Stones Throw Signs ‘MLC’ in Response to Copyright Claim

Eothen Alapatt, Stones Throw Record’s general manager, tells the story of how the label signed Matthew Larkin Cassell after the artist heard one of his songs sampled by Stones Throw producer Madlib. He writes on the Stones Throw website:

“MLC hit us up after he heard his [song], Heaven, from his superb (and superbly rare) album Pieces on the Madlib production 3.214 from Madvillainy 2: The Madlib Remix. At first Madlib had no idea he was using MLC’s work until he put two and two together and realized that his source material, a Japanese bootleg 12″ labled ‘MLC’ stood for, well, you guessed it.”

Cassell wanted to release his entire catalog digitally and on CD, and Madlib wanted access to it. Rather than the usual copyright litigation, a distribution deal was made. Compare Heaven and 3.214 after the jump: Continue reading...