#05 THE MPC LINEAGE

STREET CONTEXT ARCHIVE
From the MPC60 to the MPC Sample in 2026. The "swing" etched by machines, and the record of hands that played it.

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STREET CONTEXT ARCHIVE / FILE05

THE MPC LINEAGE

A single inventor's 16 pads became a lineage at Akai, passed down through generations. DJ Premier on the MPC60, J Dilla bending time on the MPC3000, Q-Tip holding the MPC2000XL to his face. An archive tracing the mechanical bloodline, along with the hands that played them.

1988 → 2026 ・ ROGER LINN → AKAI ・ SWING / THE HUMAN GROOVE

AKAI MPC Hardware Archive (C.r.e.a.m. Team Records Collection / THE MPC LINEAGE)
An Overhead View of the MPC Family (MPC60 MkII, MPC3000, MPC2000, 2000XL, MPC1000, MPC Studio, and MPC Sample(2026) Juxtaposed in Generational Order)

Some instruments outlive their creators. The MPC is one of them. Sixteen pads and a box defined the sound of 90s hip-hop, and its design philosophy has endured, evolving, for over thirty years. But a lineage isn't complete without the machines. Every machine has hands that struck it. This archive documents that lineage as a succession of real units across generations, alongside the names of the creators who made them sing.

  • PIECE
    AKAI MPC Series: Actual Units + Related Samplers + Creator's Records, Books, and Period Catalogues
  • Machines
    MPC60 MkII / MPC3000 / MPC2000 / MPC2000XL / MPC1000 / MPC Studio / MPC Sample (2026) / AKAI S950
  • Designer
    Roger Linn (MPC60, MPC3000) / AKAI Professional
  • CONTEXT
    MIDI PRODUCTION CENTER / 1988 - Present
  • Status
    C.R.E.A.M. Team Records All Archives / Business Equipment & Not for Sale Exhibition

01

THE DESIGNER

The starting point of a designer

One Man's Box

At the root of this lineage is one person: Roger Linn. In 1980, he introduced the LM-1 Linn Drum, the world's first fully programmable drum machine to use actual recorded drum sounds. This was followed by the LinnDrum, which redefined the sound of 80s pop music. He aimed to condense his philosophy – that programmed rhythms could possess the feel of human touch rather than machine coldness – into a single instrument.

In 1988, Linn partnered with Japan's Akai. The result was the MPC60, the MIDI Production Center. A sampler, sequencer, and pads were combined into a single unit, with Roger Linn's own signature engraved on its front panel. This wasn't just equipment; it was a signed work embodying the design philosophy of one inventor.

However, Linn's greatest invention wasn't sound itself. It was in "time." How to add sway to programmed rhythms. That single point would decide the fate of this family. In the next chapter, we will see the true nature of that invention.

and at the same time an invention of a musical instrument,
It was a single signature.

”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records
Macro for the Roger Linn signature on the front of the MPC60 MkII. An instrument with the designer's name engraved, a signed instrument.

02

THE SWING

The Invention of Time

The Invention of Time

Linn's greatest invention, which he instilled in his lineage, was "swing." Shifting the even-numbered beats of a programmed rhythm slightly backward. 50 percent would be even, and the higher the number, the bouncier it became. This simple design gave the mechanical rhythm a rolling feel, as if played by a human. The MPC was loved not because it was convenient, but because it felt good.

Why was this decisive? Samplers are originally tools for arranging sounds precisely on a grid. But rhythms that are too precise die. The "slight deviations" that are always present in human performance are the essence of groove. Linn turned that elusive deviation into something that could be designed with numbers. They turned feel into specifications. The lifeblood of hip-hop and funk was transplanted into machines here.

One of the reasons the MPC became the de facto standard, pushing aside other samplers born in the same year, was this swing feel. Not specs, but feel. And who stretched this "swing" and how far would become the story of each subsequent generation. Some creators would push the range of motion provided by the designers beyond its limits. That name will come up in Chapter 4.

Machines that are too perfect will die.

”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records
The philosophy of designing "shake" numerically.

4x4, 16 pads. The configuration established by the MPC60, carried on by all subsequent generations.

