Is it really stealing?


In my opinion, nothing today is really original. We all feed of of everyone and everything for ideas. We pretty much have "newer versions" of almost anything.
With the progression of technology and social media it is so easy to "steal" each other's content,  but is it really stealing though? People accuse and file lawsuits over so many things.
I've seen cases where people would make their own version of an old song and change up the beat and call it their own, but when one person decides to make a newer version of their remake they will sue them for copyright. They are just contradicting themselves. How can it be okay for them to do it to people but when other do it to them it's wrong?

A really popular case that happened years ago was Jay Z being sued for copyright infringement over his hit single "Big Pimpin'." He was sued for sampling a piece from an Egyptian song called "Khosara Khosara" by an egyptian composer named Baligh Hamdi. Suing Jay Z was  Hamdi's nephew Osama Fahmy. He claimed that Jay Z copyrighted the music.

Being Middle Eastern and a fanatic of music both in Arabic and English, this case got my attention. Osama Fahmy claimed Jay Z stole his uncle's music but Mr. Fahmy himself didn't know that the original piece belonged to a very famous Egyptian singer and actor of the late 50's early 60's. Abdel Halim Hafez was the original owner of the music and not Baligh Hamdi. Clearly Jay Z won the lawsuit. This whole lawsuit was a joke. It was a way for Osama Fahmy to try and get some money out of this whole thing and he really wasn't in this because he believed that his uncle should be credited for his work!

See for yourself:
Abdel Halim Hafez's version called Khosara
Baligh Hamdi's version called Khosara Khosara
Jay Z's famous Big Pimpin'

The music that you're listening to today might actually be a "newer version" or "copied" from an older song. This goes to show that nothing is really original and if you're thinking of suing someone make sure that the content you are claiming rights too  is 100% yours and not a "newer version" of someone else's work.

If you're interested in this topic here is a helpful link to the article where it talks about the lawsuit!

Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 22, 2017 at 3:23 PM

    I think it's true that today nothing is really "original". The case you brought up is also interesting a poses and interesting dynamic to the music industry. There's no way every person could know every song that has ever been produced, so there's no real way to know if an idea is original. It's interesting to, because it makes you wonder if the artist who is being accused of stealing even knew the other song existed. I like your example and you brought up some points that are very significant in an industry that is driven by money today!

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  2. UnknownSeptember 22, 2017 at 10:44 PM

    Hi Lara! I chose your blog because your title caught me. I disagree that nothing today is original. For example, in EDM music, the Dj's do use computers and such to create their music; yet these sounds and songs come from somewhere and someone's creative ability even if it is through technology. However, I do consider a remix to be non-original due to the fact someone's work is being used and you are just adding sounds to it. I do not know much of that case, but it sounds like it was in the past when copyright was a huge conflict. Now, I feel as it has lightened in its ruling and things such as remixes are not as frowned upon as before.

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