"You
know you’re hot when you got the Hip-Hop police on your ass," said one internet
poster on DJ Don Cannon’s myspace page. "FREE DRAMA & DON CANNON."The
Hip-Hop community has immediately responded to the office raid and arrest of DJ
Don Cannon and DJ Drama of the Aphilliates, a collective of DJs based in Atlanta.
Yesterday,
17 people were apprehended from the company’s offices in a raid where all off
the mixtape CDs, computer and recording equipment were confiscated by the federal
government and the RIAA. Drama
and Cannon, the most recognizable faces of Aphilliates Music Group, were the only
people arrested and slapped with racketeering charges. Now,
the graphical image of DJ Drama emblazoned with "Free Drama & Cannon"
has begun to spread across the Internet, through message boards and artist’s music
pages. The
arrests have raised questions about the validity of the charges, by fans and professionals."These
guys weren’t selling official barcoded albums, like the type you buy on 125th
Street in Harlem, but should be buying from a legitimate retail store," said
one music industry professional under the auspices of anonymity. "The artists
were apart of the creation process on most – if not all of the Gangsta Grillz."
DJ Drama,
who serves as T.I.’s DJ, has received a number of accolades for his ability to
turn his mixtape CDs into wholly new works of art with the aid of rappers like
Lil’ Wayne, Bun B, Young Jeezy, 8Ball & MJG and a host of others. The
RIAA raids aren’t a new phenomenon.Days
after mixtape staple Justo Faison died, the RIAA announced a series of raids that
were executed in New York City."Retailers
who are making money on the backs of musicians and record companies by selling
pirated CD’s should know that this is absolutely no way to conduct a business,"
said Brad Buckles of the RIAA to the New York Times in 2005. Of
the RIAA, one protester inquired as to the apparent conflict in raids like the
Aphilliates and others that create Hip-Hop mix CDs. "[DJ
Drama and Cannon are] putting out mixtapes , creating a buzz for an artist and
then the artist sells records and the major [label] makes the bucks, so what’s
wrong?" A
high ranking executive that is familiar with both DJ Drama and Don Cannon said
the arrests of DJ’s of their stature would have a chilling effect on the entire
mixtape culture."Record
labels have always utilized the important DJ’s to help promote the records,"
the unnamed executive told AllHipHop.com. "The DJ’s help promote the records.
For the most part the records they put out are given to them by the labels. It’s
something that has to be taken into consideration. The mixtapes are done cooperatively,
where the labels and the mixtape DJ’s work together to break artists. It’s a tough
position. The RIAA and the corporate people feel a certain way."Until
the question is answered, supporters of DJ Drama and Don Cannon will continue
to protest their incarceration.Matthew
Kilgo, who oversaw the RIAA’s role in yesterday’s raids of The Aphilliates office
in Atlanta, was unable to comment due to a recently imposed gag order.
