2 Live Crew
Encyclopedia
2 Live Crew was a hip hop
group from Miami, Florida
. They caused considerable controversy with the sex
ual themes in their work, particularly on their 1989 album As Nasty As They Wanna Be
.
(David Hobbs) with fellow rappers Fresh Kid Ice (Chris Wong Won), and Amazing V. (Yuri Vielot). The group released its first single, "Revelation", in 1985. "Revelation" was popular in Florida, so The 2 Live Crew (sans Amazing V) relocated to Miami. Rapper Brother Marquis (Mark Ross) joined The 2 Live Crew for its next single "What I Like". Local rapper Luke (Luther Campbell
) gave The 2 Live Crew a record deal and worked as the group's manager and then lead vocalist. The 2 Live Crew's debut album, The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are
, was released in 1986. Alex Henderson of allmusic commented that the album "did take sexually explicit rap lyrics to a new level of nastiness", with tracks like "We Want Some Pussy" and "Throw The 'D'". With word of mouth attention, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA). In 1987, a Florida store clerk was charged and acquitted of felony
charges for selling the album to a fourteen-year-old girl.
Campbell decided to sell a separate clean version in addition to the explicit version of the next album, Move Somethin'
(1988), produced by Mr. Mixx
. A record store clerk in Alexander City, Alabama
was cited for selling a copy to an undercover police officer in 1988. It was the first time in the United States that a record store owner was held liable for obscenity over music. The charges were dropped after a jury found the record store not guilty.
, which also became the group's most successful album. A large part of its success was due to the single "Me So Horny
", which was popular despite little radio rotation. The American Family Association
(AFA) did not think the presence of a "Parental Advisory
" sticker was enough to adequately warn listeners of what was inside the case. Jack Thompson, a lawyer affiliated with the AFA, met with Florida
Governor Bob Martinez
and convinced him to look into the album to see if it met the legal classification of obscene. In 1990 action was taken at the local level and Nick Navarro
, Broward County sheriff
, received a ruling from County Circuit Court judge Mel Grossman that probable cause
for obscenity violations existed. In response, Luther Campbell maintained that people should focus on issues relating to hunger and poverty rather than on the lyrical content of their music.
Navarro warned record store owners that selling the album may be prosecutable. The 2 Live Crew then filed a suit against Navarro. That June, U.S. district court
Judge Jose Gonzalez
ruled the album obscene and illegal to sell. Charles Freeman, a local retailer, was arrested two days later, after selling a copy to an undercover police officer. This was followed by the arrest of three members of The 2 Live Crew after they performed some material from the album at a nightclub. They were acquitted soon after, as professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
testified at their trial in defense of their lyrics. Freeman's conviction was overturned on appeal as well.
In 1992, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
overturned the obscenity ruling from Judge Gonzalez, and the Supreme Court of the United States
refused to hear Broward County's appeal. As in the Freeman case, Gates testified on behalf of Navarro, arguing that the material that the county alleged was profane actually had important roots in African-American vernacular, games, and literary traditions and should be protected.
As a result of the controversy, As Nasty As They Wanna Be sold over two million copies. It peaked at #29 on The Billboard 200 and #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart. A few other retailers were later arrested for selling it as well, including Canadian Marc Emery
who was convicted in Ontario in 1991, and would later gain fame as a marijuana activist. Later hard rock band Van Halen
sued over an uncleared sample of their song "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
" in The 2 Live Crew Song "The Fuck Shop". The publicity then continued when George Lucas
, owner of the Star Wars
universe, successfully sued Campbell for appropriating the name "Skywalker
" for his record label, Luke Skyywalker Records. Campbell changed his stage name to Luke (and changed the record label's name to Luke Records) and the group released an extremely political
follow up album, Banned in the USA
after obtaining permission to use an interpolation of Bruce Springsteen
's Born in the U.S.A.
The 2 Live Crew paraphernalia with the Luke Skyywalker or Skyywalker logos are often sought-after collector's items.
