• Apple’s iTunes Sued By Artist for Pirating Music
    33 replies, posted
[quote]Apple’s iTunes is being sued by Korvel Sutton, a member of the former rap group Pretty Boy Gangsters. The lawsuit filed at the U.S. District Court in California lists ten compilation albums being sold through iTunes that include copyrighted tracks from Pretty Boy Gangsters. All tracks are being sold without Sutton’s permission and to date he has received no compensation or royalties. The rap formation Pretty Boy Gangsters are almost completely unknown to the public today, but their cassette release of the album “Rollin Like a Star” is a classic in certain circles. In the early 90s and beyond the track “K The Buster” appeared on several compilation albums next to titles from NWA, 2 Live Crew and Eazy E. Nearly two decades later, Pretty Boy Gangsters’ Korvel Sutton is in the news again as he takes on Apple. Sutton claims that the Cupertino-based company is illegally distributing his music worldwide by including it in at least ten compilation albums. This week Sutton, who hasn’t hired an attorney but is representing himself, filed a lawsuit at the U.S. District Court in California. In the [url=http://www.scribd.com/doc/62173763/Gangsters-Sue-Apple-TorrentFreak]brief complaint[/url] obtained by TorrentFreak he explains that Apple’s iTunes Store is selling several of of his tracks without permission. The works are being offered in 23 territories but according to Sutton, Apple is doing this without the necessary permission. Attached to the complaint Sutton introduces several pieces of evidence including a copy of the U.S. copyright registration and a photocopy of the “Rollin Like a Star” cassette tape. He further provides the Court with the full list of compilation albums where his rights are being infringed, including “2 Live Crew & Posse“, “West Coast Posse 1” and “Elektro Hip Hop Party Vol. 3.” A copy of the cassette is provided as evidence: [img]http://i.imgur.com/JMjrv.jpg[/img] According to information provided by Apple in an email, the disputed compilations were provided by the Dutch label Rams Horn Record. Interestingly, this not the first time this label has been involved in a copyright dispute. In 2004, Rams Horn lost a lawsuit against none other than Eminem for distributing his music without permission. If Sutton’s claims are correct, Apple can be held liable for several copyright-related offenses for their part in illegally selling Pretty Boy Gangsters tracks. However, from the looks of it Rams Horn Record – who are not named in the lawsuit – may play an even bigger role as they provided the compilations in the first instance. It is not an isolated incident for an artist not to get their cut when money is made from compilation albums. In Canada a group of artists won a class action lawsuit against Warner Music, Sony BMG Music, EMI Music and Universal Music for unauthorized use of their music in compilation albums. Together the labels pirated 300,000 tracks, for which they had to pay the artists $50 million in damages. Whether Apple are found guilty or not, it is unlikely that the lawsuit will put a dent in the company’s healthy revenue streams. Unlike other copyright lawsuits we’ve seen in the past, Korvel Sutton is not asking for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Instead of claiming outrageous statutory damages, he simply wants complete payment of all royalties owed to date.[/quote] [url=http://torrentfreak.com/apples-itunes-sued-by-artist-for-pirating-music-110812/]SOURCE[/url]
Interesting that this is happening to Apple, but who gives a crud about the "Pretty Boy Gangsters"?
I think they are awesome now because they're taking on apple.
I'm okay with this because Apple sues everybody for everything.
Well it's true, Apple basically cheated them out of the money for every sale of their albums.
[QUOTE]Instead of claiming outrageous statutory damages, he simply wants complete payment of all royalties owed to date.[/QUOTE] Even though he's just a small fry, he's still a bigger man than Apple.
How did they cheat them out of the money? edit: He deserves the money and a little extra for being such a gentleman.
[QUOTE=sami-elite;31691290]How did they cheat them out of the money?[/QUOTE] Royalties. Apple didn't pay them.
Yeah but it's not that simple. Why would they not pay Royalties this time?
[QUOTE=sami-elite;31691290]How did they cheat them out of the money? edit: He deserves the money and a little extra for being such a gentleman.[/QUOTE] What do you not understand? They produced and made albums of music, which Apple [b]took[/b] (I'll refrain from saying "stole" so I don't make anyone angry) and took every penny for themselves without giving payments or royalties to the Pretty Boy Gangsters.