03

The Golden-Age Hands

Starting point and the golden age hand

MPC60 + S950 & DJ PREMIER

In December 1988, the MPC60 was released. It cost $5,000. It featured 12-bit sampling, 16 velocity-sensitive pads arranged in a 4x4 grid, and a real-time MIDI sequencer. The production process, which previously required multiple pieces of equipment, could now be completed on a single unit. Tapping the pads with your fingers, you could assemble and play back on the spot. This machine defined the very method of beatmaking. This archive holds a functioning unit of the MPC60 MkII (1991), the successor that improved upon the original.

The golden age of boom bap wasn't realized with just one MPC60. Many producers paired the MPC60 with the Akai S950, using the MPC60 for sequencing and the S950 for sampling. Sounds recorded from vinyl were processed on the S950, and each hit was then played on the MPC60's pads. This two-machine setup, layering 12-bit audio twice, became the foundation for that firm, fat drum sound. This archive holds both the MPC60 MkII and its partner, the S950, both in their original physical forms.

The artist who entrusted these two units to his hands is DJ Premier (more on him later in “THE HANDS”). Incidentally, his partner, the S950, was also a favorite of Pete Rock’s, but his drumming centered on the SP-1200 (in the realm of #03) rather than the MPC.Even with equipment from the same family, the sound changes completely depending on what you choose and how you set it up. The machines are neutral; it’s the hands that determine the sound.

Machines are neutral.
The hand determines the sound.

”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records
The origin of the clan and its partner, in the paper from the time of release.

04

THE WORKHORSE

Universal machine and its hand

MPC3000 & J DILLA

In 1994, the MPC3000 appeared. 16-bit stereo, 44.1 kHz, 32 voices, dynamic filter, SCSI port. The MPC60's philosophy remained intact, while the sound resolution and expressiveness were further enhanced. This was to be the last work of the collaboration between Akai and Roger Linn. The succeeding lineage would be designed and continued solely by Akai.

On this all-purpose machine, the swing of Chapter 2 reached its zenith. Quantization was turned off, and the natural human hand movements were recorded as they were. This practice of stepping outside the designer's intended range of motion was born here. And what symbolizes this model is the fact that one modified unit was enshrined in the Smithsonian. A beatmaker's sampler finding its place as a piece of cultural evidence in a national museum. There is no more eloquent example of a machine outliving its creator.

The hands that struck that one unit and spread the vibrations beyond their limits belonged to J Dilla (details in the latter half, "THE HANDS"). This archive also possesses a physical MPC3000.

One person pushed the designer's intended shake beyond its limits.

”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records
Linn's final design.
”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records
Linn's final design, promotional material from its launch.

05

DEMOCRATIZED

Democratization, Generation of the Bedroom

The Bedroom Generation

The MPC2000 in 1997, and the MPC2000XL in 1999. These two machines redefined what the family meant. The golden-era machines that cost $5,000 became affordable. The MPC, which was a tool for professional studios, could now be placed on a bedroom desk.

What happened here was a revolution that went beyond price. With one MPC, anyone could make records at home. No studio bookings, no engineers needed. The number of creators exploded, shifting hip-hop production from a privilege of the chosen few to the palm of the individual. The MPC2000XL became the first unit for a generation that started making beats at home. Inheritance wasn't about diluting bloodlines, but about opening doors.

This archive houses fully functional units of the MPC2000 (1997) and the MPC2000XL (1999), the latter having undergone a complete replacement of its pad sensors and maintenance. While the defunct machine is a relic, the operational one is an instrument. Maintaining these widely adopted machines, nearly 30 years old, in working order is itself a continuation of their democratization. And this door will give birth to the "face" of the next chapter.

”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records
The clan descended to the bedroom.

06

THE ICON

Mechanical face

MPC2000XL & Q-TIP

And the 2000XL was the moment the MPC became a "face." In 2008, on the cover of Q-Tip's album *The Renaissance*, he held it up in front of his face. It was one of those shots where the instrument itself covered the artist's face.

On the lineage, what's definitive is what came after. This album cover was so iconic that Akai named their new MPC in 2012 "MPC Renaissance," after his album title. An artist puts a machine on their album cover, and the manufacturer gives the machine back the album name. Culture and tool, having exchanged names.

This archive features the actual MPC2000XL (all pad sensors replaced and serviced) that is pictured on the cover. Q-Tip, who is featured on the cover, and his album "The Renaissance" are discussed later in "THE HANDS."

The artist held the machine on the cover, and the manufacturer returned the name to the machine.

