EMI cracks down on Beatles / JayZ remix

[MikeHunt]

Record Firm EMI Cracks Down on Beatles/Jay-Z Remix

Feb. 16 — LONDON (Reuters) - British record company EMI Group has taken action against a DJ's attempt to crossbreed the Beatles' "White Album" with hip-hop star Jay-Z, but the crackdown has not stopped the spread of the unauthorized remix.

EMI, which owns the rights to the Beatles' sound recordings, sent letters to independent record stores last week insisting they stop distributing DJ Danger Mouse's "Gray Album," which mixes the lyrics of Jay-Z's "Black Album" with music from the "White Album."

But the remixed album, which garnered a positive review in the New Yorker magazine, is still available on the Internet.

"The copies have already been sent out, and there are quite a few out there," said Ben Harris, who is promoting the album in the UK.

Some Web sites like Waxy.org (http://www.waxy.org) initially posted songs from the "Gray Album" but were forced to remove them after receiving letters from EMI.

Bootleg remixes, also called mash-ups, have become increasing popular with the availability of inexpensive music editing software.

Some artists have encouraged remixes -- Jay-Z, for example, released a lyrics-only version of his "Black Album" -- but the Beatles have been notoriously cautious about allowing others to sample their work.

groovin'

[MikeHunt]

dammit ...Jay Z...go create your own 'music'.

Stop sampling and biting off the Beatles

[jipper]

"Stop sampling and biting off the Beatles "

it wouldnt be much of a remix album then in that case..

[MikeHunt]

jip ..you have a point...but a good hat will cover it...LOL

I just wish JayZ would stop gang signing and waxing his chest ..long enough ..to actually create something original.

But I guess, in that genre.... its next to impossible.

[Deadguyale]

actually jay-z had nothing to do with the remix. other than the dj using his vocals of course.

i've heard other producers (such as the rza) use beatles samples i thought they were great. but this is just plain bad. i never bought into the hype around dangermouse in the first place. after listening to this i had to put on the white album to make sure it was still good

[MikeHunt]

...some people would paint a moustache on the Mona Lisa

[Deadguyale]

more like a highschool art class where the students offer their own take on the masterpiece