, a full-length studio original. It peaked at #22 on The Billboard 200 and #19 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart. It did not gain the same sales level that they experienced with As Nasty As They Wanna Be. The 2 Live Crew members went their separate ways after this. Luke pursued his solo music career and other projects.
In 1992, Fresh Kid Ice released unreleased tracks from pre-Luke The 2 Live Crew, Deal with This under the name Rock on Crew, while Luke and Ice also released new solo albums, I Got Shit on My Mind
and The Chinaman, respectively.
Mark "Brother Marquis" Ross co-starred alongside Fred Williamson
in the film South Beach
and started a new group with Aldrin "DJ Toomp
" Davis, and Thomas "The Saint" Brooks of Marianna Fl,a former member of Poison Clan, which was also signed to Campbell's label. They named the group 2 Nazty, and released the album "Indecent Exposure" on Attitude Records in 1993. The single was called "Can't Say I Love You," but it did not chart, and the group never released a second album. The single was a departure from the typical 2 Live nasty rhymes, and focuses on what a deep emotion love is, and how it should not be said to anyone lightly. The rest of the album sounds like a The 2 Live Crew record, and focuses on sexual exploits of the members.
The hard feelings over the split of the The 2 Live Crew is apparent on the album, as Marquis is heard on the track "Interview" saying he was fired from the group, and that the other members had no love for him. DJ Toomp also has a line in "Be My Bitch" comparing signing a deal with Skyywalker Records to signing your life away.
. This album peaked at #52 on The Billboard 200 and #9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart. The New 2 Live Crew broke up in 1995.
," went to the Supreme Court. The Crew had parodied the original on the album As Clean As They Wanna Be without permission. The Supreme Court adopted a rule from an earlier Ninth Circuit case Fisher v. Dees. 794 F.2d 432 (9th Cir. 1986) involving Rick Dees
, and ruled that The 2 Live Crew's parody
could be fair use
.
re-formed again to record "Hoochie Mama" for the soundtrack to the movie Friday. Plans to reunite for an album were short-lived, as Fresh Kid Ice, Mr. Mixx, and Brother Marquis left Luke and Luke Records
to go to Lil' Joe Records and released Shake a Lil' Somethin'
(1996). It peaked at #145 on the Billboard 200
, also peaking at #33 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart.
Mr. Mixx
left soon after, leaving Fresh Kid Ice and Brother Marquis to record The Real One
in 1998. It peaked at #59 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart. In 1998, Brother Marquis became a born-again Christian, quit the group, and began devoting himself to combating what he sees as the "evils" that he as a member of The 2 Live Crew portrayed and glorified. Rapper "First Degree aka Tiki was then recruited as the groups newest addition by Fresh Kid Ice however, his attempt was only for a duration of a few years. Brother Marquis's born again status/views on music changed back to his roots in 2006 when he worked with music producers Dylan Berry and Noah Lifschey of Hollowstone Music under in the LA rock/rap group called the Shake Joint and released a solo album in 2008 that contained explicit lyrics.
Fresh Kid Ice, under
In late 2007, the duo of Fresh Kid Ice and Brother Marquis reunited and announced on their MySpace page that they would be releasing
Brother Marquis and Fresh Kid Ice have performed at a number of Exxxotica
shows in Miami Beach, Chicago, New Jersey, and Los Angeles.
In May 2010, it was announced that the duo's album, "Just Wanna Be Heard", would feature production from Mannie Fresh
and was to be released on Nu Focuz Entertainment/Lil' Joe Records with guest verses from Too Short, E-40
, and Insane Clown Posse
. It was set to be released in August 2010, but currently the release date is unknown.
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
group from Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. They caused considerable controversy with the sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
ual themes in their work, particularly on their 1989 album As Nasty As They Wanna Be
As Nasty As They Wanna Be
As Nasty As They Wanna Be is the third album by Miami rap group 2 Live Crew. It was released in 1989, and became their largest seller, going 2x Platinum. In 1990, United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida ruled that the album was legally obscene; this ruling was later...
