DMG Clearances

DMG Clearances, Inc is a company based in Hockessin, Delaware, USA, which handles music clearances and licensing for the entertainment industry. DMG Clearances was founded in 1996 by Deborah Mannis-Gardner.

The company clears musical compositions for use in films, video games, sampling and Broadway Theater. Clients include Drake, Eminem, De La Soul, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Coen Brothers, Martin Scorsese, Rockstar Games and The Roots.

In 2023, the American hip-hop group De La Soul partnered with DMG in order to clear the samples on their back catalogue before their digital release.

Deborah Mannis-Gardner
Deborah Mannis-Gardner is a graduate of Emerson College and began her career in the entertainment industry working on music videos and providing television clearances in New York City in 1989. Mannis-Gardner went into the business of sample clearances for hip hop music in 1992 with a UK business partner. In 1996, she created DMG Clearances to focus on sample clearances and music placement.

Regarding the state of music sampling, Mannis-Gardner has always considered it an art. "I think sampling is an art and I think it's incredible. When I first started, I was told how it was theft. I was told that hip-hop and rap was a phase. That it wasn't going to be around. All of that horrible, negative stuff. I kept saying "well, a collage, that's not real art? Jambalaya isn't real food?" That's a great meal mixed up of different foods and spices, that's what sampling is."

Awards
The New Castle County Chamber of Commerce named Mannis-Gardner the 2016 Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year.

Film
Source: IMDb
 * 1997 A Life Less Ordinary (music clearances - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 1997 Kiss Me, Guido (music clearances)
 * 1998 Velvet Goldmine (music coordinator - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 1999 Dogma (music coordinator - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 1999 She's All That (music coordinator - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 2000 O Brother, Where Art Thou? (music clearances)
 * 2001 How High (music co-ordinator - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 2002 8 Mile (music clearance)
 * 2002 xXx (music coordinator - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 2003 The Fighting Temptations (music co-ordinator - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 2003 School of Rock (music co-ordinator - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 2004 White Chicks (music co-ordinator - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 2005 In Her Shoes (music clearances)
 * 2005 xXx: State of the Union (music clearances)
 * 2005 Are We There Yet? (music clearance / music co-ordinator - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 2006 Rocky Balboa (music clearance)
 * 2006 Littleman (music co-ordinator - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 2006 Take the Lead (music clearances)
 * 2007 Lucky You (music co-ordinator - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 2007 Are We Done Yet? (music co-ordinator - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 2008 The Accidental Husband (music co-ordinator - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 2012 Hip Hop Cultural Odyssey: Know Your History (TV movie documentary) (music clearance - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 2012 Be Inspired: The Life of Heavy D (documentary short) (music clearances - as Deborah Mannis-Gardner)
 * 2012 Independent Lens (TV series documentary) (music clearance - 1 episode)
 * 2014 Free the Nipple (music supervisor - as Debra Mannis-Gardner)
 * 2016 Southside with You (music licensing)

