We just caught this trailer for Copyright Criminals featuring DJ Q-Bert, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop author Jeff Chang, and Miho Hatori of Cibo Matto fame. The documentary examines the creative and commercial value of musical sampling, including the related debates over artistic expression, copyright law, and (of course) money. Here’s a synopsis:

Copyright Criminals traces the rise of hip-hop from the urban streets of New York to its current status as a multibillion-dollar industry. For more than thirty years, innovative hip-hop performers and producers have been re-using portions of previously recorded music in new, otherwise original compositions. When lawyers and record companies got involved, what was once referred to as a “borrowed melody” became a “copyright infringement.”The film showcases many of hip-hop music’s founding figures like Public Enemy, De La Soul, and Digital Underground—while also featuring emerging hip-hop artists from record labels Definitive Jux, Rhymesayers, Ninja Tune, and more.

If you can’t catch it on your local PBS station, you can also get the DVD here.

Copyright Criminals trailer

Copyright Criminals Promo Video