.
Early career
The 2 Live Crew was created by DJ Mr. MixxMr. Mixx
David Hobbs, also known as "Treach DJ" and "Mr. Mixx," is the co-creator of the controversial rap group, 2 Live Crew.In recent years, he has created his own website, Collegepeepshowtv.com, and has been on the road as Afroman's tour DJ, as well as making beats and working with other artists.-...
(David Hobbs) with fellow rappers Fresh Kid Ice (Chris Wong Won), and Amazing V. (Yuri Vielot). The group released its first single, "Revelation", in 1985. "Revelation" was popular in Florida, so The 2 Live Crew (sans Amazing V) relocated to Miami. Rapper Brother Marquis (Mark Ross) joined The 2 Live Crew for its next single "What I Like". Local rapper Luke (Luther Campbell
Luther Campbell
Luther R. Campbell , also known as Luke Skyywalker, Uncle Luke or Luke, is a record label owner, rap performer , and actor...
) gave The 2 Live Crew a record deal and worked as the group's manager and then lead vocalist. The 2 Live Crew's debut album, The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are
The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are
The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are is the first album by hip-hop group the 2 Live Crew. It was released in 1986 on Luke Records to a great deal of controversy and promptly was certified gold by the RIAA...
, was released in 1986. Alex Henderson of allmusic commented that the album "did take sexually explicit rap lyrics to a new level of nastiness", with tracks like "We Want Some Pussy" and "Throw The 'D'". With word of mouth attention, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA). In 1987, a Florida store clerk was charged and acquitted of felony
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
charges for selling the album to a fourteen-year-old girl.
Campbell decided to sell a separate clean version in addition to the explicit version of the next album, Move Somethin'
Move Somethin' (album)
Move Somethin' is the second album by Miami rap group 2 Live Crew. The album was released in 1987 for Luke Records and was produced by Luke Skyywalker and Mr. Mixx. The album was certified Gold and featured the singles, "Move Somethin' and "Do Wah Diddy Diddy"...
(1988), produced by Mr. Mixx
Mr. Mixx
David Hobbs, also known as "Treach DJ" and "Mr. Mixx," is the co-creator of the controversial rap group, 2 Live Crew.In recent years, he has created his own website, Collegepeepshowtv.com, and has been on the road as Afroman's tour DJ, as well as making beats and working with other artists.-...
. A record store clerk in Alexander City, Alabama
Alexander City, Alabama
Alexander City is the principal city of the Alexander City Micropolitan Statistical Area, a micropolitan area that covers Coosa and Tallapoosa counties and had a combined population of 53,677 at the 2000 census....
was cited for selling a copy to an undercover police officer in 1988. It was the first time in the United States that a record store owner was held liable for obscenity over music. The charges were dropped after a jury found the record store not guilty.
As Nasty As They Wanna Be
In 1989, the group released their album, As Nasty As They Wanna BeAs Nasty As They Wanna Be
As Nasty As They Wanna Be is the third album by Miami rap group 2 Live Crew. It was released in 1989, and became their largest seller, going 2x Platinum. In 1990, United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida ruled that the album was legally obscene; this ruling was later...
, which also became the group's most successful album. A large part of its success was due to the single "Me So Horny
Me So Horny
"Me So Horny" is a song by rap group 2 Live Crew on their album As Nasty As They Wanna Be. It reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart and #26 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1989 despite lack of airplay due to the controversial nature of the lyrics...
", which was popular despite little radio rotation. The American Family Association
American Family Association
The American Family Association is a 501 non-profit organization that promotes conservative Christian values, such as opposition to same-sex marriage, pornography, and abortion, as well as other public policy goals such as deregulation of the oil industry and lobbying against the Employee Free...
