Soundcheck

Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Eugene Onegin at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

Whose Song Is it Anyway?

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Sampling has always been at the heart of hip-hop, but as the genre finds its way onto more T.V. commercials, and film soundtracks, artists find they have to pay up when they borrow without permission. Today, we'll hear how some DJs are avoiding legal hassles by writing their own samples. Also: Find out how baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky went from fronting a Soviet-era metal band to taking bows at at the Metropolitan Opera. And finally: the story behind those point of purchase CDs at Pottery Barn and Banana Republic.

Listen to the whole show

Plagiarism or Sampling?

Sampling can make a hit song, but it can also lead to a lawsuit: Artists must pay up when they borrow without permission. Guests include Pete Miser, a solo hip-hop artist, DJ, and self-made hip-hop scholar; and Jon Price, who works in sample clearances.

Dmitri Hvorostovsky

Velvety-voiced baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky takes time out from his busy Metropolitan Opera schedule to share his latest recordings.

Counter Culture

Custom CDs sit at the counters of countless stores, including Pottery Barn, West Elm, and Banana Republic. Today, we speak with Jeff Daniel, president of Rock River Music, which creates them.

Rock River Music's Web site