”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records
The same model as the one displayed on the jacket of "The Renaissance."

07

THE BLOODLINE CONTINUES

Inheritance to the modern era

1000 → STUDIO → SAMPLE

The 2003 MPC1000 further downsized and ruggedized the family. A portable MPC. Its standalone, self-contained method was a transference of the original concept into a modern body. Later, in the 2010s, with the MPC Studio (MPC Renaissance) generation, the MPC momentarily merged with computers, dissolving into software. That new model, named after Q-Tip from the previous chapter.

And the lineage returns to the box. The latest unit in its archive is the MPC Sample, released in March 2026. It's a portable, standalone sampler that's battery-powered and doesn't require a computer. The MPC, having previously melted into software, returns here to the standalone method not seen since the MPC60/3000, completing the process entirely by hand without a PC. This return is to the hardware style that is self-contained within this box. Meanwhile, the 16 pads and real-time swing are the spine of the lineage, unbroken since the very first generation. The "groove" that Roger Linn instilled in chapters 1 and 2, passed down through all generations, continues to pulse in the same way within the latest small box detached from the PC. The lineage has completed a cycle and reached back to its starting point.

The MPC units in this archive are both exhibits and operational equipment. C.r.e.a.m. Team Records uses these actual machines for real productions. They don't just tell a story of lineage; they continue to create sound within that lineage. To inherit something is not to display it, but to keep using it.

”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records
Standalone → PC Fusion → Regression flow.

The MPC units in this archive are both exhibits and operational equipment.

08

THE HAND

Sound is determined by the hand

THE HAND DECIDES

I've followed the lineage of machines. However, machines themselves don't make sound. From the same MPC60, the same MPC3000, completely different sounds emerge. What creates that difference is, singular, the hand that strikes it.

Here, I lay out the hands that have so far been merely named for each machine, all at once. Premier's hardness, Dilla's sway, Q-Tip's loyalty. The same lineage of boxes, passing through different personalities, became different grooves. Machines aren't sheet music. They are blank spaces. What is written in those blank spaces has always been up to the hands.

Therefore, the archive collects not only the machines but also the records of the creators who operated them. The sounds made and the machines that made them. Only when both are present is the lineage complete.

Machines are not sheet music. They are the margins. It was always hands that wrote on them.

”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records
Different sounds from the same box. It was always the hand that made the difference.

The hand that hit it

The Hands That Held Them

The three who beat the MPC. Within the lineage of machines, each carved out their own sound. Here, we present their hands alongside the one record they left behind. No numbers are assigned. The main current of the lineage lies with the machines; these are the people who filled in the margins.

”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records

Using the MPC60 and S950 as a pair, I made that hard, fat Gang Starr boom bap. The person who led him to this setup was S950 master Large Professor. Premier facing his MPC is captured in the MV for "Classic (Better Than I’ve Ever Been)" (2007, Nike Air Force 1 25th Anniversary / prod. Rick Rubin & DJ Premier; Premier Remix featuring Rakim, Nas, KRS-One, Kanye West). This archive houses a copy of that record.

DJ Premier

MPC60 + S950 / "Classic" (2007) Collection

”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records

Turning off quantization on the MPC3000, he engraved the natural fluctuations of human hands. Beyond the range of motion prepared by the designers. His modified 3000 is housed in the Smithsonian. This archive contains Slum Village's "Fantastic, Vol. 2" (2000, unopened cassette, with Pete Rock and D’Angelo co-producing a few tracks), almost entirely helmed by Dilla.

J Dilla

MPC3000 / "Fantastic, Vol. 2" (2000) Cassette Unopened Collection

”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records

I've continued to use MPCs since the era of A Tribe Called Quest. In 2008, the album art for "The Renaissance" featured an MPC2000XL held in front of my face, and its symbolism gave rise to the name of the new "MPC Renaissance." This archive contains the Japanese CD edition of that work.

Q-Tip

MPC2000XL / "The Renaissance" (2008) Japanese CD Collection

09

THE IMPACT

Technology Wrote Hip-Hop

THE MACHINE THAT WROTE HIP-HOP

Normally, hip-hop is said to be created by people. However, if you shift your perspective one level up, you could say it was created by machines. Without samplers, there would be no sampling; without 16 pads, there would be no such method; without swing, there would be no such groove. The book "MPC IMPACT! Hip-Hop Decoded Through Technology" included in this archive is written from precisely this reversed perspective, reading history not from the artist's side but from the tool's side.