(AFA) did not think the presence of a "Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
" sticker was enough to adequately warn listeners of what was inside the case. Jack Thompson, a lawyer affiliated with the AFA, met with Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
Governor Bob Martinez
Bob Martinez
Robert Martinez was the 40th Governor of Florida from 1987 to 1991. Prior to that, he was the mayor of Tampa from 1979 to 1986.- Education and early career :...
and convinced him to look into the album to see if it met the legal classification of obscene. In 1990 action was taken at the local level and Nick Navarro
Nick Navarro
Nicholas G. "Nick" Navarro was a Cuban-American businessman. He served as sheriff of Broward County, Florida, from 1985-92.Navarro was born in Jaruco, Cuba, in 1929. He won election for sheriff in 1984...
, Broward County sheriff
Broward County Sheriff's Office
The Broward County Sheriff's Office, commonly known by the acronym BSO, is a public safety organization responsible for law enforcement and fire rescue duties within Broward County, Florida...
, received a ruling from County Circuit Court judge Mel Grossman that probable cause
Probable cause
In United States criminal law, probable cause is the standard by which an officer or agent of the law has the grounds to make an arrest, to conduct a personal or property search, or to obtain a warrant for arrest, etc. when criminal charges are being considered. It is also used to refer to the...
for obscenity violations existed. In response, Luther Campbell maintained that people should focus on issues relating to hunger and poverty rather than on the lyrical content of their music.
Navarro warned record store owners that selling the album may be prosecutable. The 2 Live Crew then filed a suit against Navarro. That June, U.S. district court
United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida is the federal United States district court with jurisdiction over the southern part of the state of Florida....
Judge Jose Gonzalez
Jose Alejandro Gonzalez, Jr.
Jose Alejandro Gonzalez, Jr. is an American lawyer and federal judge.Gonzalez was born in 1931 in Tampa, Florida. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1952. At UF he was a member of Florida Blue Key, Sigma Chi, Phi Eta Sigma, and Phi Alpha Delta, and was...
ruled the album obscene and illegal to sell. Charles Freeman, a local retailer, was arrested two days later, after selling a copy to an undercover police officer. This was followed by the arrest of three members of The 2 Live Crew after they performed some material from the album at a nightclub. They were acquitted soon after, as professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr., is an American literary critic, educator, scholar, writer, editor, and public intellectual. He was the first African American to receive the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship. He has received numerous honorary degrees and awards for his teaching, research, and...
testified at their trial in defense of their lyrics. Freeman's conviction was overturned on appeal as well.
In 1992, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Middle District of Alabama...
overturned the obscenity ruling from Judge Gonzalez, and the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
refused to hear Broward County's appeal. As in the Freeman case, Gates testified on behalf of Navarro, arguing that the material that the county alleged was profane actually had important roots in African-American vernacular, games, and literary traditions and should be protected.
As a result of the controversy, As Nasty As They Wanna Be sold over two million copies. It peaked at #29 on The Billboard 200 and #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart. A few other retailers were later arrested for selling it as well, including Canadian Marc Emery
Marc Emery
Marc Scott Emery is a Canadian cannabis policy reform advocate, as well as a former cannabis seed seller. He is currently serving a five year sentence in a United States federal prison for selling cannabis seeds....
who was convicted in Ontario in 1991, and would later gain fame as a marijuana activist. Later hard rock band Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
sued over an uncleared sample of their song "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
"Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love" is a song by Van Halen, from their 1978 eponymous debut album.When Eddie Van Halen originally wrote the song a year before the album was released, he did not consider it good enough to show his bandmates....
" in The 2 Live Crew Song "The Fuck Shop". The publicity then continued when George Lucas
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
, owner of the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
universe, successfully sued Campbell for appropriating the name "Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
" for his record label, Luke Skyywalker Records. Campbell changed his stage name to Luke (and changed the record label's name to Luke Records) and the group released an extremely political
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
follow up album, Banned in the USA
Banned in the USA
Banned in the U.S.A. is the fourth album by 2 Live Crew. It was originally credited as Luke's solo album. The album included the hits "Do The Bart" and the title track....
after obtaining permission to use an interpolation of Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
's Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A. (song)
"Born in the U.S.A." is a 1984 song written and performed by Bruce Springsteen. Taken from the album of the same name, it is one of his best-known singles. Rolling Stone ranked the song 275th on their list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". In 2001, the RIAA's Songs of the Century placed...
