"At first I thought it was hackers," said Mr. Hofman. But a few hours notice ascended the site saying that its domain name had been seized by the immigration unit United States and Customs Enforcement of the Department of Homeland Security; This is one of the dozens of sites, accused of infringement of copyright and the sale of counterfeit products.
But Mr. Hofman, a long Aboriginal ruissèle in his beginning in the 1930s who worked previously for a major label, do not think himself as a pirate.
OnSmash.com and the handful of other blogs music closed by Government post brand new songs and videos without a licence, but much of this material is often leak their managers, music labels, and even the artists themselves.
Consequently, these sites have a complex symbiosis with the music industry. While the Recording Industry Association of America wants to shut down their, labels - particularly in hip-hop circles - rank uses them as a marketing tool and the sale of advertising.
"Joe q. public"leak"sounds like a bad word," Mr. Hofman said in an interview with a pizzeria on the Lower East Side, his lawyer at his side. "" "" But if you've never been to a label marketing meeting, "Hey, can you escape to blogs? Leakage is now a verb marketing.
In addition to OnSmash.com sites music close included Dajaz1.com RapGodFathers.com and rmx4u.com; another torrent - finder .com, is a search engine for users of BitTorrent, a file sharing system that can be used for any data type.
Weekend action of grace - most of the 82 sites involved seizures have been closed to sell imitation bags in hand, sunglasses and other goods - were made without warning. Internet as the Electronic Frontier Foundation advocacy groups have expressed alarm on the precedent that could set the action.
December 6, Victoria a. Espinel, Coordinator of the intellectual property of implementation of the White House, said that several judgments could expect soon the Government pursues "pirates and counterfeiters."
Some people more surprised by the judgments are the industry's music itself.
"My artists and industry have any issues with most of these sites, said Corey Smyth, a manager of rappers and producers such as Lil Jon and Talib Kweli." When you try something to do, it is where children go. »
For artists, which deals with the most recent leak blogs are not always beneficial, is not always clear where leak originated. Fabolous, a Brooklyn rapper label Def Jam, who has worked with OnSmash.com, said competition between blogs had resulted in a disorder in which auditors messaging for artists and producers had pirated for any extracts of new music that might attract readers.
"This is a double edged sword" said Fabolous. "It's a big, big promotional tool for all that you try out for the masses." But on the other hand, it is a bit of piracy, because sometimes it is not always what is given - there are some things that are taken. »
More than a decade since the advent of Napster, large file sharing service labels still struggle to reconcile the promise and the threat of digital music.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not explained how he selected sites that deal with downloadable music, but a spokesman for the Recording Industry association of America, which represents the major music labels stated that he had worked with ICE and other federal agencies in the identification of the infringing sites.
"Sites and services identify us are blatant federal law of copyright, illegally offering songs from the artists or pre-release infringement contained non-commercially available online or in any store," said the spokesman of Group business, Jonathan Lamy.
M. Hofman, who began his career working in new media and marketing departments of a label main (he wouldn't say which), enjoys easy access to artists and labels. His site regularly organized showcase concerts in clubs in New York and was decorated with artist shout-outs. Miami rapper Rick Ross, in his recent album top 10 "Teflon Don" liner notes thank OnSmash.com to mention his own record company.
"I get nothing with open arms, receptions,", said Mr. Hofman, which is quite important in the world of music as Kanye West links on Twitter. "I fall more industry invites that I accept."
Mr. Hofman said tracks and videos were disclosed to his site regularly, adding that if he has received a letter to stop and abandon on material on its site is not permitted, it has taken.
Sites like OnSmash.com and Dajaz1.com had advertising, but their operators said that income was minimal. Dajaz1.com, operator called splash, he would not his real name), itself described in an interview as a married father of two Queens, who once worked in the industry of music.
"I am a regular Joe Schmo employment," he said. But a blog influential rap running has its privileges. "I'm on the phone with Busta Rhymes once every three or four days," said splash.
For the moment seized areas are in a legal vacuum. David Snead, a lawyer specializing in the case of the Internet that represents the owner of the torrent - finder .com, speculated that there may be 30 to 60 days of an order of seizure before it could. "The Government provides zero information to help us determine what he is being accused of", he said. "This is a black hole."
Some sites have resumed their assignments by simply moving to other areas: RapGodFathers.com now works on RapGodFathers.info and torrent - finder .com is now torrent - finder .info.
Mr. Hofman said he is "very nervous" about his situation legal but also puzzled.
"I see myself as a legitimate source of content online, and I have no reason to believe that I've never seen as otherwise." So what I do is so bad and covers damage to artist, then why is it retweeting stuff for two megacity? "Mr. Hofman said, referring to Kanye West. "He just not good for me."
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