hi. my name is erin.: Busta Rhymes Backs Megaupload, Says Record Labels Are The Real Criminals

13:35 22nd Jan 2012

Notes: 19

Busta Rhymes Backs Megaupload, Says Record Labels Are The Real Criminals

“There’s a key point in all of this that we missed in our earlier analysis about paid accounts at Megaupload. In the indictment, the government seems to assume that paid accounts are clearly all about illegal infringing works. But that’s not always the case. In fact, plenty of big name artists — especially in the hip hop world — use the paid accounts to make themselves money. This is how they release tracks. You sign up for a paid account from services like Megaupload, which pay you if you get a ton of downloads. For big name artists, that’s easy: of course you get a ton of downloads. So it’s a great business model for artists: they get paid and their fans get music for free. Everyone wins. Oh… except for the old gatekeeper labels…

What Busta is pointing out is that services like Megaupload — while it may be run by some sketchy individuals and probably crossed the legal line in some cases — are actually a great new business model for artists, while also being the future of distribution. It’s a great way to distribute, make money, and let fans get the works for free. And that’s why the major labels are so freaked out by cyberlockers. It’s not because there’s so much infringement on there, but because it’s a system whereby artists can get paid and can better distribute their own works to fans… without signing an indentured servitude contract with a label, which never pays any royalties.

Did Megaupload break the law? Perhaps. But it seems clear that the real fear on the part of the RIAA and the major labels is not so much about that. It’s the recognition that such a distribution and payment system undermines much of their reason for existing, and takes away their ability to control artists. A smart label would learn to embrace these things.”