During the final 15 minutes of his recent interview with Hot 97’s Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds for their “Juan Epstein” podcast, 20-year-old upstart Mac Miller described in detail his version of the events that led up to the controversial copyright infringement lawsuit filed back in July by veteran producer/emcee/deejay Lord Finesse against Mac, his label, Rostrum Records, and mixtape hub DatPiff.com for $10 million.
In his complaint filed in federal court, Finesse alleges that Miller, Rostrum and DatPiff have ignored a cease and desist order demanding the parties stop profiting from Finesse’s 1995 “Hip 2 Da Game” beat during Miller’s performances and by continuing to sell Mac’s 2010 song “Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza” without Finesse’s consent through digital retailers such as Amazon and iTunes via albums conspicuously labeled Face in the Crowd by the artist “Mac” and The World by the artist “Miller.”
Mac Miller revealed during his aforementioned discussion with Cipha and Rosenberg that he and Lord Finesse spoke back in 2010 after the release of his breakthrough mixtape K.I.D.S, whereupon Finesse gave his blessing to Mac to use his “Hip” track for “Kool Aid” and the two made plans to work together on original material – plans that never materialized in part due to Mac’s incessant touring schedule over the past two years. Miller subsequently explained that he spoke again to Finesse after his lawsuit was filed and according to Mac the following exchange took place: “I was like, ‘We don’t need to do it this way, bro. Like, let’s just work.’ And he was like, ‘We’re too deep into it. I can’t pull out. I have to do it.’”
Finesse’s fellow Diggin’ In The Crates crewmember Showbiz spoke with HipHopDX recently and was asked about the lawsuit that threatens to forever alter the mixtape method that new artists (and sometimes even established emcees) rely on for exposure and promotion, possibly preventing rappers from ever again rhyming over other artists’ instrumentals out of fear of being sued. Before concluding his conversation with DX by providing some rare insight into the personality of Mac Miller’s favorite rapper of all time, the man behind the boards for classic ‘90s joints from KRS-One (“Sound Of Da Police,” “A Friend” and “Represent The Real Hip Hop” featuring Das Efx), Artifacts (“The Ultimate Remix”), Nice & Smooth (“Blunts”) and Big Pun (“Parental Discretion” featuring Busta Rhymes) discussed his recent return to crafting intense boom bap beats in the buildup to the long-awaited new long-player from he and his longtime partner A.G., Mugshot Music. Show also spoke about the entirety of his finally fully reunited D.I.T.C. crew (who are currently constructing their long overdue sophomore album as a unit), before explaining why he has no problem letting ’90s-inspired newcomer Joey Bada$$ spit to as many Diggin’ beats as he likes without fear of reprisal.
HipHopDX: Will the October 9th official release of Mugshot Music contain more aggressive joints like “You In Trouble” from the Preloaded release? ‘Cause if so I’ll buy that album four times over.
Showbiz: [Laughs] Yeah, it’s more aggressive. It’s a mixture, ‘cause it has a couple of other tracks with really hard drums but there’s a couple of melodic joints on there. Overall there’s more of “You In Trouble” type shit but a little bit more uptempo.
DX: “South Bronx Shit” has that crazy energy too. Both tracks feature cuts from the legendary DJ Premier. What is it about working with Preemo that’s bringing that ’95 Goodfellas heat outta ya MPC?
Showbiz: Preem and I, we’re on basically the same page when it comes to music. ‘Cause we’re trying to keep the traditional [sound of] Hip Hop the way it was done. We still have to change with the times, don’t get me wrong, but we still like to keep the basic Hip Hop a part of what we do. So he keeps me grounded when it comes to that, ‘cause I like to experiment.
DX: You tried to do something a little too off the beaten path and Preem pulled you back?
Showbiz: He always do. [Laughs] ‘Cause I like to experiment. And like, I’m an artist, as far as I wanna try new things or whatever. But you know, he’ll just say “yes” or “no,” that’s all he’ll do.
DX: I mentioned my appreciation for these new tracks. Does it rub you the wrong way if someone says this is your best work since the ‘90s?
