RIAA hating on Mixtapes

So the RIAA sent popo into the Aphilliates offices in Atlanta yesterday and arrested DJ Drama (Atlantic Records/Grand Hustle) and DJ Don Cannon for "racketeering." I read the whole article on Allhiphop.com before I even realized what they were arrested for. I'm like, what'd they do?? They were selling mixtapes and the RIAA (the private org that represents music labels) isn't getting any dough from their sales. I don't shop for mixtapes in real stores, but I hear that DJ Drama's tapes are sold at FYE and whatnot. That's a good look for folks in areas where people don't pop open their trunks and sell bootlegs.. Not that mixtapes qualify as bootlegs.

That's the big question. They've confiscated all of their CDs, computers, equiptment for making CDs and bank statements like they're real criminals. But some mixtapes have original beats and lyrics.. even if the music is "leaked" we all know that the artist and labels are creating the leaks. RIAA has to know how this works, but they don't care. It's not like they're trying to hurt the industry or the artists.. in hip-hop, people are honored to be included in hot mixtapes. They need to be involved.
In fact, you can probably buy a bootleg of Aphilliates' mixtapes in the streets.

Does this mean that mixtape DJs are going to have to get clearence for every beat they use from now on? I mean, maybe they should be doing that already, but it may slow things down tremendously. I think this just means that hip-hop's mixtape market has to go back underground. When you pop up on the shelves of music stores, that's when it becomes a problem.

There's also a question about whether or not the music on the mixtapes keeps people from buying albums.. I'd say yes. I just bought a CD from iTunes today, because I don't know where to find a bootleg and my CD burner at the crib isn't working, and it's $16 in the real store.. So I saved $6. Not that I have to explain myself to you.. but anyway. I was kinda pissed that I didn't think to not buy the songs I already have on mixed CDs. Sometimes you want the full track with all of the lyrics, but other times it's like: I don't give a shit who I paid, I paid for that song already. That's for people who actually buy bootlegs or mixtapes from street vendors and Web sites. The rest of you losers are just refusing to help the economy at all. Now that's really being a bootlegger, which isn't right.

I think these two DJs will be OK. They will probably loose lots of cash, but all they have to do is prove that they have agreements with the aritsts, I hope. If they have to go back and pay publishing to all of the original creators of the music used on every mixtape.. it's a wrap. They're done. That's IF they haven't already covered their asses by having written agreements on file. But DJ Drama still has an "official" mixtape coming out on Atlantic Records/Grand Hustle this year.