How to get fans to pay for downloadable music from the Internet was a

hot topic at Webnoize '99, the digital-music conference held from Monday

(Nov. 15) through Wednesday in Los Angeles. Representatives from about

400 companies converged at the Century Plaza Hotel to discuss such issues

as piracy and the effects of high-speed Internet connections, which

expedite the transfer of information. During an artist panel, rapper

Ice-T stressed the importance of artists' gaining control of their

music. The label "is like the pimp and the artist is the ho," he said.

"Basically, on the Web, you can pimp yourself."