by Tracey Ford The new music documentary ‘Copyright Criminals’ takes a magnified look at samples in hip-hop and the resulting, endless copyright battles. The film, which premieres on Tuesday, Jan. 26, at the Toronto Film Festival, and then part of PBS’ Independent Lens Series, investigates the legitimacy of famous hip-hop copyright disputes. Industry veterans and sample-based pioneers like De La Soul, Chuck D, Pete Rock, Public Enemy and Mix Master Mike lend their knowledge to the debate through in-depth interviews and commentary while the film explores the motivation behind so called “copyfights.” Filmmakers Benjamin Franzen and Kembrew McLeod were able … Continue reading New Documentary Explores Sample-Based Legal Battles in Hip-Hop