Showbiz: No way. That’s what I want; I want them to say this is my best work since the ‘90s, because I wasn’t focused on music since the early part of the ‘90s. Even with [Showbiz & A.G.’s] Goodfellas, I wasn’t really focused on music, at all. I’m only focused on music right now because I kinda like … I was disappointed once I got in the music industry, and it shows in my music. I didn’t have no love for it once I got in it and saw what it’s about. And, that took a lot away from me because we got into it for the fun and to have our peers look at us with respect. The people that we liked their music: we wanted them to respect us. That’s why we got in the game. But once we got into the business side, it was just totally different from what we expected. So I lost a lot of love for it over the years – it was less and less love – and it shows in my music. I listen to something now and I won’t even remember I did it. I’m like, “Damn, what was I thinking?”
I really got love for it now because I don’t have to deal with the things I had to deal with in the ‘90s. Now I can put music out myself, I can market it, I can promote it myself, I can do everything myself, and I can choose the team that works with me now. Instead of someone investing money in you and you kinda like have to have a joint venture with them and whatever they say is a part of your product. They trying to get you to make certain records or do certain things. I don’t have to go through that no more, so … Now I’m just being me; I can make the best music that I can make and get it out to the world. It’s just a one-on-one relationship with the people who support me.
DX: Now, can you clarify what the differences between the Preloaded and official version of Mugshot Music are going to be? How many carryovers from Preloaded are there on the official album?
Showbiz: None. It’s a totally different album.
DX: What was the mindset behind this roll-out? ‘Cause it’s kind of unique that you had this free mixtape, then you had a deluxe version of it you could buy, then you had a remix version of it you could buy.
Showbiz: It’s been a long time since we had music out. And throughout the years music changed and no one has heard me in the mindset that I’m in now as far as music. And also, we just wanted to give music out. It’s nothing to give it away. We just wanted to get our feet wet back in the game as far as just putting music out and letting people know where we’re at musically. That’s why we did that. Plus, I still was working on the main album so I needed a little bit more time so I could finish the album.
DX: On “The Bond” from Preloaded you and A.G. both seem to be talking about the demise of Diggin’ In The Crates. But at the end of the track you announce for folks to be on the lookout for a new D.I.T.C. album in 2012. So where exactly do things stand with the crew as of today?
Showbiz: The crew’s all love. We wasn’t saying the demise of the D.I.T.C. in there, what we were saying is that we got sidetracked by other things outside of the music. That’s what A.G. was saying in that part where he was talking about Diggin’. He was saying that we had other issues: money issues and third parties coming in our circle, and they got us sidetracked and we lost focus on what we were here for in the first place.
DX: Well you told me personally about a year-and-a-half ago, the last time we spoke for HipHopDX, that “It’s a wrap” in regards to Diggin’ In The Crates.
Showbiz: Yeah, it was; it really was a wrap. I’m the type of guy if I see it ain’t no future in it, then it ain’t no future in it. But, I pulled everybody together personally – I made the calls to everybody – to get everybody to be on the same page. But you know, different members have different views and I really believed that was beyond repair. But, everything eventually changed and people grew. Sometimes you can get people on the same page with time.
We have songs that we’re putting together now. We’re like nine songs deep in this Diggin’ In The Crates thing. And hopefully we can get to finish the album soon and give the people a nice D.I.T.C. reunion.
DX: Back in April, O.C. exclusively told HipHopDX about this most recent get together to air out grievances and attempt to begin recording again. O said what you said about Big L turning over in his grave at y’all leaving “the legacy lingering” is what finally got everybody motivated to give it another go. Is that true?
Showbiz: Yeah, I basically told them that. I was like, “Yo, we have a brand. L must be like, ‘What are y’all doing’?” And I kinda broke that down to them like, “Yo, we playin’ ourselves.”
DX: O.C. went on to note that Fat Joe is still not on board. Is that just scheduling or is Joe intentionally giving y’all the cold shoulder?
