The Appropriately Named DJ Drama

A little story has popped up recently about the recent arrest of DJ Drama, a hip-hop DJ who recently released a mixtape. Anyone who knows the music will tell you that mixtapes are extremely common because the record labels themselves give their tacit permission to use their tracks. Think of it as a sort of low-budget marketing strategy that benefits everybody: fans can get the latest music in a low-cost format and artists get buzz before their next albums come out. Here's Ars Technica's brief summary:

The RIAA isn't pleased with "Gangsta Grillz," which are rap compilations that usually contain unlicensed music. The albums are widely seen as promotional tools by the rappers who willingly participate, but formal permission to use the tracks is not obtained from the record labels who own the rights to them. The mixtape scene has thrived for years without arrests, so the sudden bust of a high-profile figure came as something of a shock.