Megaupload thwarts UMG's attempt to block its new bizarre, star-studded promotional video

By Steven Hyden | December 16, 2011 | 6:37pm

Aux Features Music

Megaupload thwarts UMG's attempt to block its new bizarre, star-studded promotional video

In what might be the second most interesting story ever involving a controversial video starring Kim Kardashian, YouTube lifted a block on a video advertising Megaupload featuring Kanye West, Will.i.am, Chris Brown, P. Diddy, Macy Gray, boxer Floyd Mayweather, Kardashian, and several other random famous people literally singing the praises of the file-sharing website. The video had been taken off the site at the request of Universal Music Group due to "the unauthorized use of a performance from one of our artists," the now semi-known singer-songwriter Gin Wigmore. But we're guessing it might also have something to do with millions of people using Megaupload to "sample" UMG's music.

Megaupload filed a legal brief yesterday alleging that UMG abused a provision of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that requires ISPs to remove copyrighted material immediately upon notice, and punishes copyright holders who "knowingly" send takedown notices wrongfully with fines. Which might mean that UMG is in trouble, except the company claims it did not explicitly tell YouTube to take down the video, pointing to a agreement with the site that allows material to be removed "based on a number of contractually specified criteria." Lest we slip into a wormhole of heavily lawyered language, let's just enjoy this weird-ass Megaupload video while we still can. [via The Hollywood Reporter]