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April 6, 2006

Don't Get It Twisted

Have you been following the Thomas Dolby/K-Fed saga? The one-hit wonder took on America's Most Hated on his blog earlier this week (via Paste):

"Britney Spears' husband Kevin Federline, whom I'd never heard of until a few days ago, appears to have illegally sampled one of my compositions. On his MySpace site you can download an MP3 which uses a looped sample from Mobb Deep's 'Get It Twisted,' which in turn copped the string line from my own song 'She Blinded Me With Science.' Now, Mobb Deep did it the right way and had his label BMG come and ask for a license. They paid me a fee and a royalty on the sales of Mobb Deep's record. However K-Fed, as his fans affectionately refer to him, did NOT ask permission, he just went ahead and did it. He is therefore blatantly violating the copyright law. And laws aside, he owed it to me as an artist to ask if I minded that he recorded a vitriolic rap over the top of my music. It starts off 'This is for the HATERS...' and goes on to blast the media, paparrazzi and all his other critics, sparing no expletives along the way. BMG Records have also had their copyright violated, as they own the master to Mobb Deep's record. But BMG don't want to rock the Britney boat so they are turning a blind eye. It's pathetic! Turns out K-Fed has no management, label or lawyer, so it's going to be hard getting hold of him. So K-Fed, if you're reading this, I'm asking you nicely to take the track down ASAP. Or maybe you'd prefer me to come after some of your wife’s ill-gotten gains?"
But K-Fed totally didn't have Thomas Dolby's blog in his RSS feed! So MTV News had to get involved. And thank god they did. Dolby gives us an update:
"They published the article [Thursday] afternoon and called the K-fed camp as well, who announced his song has been taken down from MySpace. Success! That's the power of the Web. Hopefully it will now simmer down and I can get back to rehearsal."
Maybe if we all complain on our blogs, he'll stop rapping entirely.

As a graphic designer, how would you describe K-Fed's MySpace page?

Posted at 10:11 AM




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24 Comments

probably the same way that guy who comments on his music does: "Dude, your shit is so tight. My boys and I can't wait to hear more new shit."

Posted by: Balumpus at 04/06/06 10:42 AM | Reply
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Overall Dolby was a pretty weak artist, though he had a few killer songs that probably should have got more airplay.

Posted by: Bill V at 04/06/06 10:44 AM | Reply
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He blinded me with papazao!

Posted by: Jake at 04/06/06 11:11 AM | Reply
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b.s. and k-fed need to get blinded with talent

Posted by: booboo at 04/06/06 11:16 AM | Reply
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I like "Hyperactive," the chorus at least. That's one of those songs on the Vice City that they chose because getting a one hit wonder's one hit would probably take too much payola. Nonetheless, there are a few good tracks like that I probably wouldn't have heard otherwise.

I don't mind K-Fed. Sure, his music is trash, but everyone knows that. I like to think of all of the laughs I wouldn't have had were K-Fed unfamous and unrapping. Anybody hear the new Terrell Owens? Yeah, he raps now.

Posted by: fido at 04/06/06 11:28 AM | Reply
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haha, go dolby digital. anything that stops that heap of undesirable DNA known as kevin federline from rapping is a joyous thing.

Posted by: sean at 04/06/06 11:33 AM | Reply
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The new T.O. is fucking awful.

Posted by: mrbenning at 04/06/06 11:53 AM | Reply
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He should have waited to see how much money the song could make and THEN sue him for the cut. Silly Dolby

Posted by: Johnny at 04/06/06 12:33 PM | Reply
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Um, I have a badly designed MySpace page, and it looks much better and readable than K-Fed's.

Posted by: Penny Woods at 04/06/06 12:39 PM | Reply
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LOL at Dolby calling Mobb Deep "him"

Posted by: Infamous at 04/06/06 1:55 PM | Reply
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K-Fed's MySpace page = vomit for the eyes.
ugh.

Posted by: Miranda at 04/06/06 2:00 PM | Reply
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He blinded me with tiling!

(I mean, really, what "professional" artist tiles their website with a jaggy gif?)

Posted by: Skatelip at 04/06/06 2:34 PM | Reply
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As a designer I must say his page gives me anxiety. And that was before I noticed the resolution of the background imagery.

Posted by: narc at 04/06/06 2:39 PM | Reply
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What a cynical bunch of readers! Cynical, and misinformed about the way the music business works.

1. You think it didn't occur to Thomas Dolby that if he waited longer and let K-Fed sell some CDs, he might be able to make more money? Could it be Dolby is telling the truth when he says that his #1 goal was to get K-Fed to take the awful song down off his MySpace site? Not everyone is motivated solely by money. Dolby's a multi-millionaire from his Beatnik company, he doesn't need frivolous lawsuits.