Showbiz: Well, I’ve been talking to [Fat] Joe lately, and Joe wanted to be on board from day one. So it ain’t like he didn’t wanna be on board, we just didn’t get him in a room with everybody else yet. But he always wanted to be on board. And I talked to him as recently as two days ago, so … Joe is on board if he want to but we still gotta put him in a room with the rest of the members. ‘Cause, it’s just little differences and points of view that people got about music, [so we have to] see if everybody can come together on the same page and then take it from there.
DX: So who all has recorded these new Diggin’ songs together, just you, O.C. and A.G.?
Showbiz: Yeah, basically. We started it and then Diamond [D] got on one track, [Lord] Finesse did – he brought like 10 beats. Apollo Brown brought some beats – he brought like 30 beats. So we gonna pick from that.
We have one song already where [Big L vocals were used for] the hook. We gonna just get certain lines from him and try to do some hooks with them so people can know he’s a part of it. Regardless if he’s only here in spirit, we trying to have something to where people know that L is a part of this.
DX: Now, you mentioned Finesse, and during you and A.G.’s feature interview for HipHopDX back in June commemorating the 20th anniversary of Runaway Slave, A.G. noted, “Show speaks to Finesse everyday.” So since you speak to him regularly, I gotta ask you if you can offer any insight into why Finesse is willing to possibly risk wiping out the mixtape game entirely with his Mac Miller lawsuit?
Showbiz: Everything ain’t what it seems to be. And it has nothing to do with a mixtape. That’s all I can say; I can’t really get into it because they going back and forth with they thing. But it ain’t what everybody thinks it is. It’s far from that.
Finesse wouldn’t do that [to the mixtape game] because that would hurt all of us, myself included.
DX: Would you personally care if say a ‘90s flavored new jack like Joey Bada$$ spit over the Show & A.G. classic “You Know Now” for a mixtape and shot a viral video for it? Would you go after him for the YouTube ad money?
Showbiz: Hell no! I would love it! I love Joey Bada$$; he’s dope.
Anybody like that, I would love for them to do it. I would love for somebody to do it and I wouldn’t be mad at them. But, like I said before, it’s not a mixtape thing with Finesse. That’s not what it is. That’s what it’s been brought to the masses as but that’s not what it is.
DX: I wish you could elaborate. [Laughs]
Showbiz: Yeah, there’s a big picture. And then once this is over, I guess one or both of them can talk about it. But right now, as far as what I know, concrete evidence and facts, it’s far from that.
Just now that you mentioned it, Joey Bada$$ did [“Funky Ho’$” and “Indubitable”] over Finesse’s joints too. So it ain’t that; it ain’t the fact that he did that. It’s a whole different ballgame [with Mac Miller].
DX: Yeah, I have to imagine Finesse didn’t mean to have everybody shook like now we can’t spit over such-and-such’s track.
Showbiz: Hell no, man. It’s so far from that. But people just read things and take it as law. I could put a rumor out right now and the whole industry will talk about it like its law. That’s just the way it is right now; nobody ever does any type of research.
DX: I just wish this issue between Finesse and Mac specifically coulda been worked out behind the scenes. Aside from a flashing shot of Big L’s mural in A$AP Rocky’s “Peso” video, Mac has been like the only younger cat in the game biggin’ up Big L – in all of his interviews, talking about how he’s his favorite rapper of all time. It just sucks that the one contemporary cat showing L that kind of love is being sued by Big L’s mentor.
Showbiz: Well, you know what? [Pauses] Aw, I wish I could tell you right now! Oh my God I wish I could tell you behind you saying this shit right here. Man, but – [Laughs] I just gotta fall back.
DX: I jammed you up. [Laughs]
Showbiz: Yeah, yo, that shit got me tight right now. … I don’t know Mac Miller; I never talked to him. And it’s not even about the music, it’s how people move. People move in certain ways that it just doesn’t agree with certain dudes. His people ain’t moving right. It ain’t Mac Miller [specifically], but he has to know his people and the people that run with him ain’t moving right. They’re moving foul.
There’s a lot of people that look at L as one of the greats, but … it is what it is. I can’t really get into it.
