Eminem’s Rep breaks silence on ex-employee’s alleged Leak of 25 unreleased songs
- Eminem’s publicist, Joseph Strange, has been indicted for the theft of his unreleased tracks.
- Strange, who worked at Eminem’s Ferndale studio from 1999 to 2018, stole over 25 tracks.
- Eminem’s publicist praised the FBI’s investigation and the financial damage caused.
Eminem’s longtime publicist addressed the recent theft of his unreleased tracks, revealing that former sound engineer Joseph Strange stole and sold the rapper’s material online. Federal authorities have indicted Strange for the crime.
Joseph Strange worked at Eminem’s Ferndale studio in Detroit for 14 years until 2021. He reportedly stole over 25 unreleased tracks recorded between 1999 and 2018. The FBI raided Strange’s house and discovered handwritten lyric sheets, a VHS tape, and hard drives containing Eminem’s unpublished music.
Eminem’s publicist praised the FBI’s efforts, highlighting the immense financial damage caused by the theft. Speaking to news the publicist stated, “Eminem and his team greatly appreciate the FBI Detroit bureau’s thorough investigation, which led to the charges against Joe Strange.”
In the statement, the company emphasized the “extensive financial damage” and the harm to Mathers’ artistic value. It promised to take all necessary measures to protect his work and that of his collaborators.
“The significant damage caused by a trusted employee to Eminem’s artistic legacy and creative integrity cannot be overstated, let alone the enormous financial losses incurred by the many creators and collaborators that deserve protection for their decades of work,” the representative of the rapper said, adding, “We will continue to take any steps necessary to protect Eminem’s art and will stop at nothing to do so.”
Studio staff detected the leaks in January and reported them to the FBI. According to the complaint, Em’s team went online and found an image displaying a list of unreleased tracks, which they recognized as originating from the studio’s internal files. The evidence strongly suggested that only someone with direct access to the secure environment could have stolen the files.
If convicted, Joe Strange faces a five-year prison sentence and a USD 250,000 fine for copyright infringement. He could also receive a 10-year jail term for transporting stolen goods across state lines.
