The
recording
industry
has
a
bad
reputation.
It’s
mostly
deserved.
Richie
Weeks
recorded
the
top
dance
hit
on
the
charts
with
“Rock
Your
World.”
But
then
he
became
the
victim
of
recording
industry
shenanigans
as
his
label
went
under
and
the
rights
to
his
music
got
passed
around
without
anyone
paying
him
anything
owed
under
his
contract.
Taking
Back
The
Grove
details
how
longtime
fan
Jerome
Derradji,
who
runs
his
own
label,
crossed
paths
with
Weeks
and
determined
to
get
the
artist
the
money
he
deserved.
What
follows
is
a
journey
involving
racial
injustice,
an
executive’s
“reply
all”
mistake,
and
a
key
provision
of
the
1976
Copyright
Act.
Raekwon
of
the
Wu-Tang
Clan,
one
of
the
executive
producers
of
the
film,
said:
“Growing
up
in
NY,
I
was
around
some
of
the
best
disco
music
–
I
loved
it.
It
inspired
me.
Richie,
and
many
artists
like
him,
helped
influence
the
culture.
What
happened
to
Richie
is
an
example
of
something
that
happens
all
of
the
time
in
the
music
industry.
I’m
really
glad
I
can
be
a
part
of
bringing
his
story
to
the
world.”
Directed
by
Celia
Aniskovich,
the
32-minute
film
offers
a
bleak
view
of
the
music
industry,
but
offers
a
ray
of
hope
for
artists
who
know
their
rights
under
the
Copyright
Act.