RIAA Arrests Pro Artist for Making Mixtapes

Maximum Prophet writes "The RIAA is now going after mixtapes; specifically, the well-known mixtapes of rap artist DJ Drama. From the article: 'On Tuesday night he was arrested with Don Cannon, a protégé. The police, working with the Recording Industry Association of America, raided his office, at 147 Walker Street in Atlanta. The association makes no distinction between counterfeit CDs and unlicensed compilations like those that DJ Drama is known for.' The story goes on to say that many of the artists featured on the mixtapes would never have had the exposure and thus sales they had if DJ Drama had not featured them on a mix. Nowhere is a specific artist mentioned who claims to have been wronged by him. Additionally, the article states that mixtapes such as those made by DJ Drama are an accepted and integral part of rap music culture. His arrest is confusing on several levels."

Comments

Oh, the Irony!

[jpetts]

DJ Drama (whose real name is Tyree Simmons) and Mr. Cannon were each charged with a felony violation of Georgia's Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization law(known as RICO) and held on $100,000 bond.

Got Things Right

[Anonymous Coward]

For once, the RIAA got things right. If rap music isn't a crime, it should be.

Re:They used a SWAT team

[Anonymous Coward]

A black male aged 18-35?

Creating music is tantamount to stealing!

[Lethyos]

Of course, whenever you create music, you are actually stealing from music labels. Think about how much artists suffer when you make new music that someone in the industry could potentially have made and profited from. Will you not think of the arists?

This had to be done

[pestilence669]

If DJ Drama tells consumers what good music is, then the studios won't be able to push the new K-Fed album.

Re:The RIAA are HEROES!!!

[Divebus]

The REAL question remains unanswered after all these years:..

Did you grow up under some power lines?

Re:why so onerous, technology, redux

[Hatta]

Not a bit like drug dealers...exactly like drug dealers...

Hey hey hey. The majority of drug dealers are well meaning people trying to provide a valuable service to their community and making a little profit meanwhile. In the War on Drug Users, they are the freedom fighters. Don't mix them up with thugs like the RIAA.