2. 'Hyperactive', not 'Science' on Grand Theft Auto--you really think payola was involved in Sony's choice of this among all the hundreds of hit songs on their soundtrack? The fee either way was probably hundreds or maybe low thousands of $. Some exec's gonna put his neck on the line for that?

3. Dolby a 'weak artist'? You're entitled to your opinion pal, but thousands would disagree. His music stood out from the 80's bunch, it was thoughtful, well-written and brilliantly played and produced, and it still sounds great today.

Posted by: Ken Ferret at 04/06/06 3:47 PM | Reply
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Is the dude that thinks Dolby is WEAK aware of songs like "Screen Kiss"? Is he aware that Dolby has worked with the best of them, including Joni Mitchell? Is he aware that Dolby is an immaculate producer who did a bang-up job on Prefab Sprout's "Two Wheels Good," a seminal 1980's British "lit-pop" record?

Ignorance is bliss, but everyone's entitled to their opinion...

Posted by: xolondon at 04/06/06 4:03 PM | Reply
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Bravo, xolondon! "Urges," "Airwaves," "Leipzig."

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. And of course, we know some opinions are more well-informed than others.

Posted by: Con Hongos at 04/06/06 6:18 PM | Reply
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The only thing shittier than K-Fed is his MySpace page. And here I thought it wasn't possible.

Posted by: Annie at 04/06/06 6:23 PM | Reply
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Aside from all that, it represents him perfectly.

Posted by: Annie at 04/06/06 6:25 PM | Reply
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I like his submarine song more than Ringo's.

Posted by: Adam at 04/06/06 6:39 PM | Reply
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Man just last night i was watchin that dumb ass david spade commercial about kevs and his hair donation and was like, 'what is up with of kfed?, i gotta check stereogum.' and walla! here he is!
Man kfeds page looks just like mine! im gonna sue his ass! not really but my page looks dumb as shit too. fuck myspace.
my buddy doug used to have some remix 12" of europa and the pirate twins? perhaps. it was just all the effects and synth noises from the song- just an odd skeleton of noises- it was great for mixtapes- just put a klang or woosh between some other song, it was really fun to take the belt off the turntable and scratch with that record. he did a lot of fun sonic things on his records, awesome for headphones and weed.
Poor fuckin kfed- hes like the perfect burnout. there were like ten of him in my highschool. an everyman, eternal, universal.
they probly all got dumb lookin myspace pages.
i think ill go delete mine.

Posted by: dustjacket at 04/06/06 11:33 PM | Reply
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Also... "I Love You Goodbye," "Budapest By Blimp," and "I Live In A Suitcase." A few more of my faves. Underrated songwriter, that guy.

Posted by: Reid at 04/06/06 11:39 PM | Reply
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Man just last night I was watchin that dumb ass david spade commercial about Kevs and his hair donation and was like, 'what is up with of Kfed?, i gotta check stereogum.' and walla! here he is!
Man Kfeds page looks just like mine! I'm gonna sue his ass! Not really but my page looks dumb as shit too. fuck myspace.
My buddy doug used to have some remix 12" of europa and the pirate twins? perhaps. It was just all the effects and synth noises from the song- just an odd skeleton of noises- great for mixtapes- just put a klang or woosh between some other songs, it was really fun to take the belt off the turntable and scratch with that record. Dolby did a lot of fun sonic things on his records, awesome for headphones and weed.
The same can't be said for kfed.
Poor fuckin kid- hes like the perfect burnout. There were like ten of him in my highschool.
They probly all got dumb lookin myspace pages.
I think I'll go delete mine.

Posted by: dustjacket at 04/06/06 11:40 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Man just last night I was watchin that dumb ass david spade commercial about Kevs and his hair donation and was like, 'what is up with of Kfed?, i gotta check stereogum.' and walla! here he is!
Man Kfeds page looks just like mine! I'm gonna sue his ass! Not really but my page looks dumb as shit too. Fuck myspace.
My buddy doug used to have some remix 12" of europa and the pirate twins? perhaps. It was just all the effects and synth noises from the song- just an odd skeleton of noises- great for mixtapes- just put a klang or woosh between some other songs, it was really fun to take the belt off the turntable and scratch with that record. Dolby did a lot of fun sonic things on his records, awesome for headphones and weed.
The same can't be said for kfed.
Poor fuckin kid- hes like the perfect burnout. There were like ten of him in my highschool.
They probly all got dumb lookin myspace pages.
I think I'll go delete mine.

Posted by: dustjacket at 04/06/06 11:41 PM | Reply
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dang im sorry I tripple posted that shit!

Posted by: dustjacket at 04/06/06 11:45 PM | Reply
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