DX: Well, let’s end this interview the same way we concluded our last Q&A. At the conclusion of that convo you recalled for me the hilarious story of the time fellow Bronx, New York native Tupac Shakur helped to land you in the emergency room. [Laughs] So this time I was wondering if you could give me an equally hilarious recollection from your time with the aforementioned Big L? Is there any time L got you drunk and high and landed you in the emergency room? [Laughs]
Showbiz: Oh, nah, nah. [Laughs] L wasn’t a drinker; he wasn’t smoking. We just had really funny moments. But, you know, they’ve got a documentary that’s coming out, and I did some recording for that, so [those memories are] coming out on the DVD.
DX: Can you illuminate a little bit about his personality? ‘Cause I remember I did a retrospective with Finesse for the 15th anniversary of Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous and I think he referred to L as a “dark comedian,” but it seems like in his personal life off the mic he was kinda serious, he wasn’t like the jokey cat. Is that accurate?
Showbiz: Nah, he was a comedian. As soon as he came through the door to the time he’d leave he’d have everybody laughing, on the floor. That’s how L was. He used to come tell crazy stories about what just happened in his hood like an hour before he got down here. And we used to be like, “Nah, you lying.” And he was like, “I’m serious; I’m serious.” [Laughs] But the stories were so crazy so you were like, “He gotta be making this shit up. This shit just didn’t happen.” L was a comedian. He was a unique individual whose spirits were high all the time. Like, L was never the type that you would see him and he’d be quiet and in thought mode or none of that. He wasn’t that type of dude. He’d come in and he’d light the room up and he’d just be making jokes and things like that. That was L’s personality.
RELATED: Showbiz & A.G. Discuss Runaway Slave 20 Years Later, D.I.T.C. Music-Making Bond
Word up, Showbiz. I’ma buy that Mugshot Music.
Thanks for another great interview Paul W Arnold!!
al those articles said it was over his use of the beat on a mixtape but i never saw those 2 links that have the song for sale so that is pretty foul that hes selling the song on itunes and amazon and didnt pay lord finesse a dime
“But it aint what everybody thinks it is. Its far from that.”
Then what the fuck is it?
everybody thinks its over a free mixtape but mac miller is selling the song in question on itunes and amazon. he making money off lord finesse’s work without permission
No he’s not. Finesse told him he could use it, then renegged, then sued him. Finesse is a bitch for that.
Lord Finesse didn’t even clear the sample though. So shouldn’t the original musicians recieve the credit? I hope they can work this out because D.I.T.C. isn’t looking like the hip hop that they claim to represent.
dont try to compare clearing a sample and taking a whole beat
If Lord Finesse wins this lawsuit against Mac Miller, he will have to cough of the proceeds to the artists that he sampled. He has made such a big fuss about Mac “stealing” his beat that the original musicians will catch wind of this and sue him for back royalties from the 90s. SMH What a fucking dummy!
Isn’t it a coincidence that he is okay with another NY artist rapping over their beats without permission but when it comes to Mac its a no go. LOL
maybe they just dont like mac miller and recognize that joey bada$$ is on some real hip-hop shit
Mac Miller is fake as fuck. That’s why they don’t fuck with him.
Finesse is totally fucking up the game……and his potna is forntin’ like he knows some behind the scenes shit….yeah Finesse is broke and needs money, that’s it…..Bitch move Finesse…..
The fucked up part is, Finesse sampled another artist for the beat in question and didn’t clear the sample…..I hope they sue Finesse for every penny he gets from Mac…..
By your logic sampling jazz and stealing a hip hop beat are the same? No wonder the quality of music has gone down, Its retarded fans like you that are overpopulating It!
Hahah bruh, are you really sticking up for fake ass Mac Miller over music legend Lord Finesse. You disrespectful as fuck. Get on some real shit. Not your corny white boy pop music.
Unfortunately this lawsuit will backfire on Lord Finesse because he didn’t clear the original sample. If Mac did in fact profit off of the instrumental then maybe he should shell out some of the proceeds to Finesse.
