Episode 14 - Oh Brother, Amen

Nate Harrison - Can I get an Amen? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPoxZW8JzzM Donate to the Copyright Holder - https://www.gofundme.com/amenbrother

Visual Script

sketch-episode-14.jpg

Notes

  • 792
  • Remember when I was going to wait to talk about copyright? Yea, well it's time.
  • big news: creator of amen getting money
  • I have problems with this, and I am quite conflicted.
  • First, amen break is this
  • came from song "Amen Brother" a funk restyling of a Gospel tune "Amen" as a B-Side of their hit "Color Him Father"
  • and if you didn't know, it's EVERYWHERE
  • So.. what are the problems I see with this?
  • #1, it's not the creator, but the copyright holder that is getting the money
  • There are 2 creators to this break: The drummer, adn the engineer. Both are responsible for it's sound
  • The drummer Gregory Coleman for his performance
  • The engineer Rodney Mills, made the SOUND - unique!
  • #2, Copyright holder considers the music spawned by the break as "plagiarism" and "bullshit"
  • What?
  • Wikipedia: Plagiarism is the "wrongful appropriation" and "stealing and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions" and the representation of them as one's own original work. The idea remains problematic with unclear definitions and unclear rules.
  • Really opens up a can of worms about sampling, copyright, and ownership of ideas
  • He goes on to say that he "considers it another chapter in the plundering of African-American cultural patrimony.
  • Can a white guy from Canada sitting at the top of priveledge really comment here?
  • Yes please, I would love a can-opener for this costco sized can of worms.
  • plundering on a continuum.
  • One side hip hop.
  • On the other side Jeep, with use of break on a commercial.
  • #3 If the break weren't sampled, wouldn't have this conversation.
  • It's because the lack of rules on the high seas of remix culture that it became popular.
  • Hip hop wouldn't exist as we know it if it were not for asampling, let alone jungle / drum n bass.
  • This song wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the original in the first place
  • #4 questions around creation of art ANOTHER VIDEO
  • venerate artist as original, but artist is informed by their culture
  • creation 46 years ago
  • Despite all this, I've donated. I love the break.
  • Here is to the drummer Gregory Coleman.