The MPC became the de facto industry standard in the 90s, spreading beyond hip-hop into dance and pop. One piece of equipment dictated both the sound and the creation method of a genre. Such examples are few. And becoming a standard also means becoming invisible. Because everyone uses it, no one notices it. This chapter visualizes the foundation, which has become as commonplace as air, with an object.

There is a designer (01), a sense of touch (02), a starting machine (03), a universal machine (04), a door opens (05), it becomes a face (06), passed down to the present day (07), and it was preached that hands decide sound (08). All of that converges into one question: To what extent do machines determine culture? "MPC IMPACT!" consolidates that question into one volume, and this archive substantiates the answer through actual machines of a lineage.

To become standard is to become invisible.

”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records
A Hip-Hop History Read from the Perspective of the Tools.

10

WHY IT MATTERS

Inheritance and Memorial

What outlives the hand?

Masterpieces live longer than their creators. Some of the hands that have pounded the pads of the MPC3000 are no longer in this world. But the machine remains, and the same pads still depress in the same way. One unit enshrined in a museum proved the fact that musical instruments can retain cultural memory as objects. This is a story of loss, and at the same time, a story of what is passed down beyond loss.

From its origins in 1988 to the present day, designers have changed, sampling bit depths have increased, boxes have shrunk, it once melted into software, and then returned to boxes. Hands have also changed. Premier's rigidity, Dilla's swing, Q-Tip's loyalty. What remained unchanged, however, were the 16 pads and the philosophy of allowing for the sway of the human hand. What runs through the lineage is not the specifications, but the will of the design and the continuous chain of hands that received it.

The reason this archive aligns this lineage as an object and continues to resonate vibrantly is not for ownership. It is to connect what has been inherited to the next generation with one's own hands. Instead of dropping the needle, we tap the pads. The 1990s heartbeat still beats within the family.

The stopped machine is a memento. The moving machine is a musical instrument.

”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records
From 1991 to 2026. All objects are aligned on a single timeline.

Label name origin: C.R.E.A.M.

THE SONG

Original source

SAMPLE

A passage from Seoul from half a century ago became the beat for a Staten Island decree. The culture of citation is etched into the very name of the label. (Sampling is based on publicly confirmed facts)

”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records

C.R.E.A.M. / Wu-Tang Clan (prod. RZA), 1993. Cash Rules Everything Around Me. This song title is the origin of our label’s name, C.r.e.a.m. Team Records.

 

As Long as I've Got You / The Charmels (1967, Volt / Stax). Co-produced by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. The original song that RZA built "C.R.E.A.M." around using this opening piano loop.

◀ SAMPLED FROM
As Long as I've Got You
The Charmels
1967 · Volt / Stax

THE MPC LINEAGE

TIMELINE

1980
1980

LM-1 Linn Drum

Roger Linn unveils the world's first professional programmable drum machine that produces authentic drum sounds.

1988
1988

MPC60 (MIDI Production Center)

Roger Linn × Akai. 12-bit, 16 pads, integrated sequencer. Equipped with swing and signature.

1991
1991

MPC60 MkII / DJ Premier sound

The first improved model (the actual unit held in this archive). DJ Premier and others' workbench from the golden age.

1994
1994

MPC3000 / J Dilla's Machine

16-bit stereo. Linn's last design (owned physically). Dilla's 3000 is in the Smithsonian collection.

1997
1997

MPC2000

Akai's standalone design. Prices drop, opening doors (owned a physical unit).

1999
1999

MPC2000XL

A popular model that has raised a generation (fully refurbished with all PAD sensors replaced, actual unit owned).

2003
2003

MPC1000

Compactness and robustness. Standalone inheritance (possessing actual equipment).

2008
2008

Q-Tip "The Renaissance"

The album cover, featuring an MPC2000XL held in front of the artist's face, is iconic. This is the origin of the later MPC Renaissance's name (owner of the Japanese CD edition).

2012
2012

MPC Renaissance / Studio

PC-controlled generation. New model named after a Q-Tip album. MPC once merged with software (own MPC Studio hardware).

2026
2026

MPC Sample

Portable and standalone. After a generation dependent on PCs, returning to the standalone approach since the MPC60/3000 (swing and 16 pads unchanged since the first generation / latest model owned).