[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;31691342]What do you not understand? They produced and made albums of music, which Apple [b]took[/b] (I'll refrain from saying "stole" so I don't make anyone angry) and took every penny for themselves without giving payments or royalties to the Pretty Boy Gangsters.[/QUOTE] It's most likely the case that their record label put their music up on iTunes without their permission then preceded to not give any of the profits to the band.
Copyright applies to everyone alike, eh In before Apple lobbies to demolish copyright. Just kidding, they'd never do that due to iOS, OS X and other products, but it'd be cool, and Apple would be useful to humanity for the first time since they threw the better Steve out.
[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;31691342]What do you not understand? They produced and made albums of music, which Apple [b]took[/b] (I'll refrain from saying "stole" so I don't make anyone angry) and took every penny for themselves without giving payments or royalties to the Pretty Boy Gangsters.[/QUOTE] I didn't know they made albums. Edit: Reading it again i come to the conclusion you rating me dumb is ironic. Apple didn't made those albums. Apple might not even be guilty.
[QUOTE=Van-man;31691264]Even though he's just a small fry, he's still a bigger man than Apple.[/QUOTE] Indeed. He's giving them a well-deserved taste of their own medicine.
Right back at ya!
Good on him.
[QUOTE=Van-man;31691264]Even though he's just a small fry, he's still a bigger man than Apple.[/QUOTE] Fuck, he should have asked for that + some arbitrary three-to-four digit amount of money (depending on how much the royalties come up to). [editline]12th August 2011[/editline] because damn it he deserves it
This wont affect Apple. Apple are just the distributor in this case. It's the Dutch record label that are going to have to prove they own the rights to the music. If they don't then they get sued by this guy, and probably Apple too for supplying a product for sale without having ownership rights. Since this is online rights only, the mech shares should be easily traceable. This won't be any skin off Apples nose. Any compensation will come directly from the label. (I'm a music copyright administrator for two major societies. I deal with this stuff every day).
Unfortunately, he won't win, Apple probably keeps huge teams of expensive lawyers just for things like this.
[QUOTE=kaine123;31693740]Unfortunately, he won't win, Apple probably keeps huge teams of expensive lawyers just for things like this.[/QUOTE] A lawyer cannot defend the completely obvious..if the artist gave no permission for [b]his[/b] work to be on iTunes, and it was on there anyway, how do you expect Apple to win?
[QUOTE=TheCloak;31693891]A lawyer cannot defend the completely obvious..if the artist gave no permission for [b]his[/b] work to be on iTunes, and it was on there anyway, how do you expect Apple to win?[/QUOTE] "Well we didn't know...oh wait."
[QUOTE=TheCloak;31693891]A lawyer cannot defend the completely obvious..if the artist gave no permission for [b]his[/b] work to be on iTunes, and it was on there anyway, how do you expect Apple to win?[/QUOTE] Because U.S. legal system.
Haha, nice.
[QUOTE=news story][B]It is not an isolated incident for an artist not to get their cut when money is made from compilation albums. In Canada a group of artists won a class action lawsuit against Warner Music, Sony BMG Music, EMI Music and Universal Music for unauthorized use of their music in compilation albums. Together the labels pirated 300,000 tracks, for which they had to pay the artists $50 million in damages.[/B][/QUOTE] This part of the OP caught my eye. It's ironic that they spend so much time and effort attempting to curb piracy when they themselves do the pirating. It's an incredibly sad double standard.
Karma's biting back
He should sue Apple for some ridiculous amount of money.
Although that wasn't Apple directly stealing, it reminds me of the [url=http://blog.wolfire.com/2011/02/Counterfeit-Lugaru-on-Apple-s-App-Store-developing]stolen copy of Lugaru being sold on apple app store[/url] [img]http://cdn.wolfire.com/blog/a/apple_pirate.png[/img]
[QUOTE=kaine123;31693740]Apple probably keeps huge teams of expensive lawyers just for things like this.[/QUOTE][img]http://images.wikia.com/matrix/images/c/c8/Agent_Smith2.jpg[/img]
Oh, neat. Comeuppance time!
[QUOTE=nikomo;31691843]Copyright applies to everyone alike, eh In before Apple lobbies to demolish copyright. Just kidding, they'd never do that due to iOS, OS X and other products, but it'd be cool, and Apple would be useful to humanity for the first time since they threw the better Steve out.[/QUOTE] Yeah- It's thanks to these copyrights that Apple is so sue-happy lately.
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