The 2 Live Crew paraphernalia with the Luke Skyywalker or Skyywalker logos are often sought-after collector's items.
Post-controversy
In 1991, The 2 Live Crew released the very first live rap album, Live in Concert, and Sports WeekendSports Weekend: As Nasty As They Wanna Be, Pt. 2
Sports Weekend: As Nasty As They Wanna Be Part II is the fifth album by The 2 Live Crew and the sequel to As Nasty As They Wanna Be. A clean version was released later that same year titled Sports Weekend: As Clean As They Wanna Be Part II and was the sequel to As Clean As They Wanna Be...
, a full-length studio original. It peaked at #22 on The Billboard 200 and #19 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart. It did not gain the same sales level that they experienced with As Nasty As They Wanna Be. The 2 Live Crew members went their separate ways after this. Luke pursued his solo music career and other projects.
In 1992, Fresh Kid Ice released unreleased tracks from pre-Luke The 2 Live Crew, Deal with This under the name Rock on Crew, while Luke and Ice also released new solo albums, I Got Shit on My Mind
I Got Shit on My Mind
I Got Shit on My Mind is the second album released by Luther Campbell. It was released on November 9, 1992 on Luke Records through their distribution deal with Atlantic Records and was mainly produced by Mike "Fresh" McCray...
and The Chinaman, respectively.
Mark "Brother Marquis" Ross co-starred alongside Fred Williamson
Fred Williamson
Fred "The Hammer" Williamson is an American actor, architect, and former professional American football defensive back who played mainly in the American Football League during the 1960s.-Football career:...
in the film South Beach
South Beach
South Beach, also nicknamed SoBe, is a neighborhood in the city of Miami Beach, Florida, United States. It is the area south of Indian Creek and encompasses roughly the southernmost 23 blocks of the main barrier island that separates the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay.This area was the first...
and started a new group with Aldrin "DJ Toomp
DJ Toomp
Aldrin Davis, better known as DJ Toomp, is an award-winning American record producer and DJ who works in Atlanta, Georgia. In the late 1980s he was MC Shy-D's DJ and went on tour with him and the 2 Live Crew as they performed at various venues across the country with other artists such as N.W.A...
" Davis, and Thomas "The Saint" Brooks of Marianna Fl,a former member of Poison Clan, which was also signed to Campbell's label. They named the group 2 Nazty, and released the album "Indecent Exposure" on Attitude Records in 1993. The single was called "Can't Say I Love You," but it did not chart, and the group never released a second album. The single was a departure from the typical 2 Live nasty rhymes, and focuses on what a deep emotion love is, and how it should not be said to anyone lightly. The rest of the album sounds like a The 2 Live Crew record, and focuses on sexual exploits of the members.
The hard feelings over the split of the The 2 Live Crew is apparent on the album, as Marquis is heard on the track "Interview" saying he was fired from the group, and that the other members had no love for him. DJ Toomp also has a line in "Be My Bitch" comparing signing a deal with Skyywalker Records to signing your life away.
1994: New line-up and lawsuit
1994 saw Luke, Fresh Kid Ice and a new addition to the group, Verb, regrouping as The New 2 Live Crew, issuing Back at Your Ass for the Nine-4Back at Your Ass for the Nine-4
Back at your Ass for the Nine-4 is the sixth studio album released by rap group 2 Live Crew. It was released on June 8, 1994 for Luke Records and was produced by Mike Fresh, DJ Slice, Professor Griff, DJ Spin Felix Sama & DJ Laz...
. This album peaked at #52 on The Billboard 200 and #9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart. The New 2 Live Crew broke up in 1995.
"Oh, Pretty Woman" lawsuit
During this time the lawsuit brought about by the copyright owners of "Oh, Pretty WomanOh, Pretty Woman
"Oh, Pretty Woman" is a song, released in August 1964, which was a worldwide success for Roy Orbison. Recorded on the Monument Records label in Nashville, Tennessee, it was written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees. The song spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100...