Music
Source: Artist Direct
 * 1997	Forest for the Trees - Forest for the Trees (sample clearance)
 * 1997	Kiss Me Guido		(project co-ordinator)
 * 1997	Pop - U2 (sample clearance)
 * 1998	Men with Guns (Hombres Armados) [Rykodisc] (music clearance)
 * 1999	Classic Limited Edition - Made Men (sample clearance)
 * 1999	Life Story - Black Rob (sample clearance)
 * 2000	Old School - Next Friday(music clearance)
 * 2001	Forever - TKA (sample clearance)
 * 2001	Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) - Fat Joe (sample clearance)
 * 2002	El Cool Magnifico - Coolio (sample clearance)
 * 2002	It Ain't Safe No More - Busta Rhymes (sample clearance)
 * 2002	Loyalty	Fat Joe (sample clearance)
 * 2003	Almost Famous - Lumidee (sample clearance)
 * 2003	Blood in My Eye - Ja Rule (sample clearance)
 * 2003	Chicken-N-Beer - Ludacris (sample clearance)
 * 2003	Grand Champ - DMX (sample clearance)
 * 2004	Concrete Rose - Ashanti (sample clearance)
 * 2004	Encore - Eminem (sample clearance)
 * 2004	Godfather Buried Alive - Shyne (sample clearance)
 * 2004	Hell and Back - Drag-On (sample clearance)
 * 2004	Kiss of Death - Jadakiss (sample clearance)
 * 2004	Lyfe 268-192 - Lyfe Jennings (sample clearance)
 * 2004	R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece - Snoop Dogg (sample clearance)
 * 2004	Southside - Lloyd (sample clearance)
 * 2004	The Pretty Toney Album - Ghostface Killah (sample clearance)
 * 2004	The Red Light District - Ludacris (sample clearance)
 * 2004	Tical 0: The Prequel - Method Man (sample clearance)
 * 2004	Urban Legend - T.I. (sample clearance)
 * 2004	White Trash Beautiful - Everlast (sample clearance)
 * 2004	Will & Grace: Let the Music Out! (sample clearance)
 * 2005	As Is. [CD & DVD] - Tocka (sample clearance)
 * 2005	Collectables by Ashanti - Ashanti (sample clearance)
 * 2005	Disturbing tha Peace - Disturbing tha Peace / Ludacris (sample clearance)
 * 2005	Roc-a-Fella Records Presents Teairra Marí - Teairra Marí (sample clearance)
 * 2005	That One Way - Czar*Nok / Max Julien (sample clearance)
 * 2005	The Anger Management Tour [DVD]	 (sample clearance)
 * 2005	The Black Rob Report - Black Rob (sample clearance)
 * 2005	The East Village Opera Company - The East Village Opera Company (sample clearance)
 * 2005	The Naked Truth - Lil' Kim (musician)
 * 2005	The Redemption, Vol. 4 - Ruff Ryders (sample clearance)
 * 2005	Welcome to Jamrock - Damian "Junior Gong" Marley (sample clearance)
 * 2006	A Girl Like Me - Rihanna (sample clearance)
 * 2006	Bred 2 Die Born 2 Live - Lil Scrappy (sample clearance)
 * 2006	Eminem Presents: The Re-Up - Eminem (sample clearance)
 * 2006	Food & Liquor - Lupe Fiasco (design)
 * 2006	Hoodstar - Chingy (sample clearance)
 * 2006	More Fish - Ghostface Killah (sample clearance)
 * 2006	N.O.R.E. y la Familia...Ya Tú Sabe - N.O.R.E. (sample clearance)
 * 2006	Point of No Return - Shareefa (sample clearance)
 * 2006	Press Play - Diddy / P. Diddy (sample clearance)
 * 2006	Tha Blue Carpet Treatment - Snoop Dogg (sample clearance)
 * 2006	Time Is Money - Styles P (sample clearance)
 * 2006	Year of the Dog...Again - DMX (sample clearance)
 * 2007	Baby Makin' Project - agged Edge (sample clearance)
 * 2007	Good Girl Gone Bad - Rihanna (sample clearance)
 * 2007	Hate It or Love It - Chingy (sample clearance)
 * 2007	Red Gone Wild: Thee Album - Redman (sample clearance)
 * 2007	Special Occasion - Bobby V (sample clearance)
 * 2007	Supply & Demand - Playaz Circle (sample clearance)
 * 2007	The Big Doe Rehab - Ghostface Killah (sample clearance)
 * 2007	The Cool - Lupe Fiasco (sample clearance)
 * 2008	Gutta - Ace Hood (sample clearance)
