Rappers LL Cool J and Public Enemy's Chuck D rolled up on opposite sides of Capitol Hill Tuesday for a Senate hearing on the hotly debated topic of file-sharing.

Also present at the Senate Governmental Affairs Subcommittee hearing, called to investigate whether the recording industry's campaign of suing suspected online pirates is too harsh, was Mitch Bainwol, chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America. Bainwol asked P2P networks to act responsibly and take steps to help stem the rampant copyright infringement that occurs on their networks. The RIAA suggested three ways for them to do so.

First, P2P interfaces can change their default settings so that users don't unwittingly allow other people to access files on their hard drives. P2Ps can also alert users to the laws and penalties of copyright infringement. And finally, filters can be put in place to prevent copyrighted material from passing through the networks.

"The law is clear," Bainwol said at the hearing. "Yet the understanding of the law is hazy. Why? In large part it's because the file-sharing networks like Kazaa deliberately induce people to break the law. These systems should no longer induce music fans to break the law, diminish computer security, disregard privacy or compromise the integrity of content. There is a brighter future just around he corner if the operators of these networks just voluntarily execute these three common sense and easily implemented reforms."

Chuck D wasn't about to let online freedoms be curbed. "P2P to me means power to the people," he said. "I trust the consumer more than I trust the people at the helm of these [record] companies."

LL used a rather bizarre metaphor to render the practice of illegal file-sharing down to its basic element: stealing. "If a contractor builds a building, should people be allowed to move into it for free, just because he's successful?" asked Mr. Cool J, as he was addressed at the hearing. "Should they be able to live in this building for free? That's how I feel when I create an album or when I make a film and it's shooting around the planet for free."

In response to accusations that the RIAA's tactics were too heavy-handed, Bainwol said that before a lawsuit is filed, the defendant will be notified by letter to encourage a settlement, and as of Monday 64 had been reached (see "Sixty-Four Alleged File-Sharers Back Down In Face Of RIAA Lawsuits"). "We are trying to be reasonable and fair and allow these cases the opportunity to be resolved without litigation," he said.

On Monday, heads of the P2P networks Limewire, Grokster, Blubster, Bearshare, Morpheus and eDonkey 2000 met to announced the formation of the trade group P2P United. The members of P2P United are opposed to instituting filters but are willing to work with record companies in finding a way to pay artists for the work that's traded over the network.

They also took offense to industry allegations that P2P networks are havens for child pornographers, hackers and spyware. "[Those charges] are not central to the relevant debate," said Adam Eisgrau, P2P United's executive director, "and that debate is about how we build an online marketplace for the 21st century."

For complete digital music coverage, check out the Digital Music Reports.



—Joe D'Angelo

With out litigation? what the heck is this, all should litigate at all cost. Why give up your right to due process, why give up on asystem to protect the innocent, oh wait, didn't the RIAA by that right, are you going to stand by and let them take it??? All it is is a vote, that you have to cast to turn every thing around, 1 vote.

We are experiencing some problems with comments to articles on boycott-riaa at the moment. You can respond via DMusic.com using the same username..thanks for your patience..

I don't think the example a very good one, when using the building. After all, electronic mp3's have no physical properties that you can touch and feel.

I would suggest that the rapper LL Cool J, get a real job. He hasn't anything I want...

all LL UNcool J kept saying wuz
"We need to be paid" and "We tha dreamuhs".
Instead of publishing his "songs", they need to send him back to remedial English.
Plus, his "acting" in Halloween-The Final Chapter, involved him acting like a goofy
janitor and getting killing. Movie dying isn't hard LL UNcool J, but apparently,
making any sense when speaking English is (for LL UNcool J).
-bulkeraser

On the other hand, CHUCK D, was very well spoken, and pointed out the hypocrisy of labels ripping off black blues performers,
not paying them their royalties, and making a bundle off "rock" music, stolen from blues licks of black musicians. Great points, but unfortunately, since they reflected the REAL WORLD, I'm afraid they were wasted on the likes of Coleman, Collins, Levin, and Pryor!

i would agree but my post arent posting

ll uncool get real , dont flatter yourself no one i know would waste the electrons to download your crap

"The law is clear?" Who says?

I don't know if Chuck D's points have any real relavence to the topic at hand. I mean... the exploitation of black musicians was a long time ago, and now rap is a huge industry. I think rappers do pretty well off.

I want to know what Coleman thinks should be assessed in these hearings. To me, it seems like a jumble of arguments that don't seem to be supported, or answer any questions that have been raised about music piracy in recent years. Chuck D didn't offer any solution, he just criticized the record industry's actions in the past. LL Cool J didn't say anything new. He said, in a nutshell, that file sharing is stealing, and that he doesn't like it. No fine points were addressed. I'm pretty unimpressed with Chuck D thus far.

A building is for sale, it's not a lower-quality replica that someone else made. Anyway, if someone buys that building, it's their's to do with it as they please, at the time of purchase, it's then their property.

as for LL notcool J, he probably doesn't even know what helm is. he's been seriously mis-informed, as jewel has also.

why would i buy a cd I have no idea about? i've made many mistake in the past with buyign crappy cds. esp. that chumbawamba or whatever cd, that was crap.

so i went to cash converters and got 50 cents for all my cds, that i paid at least 13 bucks for. all of which had probably only been played a maximum of 15 times.

Think about this:

Isn't the music industry misleading the consumer? In case no one has noticed, but there are tons of portable mp3 players at Best Buy. What are we supposed to put on them if downloading mp3s is illegal?

In my opinion, a CD should be free, that is paying for costs made.. Music should be made because of passion, not because of greed..

and about MP3players, well, again greed. I don't see the difference between a P2Pnetwork and selling MP3players. Or maybe i do, selling such a player pushes a person more to download illegal mp3 than P2Pnetworks.

But again that's like the governement, hypocritical like hell. Why otherwise here in europe they begin to legalise weed, to please people? Right.. maybe to put taxes on it like with cigarettes.

and about LL cool J : forgot where you came from? Never taped your favorite artist when you were little? Shallow dumb man..

chuck d blew ll cool j's statement out of the water, chuck d always speaks the truth

mama said knock you out LL... Eat it

LL probably doesnt even know how to use a computer