Fag shit, perpetuated by fag ass N.Y. producers….NOBODY GIVES A MUTHERFUCK ABOUT THAT BOOM BAP SHIT!! Times have changed my friend, but the shit wasn’t that hot even in it’s heyday…..
I think that Finesse is on some complete bullshit with this lawsuit. He’s far too concerned with his own personal gain to see the ramifications that this suit could have on the culture as a whole. But, when haters like you and the guy above you say outrageously corny shit, like Nobody likes NY sound something gotta be said. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but the boom bap sound is what gave birth to every other sound an sub- genre in the game. Niggas is quick to call NY artists haters, but you will never see these kinds of lame comments on any article about southern MC’s. NY, don’t hate clowns like y’all hate.
The only “ramifications” involved are that wack ass fans like yourself will dissapear, when your favourite wack rapper can’t make a mixtape with original hip hop beats. Thats definitely a good thing.
And that’s why your anonymous huh? becuz you know you say that around real niggas they will eat you for dinner. fucking faggots. smh
These New York producers just don’t get it….The N.Y. sound of the early 90’s was strictly regional…The worls didn’t like that shit and no region be it South, West Coast, nor Midwest ever tried to duplicate it, not out of respect, simply because the shit was not jamming. I’ve met people from every region that will be like “Yeah, Nas goes hard..but his beats suck ass”…Those nostalgic for the 90’S New York sound live only in N.Y. and surrounding areas. Any artist who incorporates that sound in his music in 2012, is severely limiting his audience. He might sell in N.Y., do shoes in N.Y., but NOBODY outside of the Eastern seaboard will be checking for him….*Nobody likes that sound but native New Yorkers, and stop referring to the shit as “real hip hop”….it’s not universally liked at all…..Trust Me…..
speak for yourself man,
I sencond that speak for yourself, cuz all the Hip-Hop cats & fans over seas eat that sound up, and spend 10 fold what the American audience does so I think it actually is pretty much universally liked on a global scale.
Never lived on the East Coast but to me no sound goes harder than some old 90s New York boom-bap, it’s just the classic hip-hop sound. You make it sound like nobody bumps RZA, Premo, DITC, and all them outside of New York which almost any hip-hop fan can tell you is bullshit.
This nigga never been outside his mom’s basement. Go to Japan, Germany, Brazil, FRANCE. Them Cats like that real hip hop. stop acting like you know when you obviously don’t you bitch ass nigga. Jamaica Queens!!!
MEANWHILE HHDX JUST POSTED A EUROPEAN TOUR FOR DOO WOP, SADAT X & JERU
LMMFAO
I BET HE SWORE HE WAS DECIPHERING THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
BACK OF THE LINE BUDDY U AIN’T READY
Wow that may have been the dumbest statement that I ever heard.. You must listen to commercial rap then…. Ice Cube was mad that when he was in NY they didnt play west coast music, but when NY artist went to Cali they got all kinds of love…I live in Vegas and been here since 1990 and underground East Coast Hip Hop has always ran the spot, when I went to cali all the underground spots play NY shit….U must be like 13 or have no clue about music…. Ny had so many dope artists from 90-95 that it was crazy…
Yeah, you’re pretty fuckin’ stupid. Been around the world and everybody loves Wu. They were, are, and always will be the best group of lyricists and producers in hip hop! They will be legends around the world… Kill yaself!
I don’t support White rappers at all..since the beginning all they do is steal credit for black music..fuck’em all they are are imitators..we blacks ORIGINATORS..im not racists its just the truth.
Haha I love it, write flagrantly racist shit and then follow it up with “I’m not racist”. How about “I let Joey use it and not Mac because Joey’s black?” But don’t worry, I’m not a racist
Joey is a way better rapper than Mac. Not only is Mac fake as fuck (there have been multiple accounts of people that atteneded the same schools as Mac saying his music makes him look like something he is not, he never sold weed, hes not hard, etc etc). Joey is also real as fuck. This aint no race card either. I’m white and I fucking hate Mac Miller and MGK. They both suck and gain attention they don’t deserve.
