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68% Critic Match
Copyright Criminals
“This is a Sampling Sport”
6.8 / 10• 2009• 1h 5m•PG-13• English
MusicDocumentary
Storyline
Copyright Criminals examines the creative and commercial value of musical sampling, including the related debates over artistic expression, copyright law, and (of course) money. This documentary traces the rise of hip-hop from the urban streets of New York to its current status as a multibillion-dollar industry. For more than thirty years, innovative hip-hop performers and producers have been re-using portions of previously recorded music in new, otherwise original compositions. When lawyers and record companies got involved, what was once referred to as a “borrowed melody” became a “copyright infringement.” The film showcases many of hip-hop music’s founding figures like Public Enemy, De La Soul, and Digital Underground—while also featuring emerging hip-hop artists from record labels Definitive Jux, Rhymesayers, Ninja Tune, and more.
Cast & Crew
AR
Aesop Rock
Self
Lead
George Clinton
Self
Chuck D
Self
El-P
Self
SF
Sage Francis
Self
Pt
Pam the Funsktress
Self
Bobbito Garcia
Self
Miho Hatori
Self
What People Are Saying
4.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Kembrew McLeod's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
3.0
“Every frame feels alive. Copyright Criminals is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
