Ex-studio sound technician indicted for illicitly obtaining unpublished Eminem tracks and peddling them digitally.
Joe Strange, Ex-Eminem Studio Engineer, Accused of Stealing and Selling Unreleased Music
Get ready to spit some facts, because the cat's out of the bag on a grimy situation involving a former employee of Eminem's studio. Joseph Strange, a 46-year-old from Holly, Michigan, is allegedly the mastermind behind a scheme to swipe and sell Slim Shady's unreleased tracks online[1][2][3].
Federal authorities have indicted Strange on charges of copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods. His alleged crimes involve stealing more than 25 songs from password-protected hard drives stashed in a safe at Eminem's studio in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb[2][4]. These tracks have reportedly popped up all over the web, from Reddit to YouTube, without Eminem or his label's consent[1][2].
After losing his job at the studio in 2021, Strange apparently thought he'd struck gold[2][4]. By passing these precious gems to eager fans, he raked in a cool $50,000 worth of Bitcoin from one buyer using the screen name "Doja Rat"[1][2][3]. Another group of devout Eminem fans, organized by someone in Connecticut with the screen name "ATL," also reportedly dropped a grand on a couple of these tracks[1].
An FBI search of Strange's crib in January turned up a treasure trove of evidence, including stacks of handwritten Eminem lyric sheets and notes, a VHS tape featuring an unreleased Eminem video, and hard drives packed with 12,000 audio files[1]. Some of these files contained music in various stages of development by Eminem and other unnamed artists[1].
Strange inked a agreement as part of his severance package that explicitly forbade him from dispersing Eminem's work electronically[2]. Acting US Attorney Julie Beck, commenting on the case, stated, "Protecting intellectual property from thieves is crucial in preserving the unique rights of creators and safeguarding their original work from unauthorized reproduction and distribution by those who seek to profit from the creative output of others"[2].
As Eminem continues to dominate the hip-hop scene, the rap titan netted awards for Best Hip-Hop Act at the 2024 MTV EMAs and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022[2]. CNN reached out to Eminem's reps for comment on the matter, but they're yet to spit back a response[2]. Stay tuned for updates on this juicy tale.
Sources: [1] - Associated Press [2] - US Department of Justice [3] - Yahoo Entertainment [4] - The Detroit News
- Eminem's legal team is reportedly safeguarding his intellectual property, following the allegations that his ex-studio engineer, Joe Strange, was selling unreleased music files online without consent.
- In spite of the severance agreement that forbade him from disseminating Eminem's work electronically, Joe Strange is accused of earning thousands of dollars by illegally selling Eminem's unreleased tracks to eager fans, such as "Doja Rat" and the group organized by "ATL".
- As the case unfolds, it offers a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding entertainment properties, particularly in the digital age, to preserve the rights of creators and protect their original work from unauthorized reproduction and distribution.
