Former Studio Engineer Charged with Stealing and Selling Unreleased Eminem Music

A former studio engineer for Eminem has been charged with stealing unreleased music from the rap legend and selling it online, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday.

Joseph Strange, 46, of Holly, Michigan, is accused of leaking over 25 unreleased tracks without permission, violating copyright laws and engaging in the interstate transportation of stolen goods. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison.

Inside the Alleged Music Theft

According to an FBI affidavit, Eminem’s unreleased songs were stored on password-protected hard drives locked inside a safe at his Ferndale, Michigan studio. Authorities believe that between October 2019 and January 2020, while Strange was still employed as a sound engineer, he transferred the music files to an external hard drive.

Strange was terminated in 2021, but in January 2024, studio employees noticed Eminem’s unfinished music appearing on sites like Reddit and YouTube and reported it to the FBI. When agents searched Strange’s home, they found:

• Hard drives with 12,000 audio files
• Handwritten Eminem lyric sheets and notes
• A VHS tape of an unreleased Eminem video

Selling Eminem’s Music for Bitcoin

After Eminem’s business associate Fred Nassar issued a public warning urging fans not to distribute the music, investigators were able to track buyers.

One Canadian buyer, known as Doja Rat, admitted to purchasing 25 unreleased Eminem songs from Strange for $50,000 in Bitcoin. The money came from a group of dedicated Eminem fans who pooled their resources to buy the tracks.

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Legal Fallout

Strange had signed an agreement when he was let go from Eminem’s studio, explicitly prohibiting him from sharing or selling any of the rapper’s music. His attorney, Wade Fink, called the charges “untested allegations” and emphasized that they have yet to be reviewed by a grand jury or judge.

Meanwhile, Eminem, fresh off his Best Hip-Hop Act win at the 2024 MTV EMAs and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, has not publicly commented on the case.

What do you think—should the punishment for leaking unreleased music be this severe?

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)