All cuts

FULL ARCHIVE

Overview of AKAI MPC Hardware Collection (MPC60 MkII, MPC3000, MPC2000, MPC2000XL, MPC1000, MPC Studio, MPC Sample) ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records ”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records

ARCHIVE NOTES

Notes on this archive

  • Location and background of the work
    All equipment and items introduced in this series are archives owned by C.r.e.a.m. Team Records and are not for sale. Each MPC unit is an exhibition asset as well as operational equipment used for actual music production.
  • About MPC
    "MPC" is an abbreviation for MIDI Production Center (later Music Production Center). The MPC60 (1988) and MPC3000 (1994) were designed in collaboration with Roger Linn and Akai, with the MPC3000 being Roger Linn's final work. From the MPC2000 onwards, Akai continued the design independently. The latest model, the MPC Sample, is a portable standalone unit released in March 2026, marking a return to the workflow and real-time swing of the MPC60/3000.
  • Connection with the maker
    I have confirmed from primary sources that DJ Premier's trademark is the MPC60, J Dilla's MPC3000 is housed in the Smithsonian, and the cover of Q-Tip's "The Renaissance" (2008) features him holding an MPC2000XL and is the namesake of the 2012 MPC Renaissance.
  • SP-1200 relationship with
    The MPC is one of the two cornerstones of hip-hop production, alongside the E-mu SP-1200, but this chapter will focus exclusively on the MPC lineage (the SP-1200 is covered in #03).DJ Premier’s signature setup consists of a pair of MPC60s and an Akai S950 (the S950 was also Large Professor’s go-to machine, and he was the one who introduced Premier to the equipment), and this archive also holds an actual S950 unit.Whether a unit is the original or MkII is determined based on observation of the physical unit and video footage (publicly available sources generally refer to them collectively as “MPC60”).
  • On-site Exhibition Information
    Each archived item that is revealed will be displayed at upcoming C.r.e.a.m. Team Records pop-up stores and live event venues. Specific details on the schedule and locations will be announced sequentially on this website and our official social media accounts as they are determined.
  • Rights and respect
    The public release and exhibition of this archive are intended to record and connect cultures. We will operate with deep respect for the publicity rights and copyrights of each artist and label, based on ownership.

REFERENCES

Sources and References

One-time recording (in-house archive) The possession and condition of each MPC (MPC60 MkII/3000/2000/2000XL/1000/Studio/Sample), Akai S950, vintage catalogs, books, and producer's discs are recorded in C.r.e.a.m. Team Records' owned archive item database. These actual units are also used in actual productions.
Inventions/Designs (Roger Linn / MPC60) The backstory of Roger Linn's collaboration with Akai on the MPC60 (1988) following the LinnDrum, and his philosophy on swing/timing: Roger Linn Design — About／ Akai MPC — Wikipedia／ Roger Linn — Wikipedia
Models/Generations (MPC3000 / 2000 / 2000XL / 1000, etc.) Release year, specifications, and designer changes for each unit (MPC3000 was Linn's last design, and MPC2000 onward was designed solely by Akai): Akai MPC (Model List) — Wikipedia／ Akai MPC2000 — Vintage Synth Explorer
MPC Sample (2026) / Regression Released March 2026, battery-powered standalone, a return to the MPC60/3000 workflow: Magazine Reviews, Akai Pro Official Product Page (2026).
Creator's boards and songs DJ Premier "Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been)" (2007, Nike Air Force 1 25th Anniversary / prod. Rick Rubin & DJ Premier): Classic — Wikipedia／ Slum Village's Fantastic, Vol.2 (2000), which J Dilla produced almost entirely: Fantastic, Vol. 2 — Wikipedia／ Q-Tip's *The Renaissance* (2008) and the MPC2000XL on the album cover: The Renaissance — Wikipedia
Collection and Naming J Dilla's modified MPC3000 is housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The new "MPC Renaissance" is named after Q-Tip's album *The Renaissance*.
Book MPC IMPACT! Hip-Hop Decoded Through Technology
”Created by Everyone” 90s Hip Hop Specialty Label | C.r.e.a.m. Team Records

C.R.E.A.M. Team Records

Alright, to the stage. Cream Team Records is a 90s hip-hop specialty label where anyone can participate in creative activities as an artist or owner.