A former employee of rap legend Eminem has been arrested and charged with stealing and selling unreleased songs from the Detroit icon.
According to Detroit’s ABC News, 46-year-old Joseph Strange now faces federal charges for criminal copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods. Strange worked with Eminem from 2007 to 2021, and was one of only a few people who had access to exclusive studio files.
The case broke wide open earlier this year when unreleased Eminem tracks started popping up online. The rapper’s spokesperson told Billboard the leaked music was never meant to be heard by the public, calling the tracks “demos, experiments, and outdated ideas.”
Soon after, the FBI launched an investigation, thanks to a tip from Eminem’s studio team. They discovered that Strange had allegedly sold the unreleased music to a buyer in Ontario, known only as “Doja Rat,” for $50,000 in Bitcoin.
Court documents reveal that the leaked tracks were exact matches to files on a studio hard drive that Strange had access to between 2019 and 2020. On January 28, FBI agents raided Strange’s home and made some jaw-dropping discoveries — including original Eminem lyric sheets, a rare VHS tape with unreleased music, and hard drives holding over 12,000 audio files from Eminem and other artists.
“The FBI is serious about protecting artists from people trying to cash in illegally on their work,” said Special Agent Cheyvoryea Gibson, adding that the swift cooperation from Mathers Music Studio helped bring Strange to justice.
🎤 But Wait — There’s More Eminem News…
Eminem might soon make waves off the stage too — this time in the WNBA. Reports say Marshall Mathers is in talks to become a part-owner of a new WNBA team in Detroit, alongside other high-profile names like NFL quarterback Jared Goff, NBA legend Grant Hill, and Chris Webber.
The WNBA currently has 13 teams but will expand to 15 by 2026, with new franchises coming to Portland and Toronto. Detroit is bidding for one of the next spots in 2028, and a decision is expected within the next year.
This is F**cing insane… pic.twitter.com/qedOZRhcBl
— Ol (@OIIie_X) March 19, 2025