MAN SHUT YO ANGELA DAVIS POWER THE POWER NAPPYHEADED ASS UP
Big L is one the greatest. Mad underrated.
Mac Miller can eat a fat cock, he’s music garbage and his message is corny.
Haha fo real!!!
Rhymin’ was created well before rap. Look at history, raps are just another form of poetry. No one culture owns it 😉 It’s a tool to express yourself, be it political, religious, or personal.
Mac Miller is cheesy as fuck, white people don’t listen to him either.
Mac Miller is wack.
RACIST.
^^^HATER^^^
Whack Miller & Kreayshawn should go on tour, that would be the epitome of white rap = trash.
Whack Filler is the fakest, most untalented wannabe ever, his fanbase consist of upper class white & black kids who’ve never seen an empty fridge in their life. Fool is monotone, raps about the same 2 things, has no lyrical ability, no range, spits the same style on every song, and looks like someone who would get beat up a lot, even by white kids. He is a cancer to this business, and I hope all of you that support him, take off the Pink Ray Ban’s and take a long look in the mirror, hipsters are dead.
“upper class white & black kids who’ve never seen an empty fridge in their life” You just hit the nail on the head. Especially those black kids that say “I’m black and I think he’s dope”. FOH!
Fuck white people and everybody who loves them! btw all white rappers sucks period. Peace to the NGE. Black is di Original! white is genetic recessive shit. Devils do not respond to me!!!! You D-E-V-I-L, the cave is where you dwell.
Alot of DX commentators are obviously suburbab white, and just getting hip to the game, so ehy should any of their blatant hate towards a real nigga from the bronx be affected by all this false hate towards lord finesse? oh, becuz he’s black, and associated with some real hip hop shit (some shit ya’ll phony cats wish you could ride with, but never could becuz you PHONY). Of course they cosigning Joey Badass, Son is official, he rapp better than anyone put on in the game right now in his age group(Cheef Queef, Tyler The Fag, Lil B The Based Homo, ASAP Cacki) And it’s funny becuz all them dudes who are WACk straight up have a strong WHITE following… Joey Badass knows his shit, so he gets the pass, son was raised in the hood, don’t mean you have to be a thug or gangsta (like ya’ll suburban idiots would know either way) but there are REAL PEOPLE LIVING IN THE HOOD. Gotta Give it to Joey in this time we living in, he’s more hip hop than MAC MILLER would EVER be. And that, my friends, is real talk. So Ya’ll can keep commenting on how finesse is fucking up the game (he respects the game, just ain’t giving space for lames… ya dig?) So if you real, you don’t have to worry about finesse suing you or, worst case scenario, having his young bols put a hurtin on u fraud pussies. That’s hip hop baby, love it for what it iz, or LEAVE IT THE FUCK ALONE. WE STILL BREATHING IT OUT HERE, NAS LIED TO YA’LL CORNY NIGGAS. Oh, and that “corny East Coast Boom Bap” shit outsells that corny trap dick in the booty music ya’ll feeling, but keep believing that, REAL ALWAYZ RECOGNIZES REAL. Now A Fraud will comment below to downplay what I just stated. but to be honest, his opinion don’t mean shit against the truth… go read your hip hop weekly bitch ass niggas.
hahaha wack miller nobody likes your weak raps
cosizzzzzign…. he should change his name to nyquil
no white rappers in mah muzic collection eva!. shiiit, i can’t stand white voices. my ears automatically recognize lame corny white voices. All Black everythang is the motto!!!
you are an idiot!
Vote for Obama! Don’ let the white man win.
Not a Mac fan but a couple of people I respect mess with him like Jazzy Jeff and Meek….him and Finesse need to get in a room and rap …if he gotta throw him a couple dollars do it and keep it moving…stop with that racist stuff …there is allot of black and white wackness going round
jews always play dem dirty gamez
Real talk….
