout to get to the show on time!

[RT DAVE]

For Chuck D?  Hell yeah!  Your car is so distinct that the value should skyrocket should the song be a success.  Just my opinion. 

[JimShine]

Bring a video camera and keep it rolling in case something happens you have have proof. Otherwise, just do it. Your car will have some limelight and it sheds a good light on them all to a group of kids whom otherwise may never be exposed to them.

[MichaelRW]

I know I'm probably in the minority here but I don't like associating a Charger with anything to do with the bling, bling rap crap.

[Orange_Crush]

I know I'm probably in the minority here but I don't like associating a Charger with anything to do with the bling, bling rap crap.

I don't know if you've noticed (maybe, maybe not), but the "bling bling/rap" crowd is responsible for preserving and maintaining a lot of old iron.  I'd definitely do it.

[MichaelRW]

I know I'm probably in the minority here but I don't like associating a Charger with anything to do with the bling, bling rap crap.

I don't know if you've noticed (maybe, maybe not), but the "bling bling/rap" crowd is responsible for preserving and maintaining a lot of old iron.  I'd definitely do it.

No, I have not noticed. Please explain how the rap crowd has preserved and maintained old iron.

[Orange_Crush]

I know I'm probably in the minority here but I don't like associating a Charger with anything to do with the bling, bling rap crap.

I don't know if you've noticed (maybe, maybe not), but the "bling bling/rap" crowd is responsible for preserving and maintaining a lot of old iron.   I'd definitely do it.

No, I have not noticed. Please explain how the rap crowd has preserved and maintained old iron.

Be glad to.

If you're ever in my neck of the woods, I'll take you for a ride down the Plaza, or Central Avenue, or South Boulevard and you're gonna see tons of late sixties and seventies iron...most with Godawful paint jobs and wagon-wheel rims...but driven and preserved nonetheless.

None of these are highly desirable musclecars...rather they are the less desirable Impalas, chevelles, coronets, Satellites, Fairlanes, etc.  The cars that would have wound up in the scrap heap because we "muscleheads" didn't deem them to be worth preserving.  They got them and preserved them.  They're not too pretty (for us) to look at, but they are intact and driven daily.

If they hadn't fixed them up, they'd either be in scrapyards or chopped up to provide us with parts. 

[Arthu®]

I know I'm probably in the minority here but I don't like associating a Charger with anything to do with the bling, bling rap crap.

I don't know if you've noticed (maybe, maybe not), but the "bling bling/rap" crowd is responsible for preserving and maintaining a lot of old iron.   I'd definitely do it.

No, I have not noticed. Please explain how the rap crowd has preserved and maintained old iron.

Be glad to.

If you're ever in my neck of the woods, I'll take you for a ride down the Plaza, or Central Avenue, or South Boulevard and you're gonna see tons of late sixties and seventies iron...most with Godawful paint jobs and wagon-wheel rims...but driven and preserved nonetheless.

None of these are highly desirable musclecars...rather they are the less desirable Impalas, chevelles, coronets, Satellites, Fairlanes, etc.   The cars that would have wound up in the scrap heap because we "muscleheads" didn't deem them to be worth preserving.   They got them and preserved them.   They're not too pretty (for us) to look at, but they are intact and driven daily.

If they hadn't fixed them up, they'd either be in scrapyards or chopped up to provide us with parts.  

Well said, couldn't have said it better myself. At least the cars are saved.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Oh yeah.......tell them you know where a nice 69 R/T & a nice 70 R/T is in case they are looking for the "trifecta"