 * 2008	Nas - Nas (sample clearance)
 * 2008	Plastic Starfish - Tal M. Klein (sample clearance)
 * 2008	Rising Down - The Roots (sample clearance)
 * 2009	8dazeaweakend - Dallas Austin / Dallas Austin Experience (sample clearance)
 * 2009	Blackout! Vol. 2 - Method Man / Redman (sample clearance)
 * 2009	Certified - Unladylike (sample clearance)
 * 2009	Deeper Than Rap - Rick Ross (sample clearance)
 * 2009	Flight 360: The Takeoff - Playaz Circle (sample clearance)
 * 2009	Loso's Way - Fabolous (sample clearance)
 * 2009	Malice N Wonderland - Snoop Dogg (sample clearance)
 * 2009	Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel - Mariah Carey (sample clearance)
 * 2009	Notorious (original soundtrack)	 (sample clearance)
 * 2009	Rated R - Rihanna (sample clearance)
 * 2009	Relapse - Eminem (sample clearance)
 * 2009	Relapse: Refill - Eminem (sample clearance)
 * 2009	Ruthless - Ace Hood (sample clearance)
 * 2009	Tha Connect - Willy Northpole (sample clearance)
 * 2009	The Boss of All Bosses - Slim Thug (sample clearance)
 * 2009	The Last Kiss - Jadakiss (sample clearance)
 * 2009	Ultraviolet - Kid Sister (sample clearance)
 * 2010	Apollo Kids - Ghostface Killah (sample clearance)
 * 2010	Battle of the Sexes - Ludacris (sample clearance)
 * 2010	Crunk Rock - Lil Jon (sample clearance)
 * 2010	Donnie G: Don Gorilla - Sheek Louch (sample clearance)
 * 2010	How I Got Over - The Roots (sample clearance)
 * 2010	Loud - Rihanna (sample clearance)
 * 2010	More Malice - Snoop Dogg (sample clearance)
 * 2010	My Soul - Leela James (sample clearance)
 * 2010	Recovery - Eminem (sample clearance)
 * 2010	Reggie - Redman (sample clearance)
 * 2010	Rise Up - Cypress Hill (sample clearance)
 * 2010	Teflon Don - Rick Ross (sample clearance)
 * 2010	The Beginning - The Black Eyed Peas (sample clearance)
 * 2010	The Beginning & the Best of the E.N.D. - The Black Eyed Peas (sample clearance)
 * 2010	The Darkside, Vol. 1 - Fat Joe (sample clearance)
 * 2010	Wu Massacre - Ghostface Killah / Method Man / Raekwon (sample clearance)
 * 2011	Blood Sweat & Tears - Ace Hood (sample clearance)
 * 2011	Doggumentary - Snoop Dogg (sample clearance)
 * 2011	Hell: The Sequel - Bad Meets Evil (sample clearance)
 * 2011	I Love You (A Dedication to My Fans): The Mixtape - Jadakiss (sample clearance)
 * 2011	Lasers - Lupe Fiasco (sample clearance)
 * 2011	Talk That Talk - Rihanna (sample clearance)
 * 2011	Under the Mistletoe - Justin Bieber (main personnel, music clearance)
 * 2011	Undun - The Roots (sample clearance)
 * 2012	Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. 1 - Lupe Fiasco (sample clearance)
 * 2012	God Forgives, I Don't - Rick Ross (sample clearance)
 * 2012	Life Is Good - Nas (sample clearance)
 * 2012	Unapologetic - Rihanna (sample clearance)
 * 2012	Welcome To: Our House - Slaughterhouse (sample clearance)
 * 2013	#willpower - will.i.am (sample clearance)
 * 2013	B.O.A.T.S. II: #METIME - 2 Chainz (music clearance)
 * 2013	Break the Pot - Rich Boy (sample clearance)
 * 2013	Nothing Was the Same - Drake (sample clearance)
 * 2014	...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin - The Roots (sample clearance)
 * 2014	Hood Billionaire - Rick Ross (sample clearance)
 * 2014	Mastermind - Rick Ross (sample clearance)
 * 2015	Black Market - Rick Ross (sample clearance)
 * 2015	Fly International Luxurious Art	Raekwon (sample clearance)
 * 2015	Hamilton: An American Musical (original Broadway cast recording]) - Lin-Manuel Miranda (music clearance)
 * 2015	Living Legend - Gunplay (sample clearance)
 * 3 CD Collector's Set - Rihanna (sample clearance)