Following the farce of mixtape fixtures DJ Drama and Don Cannon’s arrest in January for piracy, Billboard reports that Universal Music Group has taken legal action against BCD Music Group, which distributes hip-hop mixtapes like the popular Gangsta Grillz series helmed by (hey!) DJ Drama and friends, for copyright infringement:

“BCD has built a significant business by capitalizing on the proliferation of unauthorized mixtapes,” UMG said in a statement. “Despite our good-faith attempts to address these concerns with BCD, their use of our artists’ music – without permission and without any compensation to rights holders – has required us to file this complaint to protect our rights and those of our artists.”

The move comes just one month after Universal Music Enterprises began releasing a series of mixtapes called “Lethal Squad Mixtapes.”

Those being the toothless stabs at keeping it real we discussed a few weeks back. BCD and its lawyers declined to talk to Billboard about the lawsuit.

UMG Targets Mixtape Distributors [Billboard]