Downloading Songs...Illegally

Posted by Erin T. McMillon Aug 5, 2008

I was supposed to be working but decided my brain needed a break. Like most people, I bought up my Internet explorer and began ... exploring. I came across an interesting article discussing the role "bootlegging" plays in the music industry.

For years I have been saying that artists, especially hip-hop artists, are being cheated because Soundcan and other sales trackers don’t take the illegal sales into consideration.

Now, I don't know where you live but where I am from people don't buy CDs from any store. They go to see the CD man to get their "Exclusive!" and bomb dropped laced CDs.

Going to see the CD man has become a covert operation. You know where he usually hangs out but it seems that every time you are jonesing for a does of new music he is no where to be found. So you sit in the parking lot of the shopping center waiting for him to pull up and pop his trunk full of goodies.

You hop out of your car and run down on him like he's the last drug dealer alive and you are going through withdraw.

Wiping the sweat from your brow, you finally settle on the new "Gangsta Grillz" and the new "Mummy" movie.

Satisfied, you retreat back to your vehicle and head for home.

OK, so I added a bit of drama for hilarity's sake, but you know what I mean.

What the industry needs to realize is that people are not going to go the stores to buy CDs.

The smart thing to do would be to embrace it.

Don't believe me?

Think about this: Imagine how much MORE money they would make if they teamed up with your local CD man.

And we all know they like money so what else needs to be said?