#7 One Minute Pop Song With Ben Kweller In Other Words Japanese Cover

In episode 7 of 9, Ben shares an amazing cover version of "In Other Words" sent to him by a Japanese fan.

Check back this Friday for a bonus episode, celebrating the lead-up to next week's release of the new album!

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[00Ruben]

It seems like a passing comment. Does he lose sleep over the fact that Kweli used his song? I'm sure not. Also, a fan recording a cover, and someone taking a sample (so not even playing the same notes for themselves) are two completely different concepts. Sampling a song to begin with is low in my eyes; Play the damn tune yourself if you want to show us your talent. However, I don't think Ben seems pissed off. For any "professional" to sample without consent is, as he puts it so well, fucked up.

[X5Aeatsyoux]

I like talib kweli as much as the next hiphop head, but ben seems like a pretty cool guy, and im sure he would've given him permission and not wanted much out of it. But it was fucked up that he did it.

[benkweller]

@JahnNeema just to clarify: it wasn't the beat that was sampled. it was Lyrics and Melody that was owned by Sony Publishing and a Sound Recording owned by ATO Records. I created both. a true mix tape is passed around to friends, not sold in stores. This was actually an album named "Mix-Tape", that was sold on CD, not cassette, and sold over 100,000 copies. 

[benkweller]

sampling is a form of flattery. lots of artists have sampled my songs. when you sample music for commercial use (including "mix-tapes"), it's customary to ask permission and give credit to the author. Talib did neither. in the liner notes, he claims he wrote the song and the voice singing is a woman when it's really a sped up version of "In Other Words". Talib seemed like the kind of artist that would let me know, and give me credit for the part that i wrote. i wasn't angry, just surprised.

[slytown]

Mixtapes are free reign unless they are sold. Don't know the incident everyone is talking about, but sampling is an honored and respected craft by most intelligent musicians, however the copyright industry rapes artists for wanted to use samples as instruments.

[ilovehikaruhitachiin]

i'm sorry if this offends you but i am a japan nerd and you pronounced the name wrong. don't kill me people

[JahnNeema]

@00Ruben Its called a MIXTAPE. MIX TAPE GOOGLE THE DEFINITION. What kind of rapper asks to sample a beat on a mixtape? Beats are free game.

[nicknkub]

Talib Kweli recorded the song for a mixtape, not an album. It was not a hugely promoted single or anything. Yes, he should have asked, but it's not a big deal. It's not like Kweli is going around claiming credit for that bit, it's evident to everyone that it's Kweller's song. I mean, even Kweller doesn't care that much, you fans shouldn't overreact. And to be fair, Talib wrote a beautiful song to accompany the sample, he didn't steal Kweller's work.

[KillaCally]

Talibs song wasn't for an "album" either, it was on a mixtape.. huge difference..

[Crueak]

Except that Ben kweller doesn't sample people, he writes music. Talib could have called and asked and spent like, two minutes doing it, and Ben Kweller would have probably been cool.

Art is Art, ripping people off is ripping people off.

[solidmas]

wow i thought art was art, i love when an artist spends their whole life living the scene and putting passion and time into their craft and then they get their panties ina twist when someone samples their song... don't you remember when you were coming up? sampling is almost like making a collage, using lil pieces to make a bigger piece

[fleebenworth]

Just because musicians make money off of music does not mean that every track is produced for commercial use. Artists produce singles and other forms of music all the time that they do not intend for commercial distribution.