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Description
Rooted in stylized grooves and lineages of musical borrowing, funk can often seem to exist at the periphery of copyright protection. Its influence on Hip-Hop and R&B, particularly through collage techniques involving digital samples, contributed to a rise in the early twenty-first century of infringement disputes. How have these cases shaped copyright protection of music? After a gloss of federal copyright law, this presentation surveys landmark lawsuits involving funk songs and their impact on later cases. Through its interdisciplinary investigation, this presentation reveals how funk cases proved that musical style offers critical context to legal evaluations of musical similarity and the scope of copyright protection. In so doing, it highlights ethical interest-balancing in copyright disputes between preserving rights and promoting creativity.
Publication Date
11-6-2021
City
Dayton, OH
Disciplines
African American Studies | Music | Musicology
Recommended Citation
Leo, Katherine, "There’s a Whole Lotta Rhythm Goin’ Round: How Funk Shaped U.S. Copyright" (2021). Content Presented at the First and Second Dayton Funk Symposia. 42.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/dayton_funk_content/42
