RAPSTER TO NAPSTER: FORGET ABOUT DRE
Interscope/Aftermath artist, producer and mogul Dr. Dre sent a letter to Napster demanding his songs be removed from the file-sharing application's database by Friday (4/21).
In his missive to the company's acting CEO, Eileen Richardson, Dre (ne Andre Young) asserted that the MP3-trading protocol enables infringement of his copyrights.
"Dr. Dre has not committed to suing them, but that would be the logical conclusion if they don't take it off their site," said attorney Howard King, who also represents Metallica in its suit against the San Mateo, CA-based Napster.
It's been a tough period for the company behind the ultra-popular program. The Metallica suit has escalated the debate among industry figures, artists and fans about copyright, consumer rights and the future of the music business; meanwhile, the influential campus organization Students Against University Censorship—once a pro-Napster organ—has now revoked its support.
Other suits by artists could well follow those filed on behalf of Metallica and Dre. Napster attorney Laurence Pulgram asserted to Reuters that the company will defend itself "vigorously."
Dre had previously threatened action against Musicmaker.com for allowing users to put his songs on custom CDs via the site's deal with his old label, Death Row. The MC/producer's latest album, "Chronic 2001," remains in the Top 10 on the HITS album chart.
