The authors conclude:.

             Hip-hop alone cannot rise up to the task of political transformation-this .

             is pop culture not a manifesto. However, by looking at the particular political situations and aspirations of its musicians, we can trace its rise as an iconic power and its demise when the assimilationist powers of the capitalist economy flatten out the music's richness to render it a message of personal gain. (Ogbar and Prashad).

             Regardless of the type of music, there are copyright laws that govern its ownership protection. U.S. Copyright Law represents an attempt by Congress to balance the rights of creators and copyright proprietors with those of copyright users. That is, the government wants to protect both those who produce and own copyrighted materials, including composers and publishers, and to recognize the needs of those that use and enjoy these materials such as listeners, performers, and music teachers. The law gives copyright owners the following exclusive rights: .

             To reproduce the copyrighted work .

             To prepare derivative works .

             To distribute copies .

             To perform the work publicly .

             To display the work publicly (Moser).

             The copyright determines whether permission or a license is needed to play music. A person does not need a license to play music in his/her home or car for personal enjoyment. However, in 2000, questions began arising due to the Internet and downloading of free music. The Recording Industry Association of America filed a lawsuit against the website Napster, accusing the company of encouraging the illegal copying and distribution of copyright music on a massive scale. The court held that Napster's service is not protected by fair use. It also said the service is guilty of two kinds of copyright infringement, has failed to police its system in an attempt to stop the spread of copyrighted works, and does substantial harm to record companies. .

             Under the Copyright Act of 1909, musical works received protection for an initial term of 28 years and then were eligible for a second renewal term of an additional 28 years, for a total of 56 years.