Baauer's ‘Harlem Shake’ Track Facing Copyright Issues
‘Harlem Shake’ viral dance videos have taken the world by storm, but now two artists claim the song uses their samples without permission, and are seeking compensation.
Baauer has been enjoying the fruits of his labor with his track “Harlem Shake” by gaining Internet viral fame and climbing the Billboard charts to the number one spot for the past three weeks. But he's now garnering attention from two musicians claiming his song sampled their music, without obtaining licensing for their songs.
Harry Rodrigues aka Baauer. (Courtesy of Mixed Management)
Former reggaetón artist Hector Delgado and rapper Jayson Musson were both astonished when friends brought to their attention that their voices were used on “Harlem Shake," and are now seeking payment from Baauer’s record label, Mad Decent Records, as reported by the New York Times. Both parts in the song sampling the artists’s voices provide the pivotal moments in the viral videos, when fans explode into a dance frenzy. Delgado, who is now an evangelical preacher, is heard saying the line “con los terroristas” (“with the terrorists”) on the song, and Musson exhorts, “do the Harlem Shake!”
“It’s almost like they came on my land and built a house,” Delgado told The Times.
The origins of the sampling began in Philadelphia when Baauer, whose real name is Harry Rodrigues, was working in the hip hop and electronic scene under the moniker, Cap’n Harry. The sample was a trademark shout-out of Delgado’s songs, which Baauer found online. When Baauer was asked by the Daily Beast how he found Delgado’s famous line, the EDM producer said, “The dude in the beginning I got somewhere off the Internet, I don’t even know where.”
Musson’s chant is from the 2001 song, “Miller Time,” by the Philadelphia rap group, Plastic Little. He told the New York Times that when he found out his voice was used in the track, he called Baauer and thanked him for “doing something useful with our annoying music.”
Both artists are in discussions with the record label for payment for the samples and Musson has said they are being “cooperative.”
Cheat Sheet
Entertainment
-
ENTERPRISE
'Star Trek' Wins Box Office
But doesn't take as much as expected.More
-
NOT FOR SALE
Kanye West Debuts Two New Songs
On “SNL.”More
-
TWIHARDS
Report: Stewart, Pattinson Split
For now. Yes, again.More
-
STAY CLASSY
'Anchorman' Unveils Sequel Teaser
Movie to be released December 2013.More
-
ALL MY SINGLE LADIES
Beyonce Responds to Pregnancy Rumors
“These low life people have nothing better to do.”More
Lately
TODAY'S STORIES
8 Best Music Videos of the Week
From Kendrick Lamar to Queens of the Stone Age, Jean Trinh picks the best music videos of the week.
Game Time
Thrones’ Writers on Why We Watch
Enterprising
Is J.J. Abrams Lost in Space?
Moving On
An 'SNL' Exodus?
Watch This!
The Week in Viral Videos
Not You Too, Jason Sudeikis!
What up with that?! Rumors are flying that the resident Romney impersonator will 'probably' be leaving 'Saturday Night Live' along with Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, and Seth Meyers (in 2014). 'SNL' just won't be the same without his groovy running man, debonair Devil, and other crazy characters,
Elsewhere
Fashion Beast
-
11 Best Fashion Instagrams
Jason Wu deplanes, Cara Delevingne gets a finger tattoo, Linda Fargo mixes prints, and... More
-
The Cannes Heist: Who Did It?
A hotel-room safe full of jewelry, stolen right under Hollywood’s nose.... More
-
You Decide: Did Michelle Obama Get Rid Of Her Bangs?
FLOTUS parts to the left, Twitter explodes. More
Elsewhere
The Royalist
-
High-Viz Harry Checks Out His Chelsea Garden
High-Viz Harry Checks Out His Chelsea Garden More
-
Harry Stalker Locked Up In Greenwich!
Wen Qi, 36, detained on Wednesday outside the game More
-
Pippa at London Vanity Fair Party
Miss Middleton out and about More













Comments