Uncle Luke and the 2 Live Crew may have some company as the most notable Hip Hop artists to have a case heard in the Supreme Court. The 1993 case of Cambpell vs. Acuff-Rose Music holds the distinctions of both bringing Hip Hop to the Supreme Court and setting a precedent for what is considered “fair use” in copyright law. Eminem producers The Bass Brothers may join the list of Hip Hop acts in the U.S. Supreme Court if their case against Universal Music Group, Interscope Records and Aftermath Entertainment is heard. The label conglomerate has appealed to the Court after a ninth circuit court ruled that the Bass Brothers (listed as F.B.T. Productions) were due up to 50% of the royalties from digital downloads.
Since the inception of iTunes, ringtones and digital downloads, record labels have categorized digital purchases as licenses instead of sales. The distinction allowed them to pay artists a royalty rates ranging from 18 to 23% as opposed to the 50% split on master recordings that F.B.T. sought.
Documents filed to the court by UMG quote F.B.T.’s previous efforts with Eminem prior to being signed by Interscope a “commercial failure.” They also state the initial contract was amended several times since 1998 so that F.B.T. received millions from “the exploitation of Eminem’s recordings.”
After the September ruling, Universal released a written statement saying, “it should be noted that this ruling sets no legal precedent.” However, if the case is heard by the Supreme Court, any ruling will likely set a precedent in how legal digital downloads are classified and how much artists are paid for them.
they shouldn’t even put stories like this on this website because the dumb ignorant mother fuckers that come to this website don’t shit about the supreme court, let alone how a case like this makes it to the supreme court
alright then ‘hmm’ you seem so into the judicial system. please tell me how a case like this makes it to the supreme court. im so ‘ignorant’. im curious to see what kind of explanation you have.
AHAHAHA he doesn’t know shit he’s not gonna respond…plus the american judicial system is wack.
Attention all you dirty ofeys who keep on coming on this site with your vapid racist comments. Please do those of us who just come here to enjoy historically black music, like most music genres are, HISTORICALLY,and step to the side. I know you are not used to getting any attention in your day to day life but this is no way to go about it. If you need a friend to talk to, so you can cry on my shoulder about why your Becky left you for a black dude and why your broke…I’m not here for you but I have a sharp macchette you can get aquanted with. Leave me your address if your feeling real tough and i’ll swing on by and firebomb you and ya mommas house in one trip… Cuz you live with her. Ya, barbaric neanderthal honkey tonk monkey horse fucking bologney smelling white girl sucking big black dick and your mad about your small pecker lookin crackers!! I slap white people like yall everyday and your scared to death of any threat to your persons..Born scary
dont like how the american judicial system works live in another country!!!!
WTF is going on in this case … I don’t get it …
Just a quick explanation:
1.) For a case to make it to the Supreme Court, the case must take one of two courses: (a) it must go through the state supreme court and can reach Supreme Court if it is a constitutional matter, or (b) it is already a federal issue and goes through a federal district court, then a federal appellate court, then the Supreme Court. There are some exceptions, but this one is clearly (b), since it came from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
2) A quick summary: Eminem’s old producers (F.B.T.), are suing the major labels because of the construction of their old contract with the majors when Em blew up. Now that Em is big, the majors are repackaging Em’s old material, which F.B.T. still profits off of. But the old contract wasn’t meant to handle the digital download era. Basically, F.B.T. wants the iTunes downloads to count as “sales” instead of “licenses.” As sales, F.B.T. gets 50% of the cut; but as licenses, they only get about 20%. The majors have been selling them as licenses the whole time, so now F.B.T. is suing for back-pay.
HipHopDX needs new writers to explain shit like this…
going against interscope?!
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
they the army and the navy.
those dudes made more than enough and watch them not get an extra dime.
Attention all you dirty ofeys who keep on coming on this site with your vapid racist comments. Please do those of us who just come here to enjoy historically black music, like most music genres are, HISTORICALLY,and step to the side. I know you are not used to getting any attention in your day to day life but this is no way to go about it. If you need a friend to talk to, so you can cry on my shoulder about why your Becky left you for a black dude and why your broke…I’m not here for you but I have a sharp macchette you can get aquanted with. Leave me your address if your feeling real tough and i’ll swing on by and firebomb you and ya mommas house in one trip… Cuz you live with her. Ya, barbaric neanderthal honkey tonk monkey horse fucking bologney smelling white girl sucking big black dick and your mad about your small pecker lookin crackers!! I slap white people like yall everyday and your scared to death of any threat to your persons..Born scary CRACKERS
yaooo easy killa. no one cares about how your pissed off in life and ahve to vent on a hiphop site. you prob got mugged by a couple of white people and are taking your anger out on this site. NO ONE CARES! really man. no one does. so just do us all a favor and just take it easy with the crack and go fuck your self punk bitch.