Rabid Neurosis

{{Short description|Former warez release group}}

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{{Infobox organization

| name = Rabid Neurosis

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| image = Rnslogo.png

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| size = 180px

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| caption = Former ASCII Art Logo from an nfo

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| formation = 1996

| dissolved = 2007

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| purpose = mp3 warez

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| location = Worldwide

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| leader_title = Origin

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| leader_title2 = Platforms

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| leader_title3 = Founders

| leader_name3 = BonethuG & N0fX{{cite web|url=http://www.mp3scene.info/files/161/affinity-5-interview-with-n0fx-bonethug-rns/ |title=Interview with BonethuG & N0fX |date=1996-09-27 |accessdate=2015-07-10 |quote=Interviewed: N0Fx, BonethuG, Position: RNS Prez/Co-Prez. "We started the group because we just felt like it"}}

| leader_title4 = Products

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Rabid Neurosis (RNS) was an MP3 warez release organization which was founded in 1996, following in the footsteps of Compress 'Da Audio (CDA), the first MP3 piracy group. In 1999, the group claimed to have released over 6,000 titles a year. RNS occasionally used the tagline "Rabid Neurosis - Spread The Epidemic." RNS were best known for releasing highly anticipated albums by hip hop, pop, rock and dance artists weeks and sometimes months before their official release date. RNS is known to have greatly contributed to the mp3 scene.

Their last release was Fall Out Boy's Infinity on High on January 19, 2007.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/04/27/the-man-who-broke-the-music-business |title=The Man Who Broke the Music Business - The dawn of online piracy |date=2015-04-27 |first=Stephen |last=Witt |magazine=The New Yorker}}

On September 9, 2009, four members of the defunct group were indicted by the United States Department of Justice for conspiracy to commit copyright infringement.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS241157+09-Sep-2009+PRN20090909|title=Four Members of Alleged Internet Music Piracy Group Charged With Copyright Infringement|date=2009-09-09|work=Reuters|accessdate=2009-09-10|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106085712/https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS241157+09-Sep-2009+PRN20090909|archivedate=2010-01-06|url-status=dead}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20100317120951/http://washingtondc.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel09/wfo090909.htm]{{cite web |url=https://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/09/feds-crack-rabid-neurosis-pre-release-piracy-group/ |title=Feds Crack 'Rabid Neurosis' Pre-Release Piracy Group |first=David |last=Kravets |date=2009-09-11 |work=Wired News |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100812182103/http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/09/feds-crack-rabid-neurosis-pre-release-piracy-group/ |archivedate=2010-08-12 |url-status=live}} They included Adil R. Cassim (who used the handle 'Kali' and later 'Blazini'), Matthew D. Chow ('rl'), Bennie L. Glover ('adeg') and Edward L. Mohan II ('MistaEd'). Adil Cassim took over leadership of the group in 2000 after the departure of the former leader 'Al_Capone', and had previously been a member of other mp3 warez groups HNA and RPB{{cite web |title=MP3 Scene - RPB|url=http://www.mp3scene.info/releases/156/coca_brovas-the_rude_awakening-rpb|work=MP3 Scene|accessdate=13 March 2013}} before they merged with RNS.

On March 19, 2010, Matthew Chow, identified as a member of the group, was found not guilty of conspiracy to commit criminal infringement.{{cite web |url=http://www.techeye.net/business/music-file-sharing-site-man-cleared-of-conspiracy |work=TechEye |title=Music file sharing site man cleared of conspiracy |date=2010-03-22 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719234244/http://www.techeye.net/business/music-file-sharing-site-man-cleared-of-conspiracy |archivedate=2011-07-19 |url-status=live}} Federal authorities charged Chow with a single count of conspiracy to commit copyright infringement, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Of the five other members of RNS, Adil Cassim of California was also found not guilty. Four other RNS members pleaded guilty to copyright infringement.{{cite web |url=http://blog.turnthescrew.com/2010/03/why-we-should-thank-and-hate-pirates/ |title=Why we should thank, and hate, Pirates |first=Dan |last=Taylor |date=2010-03-22 |work=TurnTheScrew.com |access-date=2010-03-22 |archive-date=2010-04-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417115418/http://blog.turnthescrew.com/2010/03/why-we-should-thank-and-hate-pirates/ |url-status=dead }}