News
DJ Drama and DJ Cannon raided, arrested
With assistance from Clayton County police, a Fulton County SWAT team entered the premises (which in addition to housing the day-to-day workings of the Aphilliates Music Group also includes a recording studio) and reportedly confiscated 50,000 CDs, as well as all of the business's computers, recording equipment, and cars. Though one official stated that the operation had expected to turn up contraband, none was found. Authorities also took all seventeen people present at the time of the raid in for questioning, although Simmons and Cannon were the only two for whom warrants had been issued. As of yesterday night, the pair were being held without bond at Fulton County Jail and were scheduled to appear in court today at 11 a.m.
Matthew Kilgo of the RIAA had this to say about the reasons behind the raid:
"These guys are actively advertising online. They've got a Web site that they're advertising from; that's where you place your orders and that's how the orders are shipped out. . . . Statistics also show that you can make up to a 90 percent profit just off the resale of counterfeit CDs. So there's huge money to be made in it, and there's no stigma attached to purchasing it."
In the midst of flagging record sales and the knowledge that digital music will now inevitably be the primary arena for music consumption, the recording industry is in major flux, and the RIAA clearly felt that it had to make a statement about what it considers 'bootlegging.' It couldn't have picked a bigger target. The Philadelphia-born Simmons is TI's main deejay and hosts the Gangsta Grillz mixtape series, arguably the most popular mixtape series today. Artists such as Young Jeezy, Styles P, Lil Jon, Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne, and Nelly have all contributed original material to Gangsta Grillz. Cannon is likewise known for his mixtapes, but has also recently worked as a producer, most notably with Young Jeezy.
With news of the raid less than a day old, official responses from the hip-hop community have yet to surface. The profile picture on DJ Drama's MySpace, however, has been changed to the image featured above. The Gangsta Grillz Web site also now simply advertises a new Gangsta Grillz album by DJ Drama, and all links to mixtapes on the Aphilliates Music Group site have been removed. An online petition to "Free DJ Drama & DJ Cannon" has already begun.
You can watch a video of the report on the raid, broadcast on Atlanta's Fox affiliate, WAGA, here.
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this makes no sense. ive read everything on it, and i still dont understand the necessity of using a swat team. they weren't pushing keys and they didnt kill anyone. my only guess is that theyre convinced that anyone "aphilliated" with hip hop is predisposed to violence with guns. or at least thats what they want the general public to believe.free dj drama is the new obligatory prison slogan of 07.
Adrian Covert
This is straight up b.s. What's with assuming these guys had some drug operation?Also, these mixtape DJs are a major reason why these artists sell so well. How is the RIAA going to go after the guy who they probably leak the music too.
Dave Park
here's a direct link to the petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/freedramaandcannon/signatures.html
george kaplan
[...] On March 27, fans will see if all the excitement was worth it, as KOCH Records will finally release Return of the Mac, an “album” that teams Prodigy with The Alchemist, Eminem’s resident DJ. Given the recent DJ Drama debacle, we think it’s really what was previously known as a “mixtape.” That’s because it’ll be followed in late 2007 by H.N.I.C. 2, the proper sequel to Prodigy’s debut gold-selling solo album, 2000’s H.N.I.C. [...]
» Prodigy (of Mobb Deep) announces two new a
What!? this is ****** up, Drama and Cannon has been puttin out hot southern mixtapes for years now, and the feds now decide to bust in on em! wtf?!!. If there tryin to stop the distribution of mixtapes its never gonna happen. With out Drama most of these big rap artist to date wouldn't be here right now. FREE DRAMA AND CANNON!!!!
JR