Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 4-21-2016 12:00 AM "Whatever I Want:" Death Grips, Disobedience and the Music Industries Grant M. Hawkins The University of Western Ontario Supervisor Dr. Matt Stahl The University of Western Ontario Graduate Program in Popular Music and Culture A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree in Master of Arts © Grant M. Hawkins 2016 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Other Arts and Humanities Commons, Other Music Commons, and the Political Economy Commons Recommended Citation Hawkins, Grant M., ""Whatever I Want:" Death Grips, Disobedience and the Music Industries" (2016). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 3725. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/3725 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. ii Abstract The experimental hip-hop group Death Grips, formed in 2010, quickly rose to prominence and signed with the major label Epic Records in 2012. Their first Epic album, The Money Store (2012), did well and the band appeared to be settling in to a profitable and productive relationship with the company. Yet in 2013 Death Grips released their second album, No Love Deep Web, online, for free, and without authorization from the label. Despite this breach of contract, Epic Records did not do the expected and seek to enforce their contract or sue for damages.