Finess is just a hater I bet if Joey does a track with one of there beats and profits from it finess will go after him too but Joey will NEVER reach MACS stature so they let em do what he wants what their beats as long as he doesn’t get BIG cuz then here comes the law suit…..that’s these idiots rule U CAN USE OUR BEATS JUST DON’T GET FAMOUS AND PROFIT CUS WELL SUE U
joey badass might profit. he is pretty dope from what ive heard so far. he has major potential to do big things in the hip hop game. watch out joey bad ass… this nigga finesse gonna flip flop on that ass
shut up joey badass representin hip hop culture mac miller aint doing that, plus joey from NY
the kid joey spitting better then most rappers that been out for over a decade and he only like 16
Forget about who’s more “POP-ular” for a second we all know Joey BadA$$ has more skills on the mic than Mac Miller. Then again, I’m one of those people who actually try to listen to the BEST rappers and not who has more swag or makes more money
Obviously Mac Miller and Finesse are from two different worlds. Finesse had a little shine before, but nothing like Miller has now, so there seems to be some jealousy there, cause honestly, why would he react so negatively to someone using the beat to his song? If the song is good, then it’s like a shout out. So what if you aren’t seeing money from it. Is it really that big of a deal?
finnesse is not a hater if a cat was honest about it then maybe it would have went a different way…..This game is very shady and white and jewish label cats have been jacking young brothers since jump…Miller is a pop star, just pay cat since your making more bread than he ever did……Remember underground cats don’t make any money or move units, it’s not always about what u do but how you do it…
Dude tried to sneak a sale without giving credit. Did you fucktards catch that part? Ya’ll too busy making racist comments anti regional comments back and forth when in reality ya’ll boy Mac’s people did some grimy shit by changing the song’s name and artist to sell it without giving proper credit and got caught. Joey Bada$$ didn’t try to pull shit on them so of course they cool with it, it ain’t about him being black or from NY or being real hip hop it was the principle. I don’t think Finnesse could care if fuckin Barney used his instrumental it’s just how it was done that lead to the lawsuit.
For all u “fake hiphop heads” I dedicate to u 2 bars from Jay:
More money, more problems /gotta move carefully ’cause faggots hate when you getting money like athletes
Yungins ice-grilling me /oh, you’re not feeling me?
Fine, it costs you nothing pay me no mind
So thats how I feel about all u fags who just feel the need to hate cause somebody is doing what u cant. WTF are yall like trying to justify friends by thinking if someone else agrees w ur gay ass views, u have a friend in the world?
In his complaint filed in federal court, Finesse alleges that Miller, Rostrum and DatPiff have ignored a cease and desist order demanding the parties stop profiting from Finesses 1995 Hip 2 Da Game beat during Millers performances and by continuing to sell Macs 2010 song Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza without Finesses consent through digital retailers such as Amazon and iTunes via albums conspicuously labeled Face in the Crowd by the artist Mac and The World by the artist Miller.
^^
grimmy shit.
YO SHOW if you read this – don’t use Apollo Brown Beats – that shit is b class stuff with subpar drums similar to 9th Wonder – Showbiz, Buckwild, Lord Finesse and Diamond D beats is the way to go. If you ain’t got it dust off some shit from the 90ies…Milano needs to drop a solo – fuck the Barshit…peace
these fagots are wack…mac made a good track and now their just trying to feed of of it…no one wants to hear your wack ass outdated album…go beg for change somewhere else…not a mac miller fan but it is what it is…bunch of ol niggas trying to build hype off the white boy
mac miller is trash
“Dude tried to sneak a sale without giving credit”
People jack beats all the time. It’s not professional, but it’s been accepted for awhile now as something that happens. Miller’s only 20. Maybe when he’s 30 he’ll see Finesse’s POV better.
He actually had permission from Finesse but as mixtape cut A FREE MIXTAPE! The fact that he tried to sell it online by renaming himself and the track which was probably his handlers doing is what made it foul. Like if Crooked I put “Nicky” on an actual album Prince would take the rest of his money, because any producer will tell you don’t sample prince he won’t clear it. But it’s just on a free mixtape.
