Strange news out of the download-driven world of hip-hop websites yesterday with one of the biggest, World Star Hip Hop, supposedly getting shut down (the video section lives on, but the new music blog is still down), a feat for which 50 Cent originally claimed responsibility—he currently has two suits against the site for using his likeness in its banner. But it seems Fitty had nothing to do with it: WSHH just missed a payment to their hosting company. But many worried that it had met a similar fate as another hip-hop mp3 site: last month OnSmash was seized by the Department of Justice, the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination and Homeland Security (legal and illegal mp3s are a matter of national security, apparently). Since mid-December visitors to that site have been met with this imposing image.
Of course, there’s always Free OnSmash—not to mention NahRight, MissInfo and 2dopeboyz—for your hip-hop mp3 fix. World Star Hip Hop is also expected to be back in full soon. All these sites’ administrators must be weary of the unwanted attention from federal agencies, though—not to mention litigiously proactive 50 Cent. (ANIMAL)