Who gives a fuck what color you are. The fact remains mac miller is fucking whack, and lord finesse released a few classics back in the day. Only people who support mac miller are hipster-flavoured teenagers who don’t know one thing about true hip hop music
Way to go HipHopDX on twisting the artist’s words to play up an issue. Where does Showbiz say Joey Bada$$ can use any D.I.T.C. beat he wants? Where Showbiz explains why Joey Bada$$ can do what Mac Miller cannot?
He doesn’t. All he says is that it isn’t about the mixtape game. Clearly if Mac Miller wasn’t selling the song it wouldn’t be an issue. Its not him picking and choosing artists which can use D.I.T.C. beat. Its him saying is cool to use their beats on mixtapes, but not cool to sell them.
Thank you!! I’ve been trying to drive that point for awhile.
“Clearly if Mac Miller wasn’t selling the song it wouldn’t be an issue”
The obvious thing to look at is how much money has MM made off this one song. I don’t know if it’s on Itunes, but I doubt it’s sold anywhere near what Finesse is sueing for. But once again, MM is 20. Finesse is what, late 40’s? Point being if Finesse was 20, and just blowing up, would he do the same thing MM is now, and would anyone have a problem with him doing it?
You can buy Mac Miller’s version on iTunes and Amazon. The fact that his song is being sold without royalties being paid to Finesse is reason to sue. That’s illegal. Obviously he’s going to sue for the largest sum possible, that’s common sense. If you decide your going to sue why aim low? He doesn’t expect to get that amount, and probably won’t.
Now, if Mac Miller were to just put it out on a mixtape and release it for FREE, no problem. Legal. He did this originally and had no problem. It pops up on iTunes for sale, has a problem.
True shit
Go vote http://www.indabamusic.com/opportunities/future-turn-on-the-lights-remix-contest/submissions/132422
mac muller is talentless jewish trash and piece of shit
Lord Finesse is a bitter and desperate broke man. Fuck off its a mixtape. Oh and fuck miller for being wack.
Would rather listen to Hip 2 the Game anyday, it’s a classic. Haven’t even heard Mac Millers version – why bother!
fuck elviz prezly and mac muller!
“The fact that his song is being sold without royalties being paid to Finesse is reason to sue. That’s illegal”
But why should Finesse get a free ride off another man’s hustle? Especially to the tune of 10 million? That’s greed plain and simple. It would be one thing if MM lifted actually verses from the song, but an instrumental? Gimme a break.
How’s that greed or a free ride? He made the beat. Are you saying producers shouldn’t get paid because all do is make instrumentals?
Fuck You, Pay Me!
“How’s that greed or a free ride?”
You don’t think sueing for 10 million is just a little greedy? Do movie studios sue when a rival studio uses their title to make their own movie? Plus, how many times has Finesse’s song been downloaded for free? Does he track every person down and demand money?
10 million is a highball figure for sure he would come out with a lot less if he wins, if Mac doesn’t cease and desist he doesn’t have to pay anything is that simple if I got hit for 10m I would delete that shit quick. Plus the RIAA is there to track illegal downloads so that’s a reach right there. It doesn’t change the fact that he took a track with artist’s consent for a free mixtape, that was the condition and he went against it and changed the song’s name to disguise it when he put it on sale. Mac’s people could’ve handled that better I don’t even think(MM) himself had that much to do with it. Had he kept the song strictly on the mixtape none of this would’ve happened but when it comes to the sales you better have your papers right.
The RIAA isn’t tracking Lord Finesse songs lol On the real, Finesse is right in principle. Why should another rapper profit off of my beat? In reality though, this has been happening for years, and I still think that if this was Jay it wouldn’t even be an issue. MM happens to be some goofy white kid who hit it big. Finesse doesn’t like that or the fact his pal Big L, who probably would have blown up if he had lived, is now a forgotten memory.
Its damn obvious mac miller is in the wrong here. And to say its his people thats doing it is just stupid, Miller know exactly what he did and shouldnt get away with blaming management. blah.
Can’t We all just agree that Mac Miller is just a giant douche. Every photo, video, just hearing him speak, I think, “wow, I don’t want to live on the same planet as him.” plus his music sucks… but thats all an opinion and relative, but i feel like him being a douche is nearly a fact.