," went to the Supreme Court. The Crew had parodied the original on the album As Clean As They Wanna Be without permission. The Supreme Court adopted a rule from an earlier Ninth Circuit case Fisher v. Dees. 794 F.2d 432 (9th Cir. 1986) involving Rick Dees
Rick Dees
Rigdon Osmond "Rick" Dees III is an American comedic performer, entertainer, and radio personality, best known for his internationally syndicated radio show The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Countdown and for the novelty song "Disco Duck." He is a People's Choice Award recipient, a Grammy-nominated...
, and ruled that The 2 Live Crew's parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
could be fair use
Fair use
Fair use is a limitation and exception to the exclusive right granted by copyright law to the author of a creative work. In United States copyright law, fair use is a doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material without acquiring permission from the rights holders...
.
Reunions
Luke, Fresh Kid Ice, Brother Marquis and Mr. MixxMr. Mixx
David Hobbs, also known as "Treach DJ" and "Mr. Mixx," is the co-creator of the controversial rap group, 2 Live Crew.In recent years, he has created his own website, Collegepeepshowtv.com, and has been on the road as Afroman's tour DJ, as well as making beats and working with other artists.-...
re-formed again to record "Hoochie Mama" for the soundtrack to the movie Friday. Plans to reunite for an album were short-lived, as Fresh Kid Ice, Mr. Mixx, and Brother Marquis left Luke and Luke Records
Luke Records
Luke Records is the record label formed in 1990 by Luther Campbell, frontman of 2 Live Crew.The label was originally called Luke Skyywalker Records, however because it was not found to be of fair use, Campbell shortened his pseudonym to "Luke" .-Artists:* 2 Live Crew* MC Shy D*...
to go to Lil' Joe Records and released Shake a Lil' Somethin'
Shake a Lil' Somethin'
Shake a Lil' Somethin' is the seventh album released by rap group, 2 Live Crew. It was released on August 6, 1996 for Lil' Joe Records and was produced by Mr. Mixx...
(1996). It peaked at #145 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, also peaking at #33 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart.
Mr. Mixx
Mr. Mixx
David Hobbs, also known as "Treach DJ" and "Mr. Mixx," is the co-creator of the controversial rap group, 2 Live Crew.In recent years, he has created his own website, Collegepeepshowtv.com, and has been on the road as Afroman's tour DJ, as well as making beats and working with other artists.-...
left soon after, leaving Fresh Kid Ice and Brother Marquis to record The Real One
The Real One
The Real One is the eighth and last studio album released by rap group, 2 Live Crew. It was released on April 7, 1998 for Lil' Joe Records and with the absence of Mr. Mixx, was produced by various producers. The album was not a success, peaking at #59 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. By the time of...
in 1998. It peaked at #59 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart. In 1998, Brother Marquis became a born-again Christian, quit the group, and began devoting himself to combating what he sees as the "evils" that he as a member of The 2 Live Crew portrayed and glorified. Rapper "First Degree aka Tiki was then recruited as the groups newest addition by Fresh Kid Ice however, his attempt was only for a duration of a few years. Brother Marquis's born again status/views on music changed back to his roots in 2006 when he worked with music producers Dylan Berry and Noah Lifschey of Hollowstone Music under in the LA rock/rap group called the Shake Joint and released a solo album in 2008 that contained explicit lyrics.
Fresh Kid Ice, under
In late 2007, the duo of Fresh Kid Ice and Brother Marquis reunited and announced on their MySpace page that they would be releasing
Brother Marquis and Fresh Kid Ice have performed at a number of Exxxotica
Exxxotica
EXXXOTICA is a three-day adult-themed event produced by Victory Tradeshow Management. Billed as a "Celebration of Sexy", EXXXOTICA Expo shows are held yearly in Miami Beach, New Jersey , Los Angeles, and Chicago...
shows in Miami Beach, Chicago, New Jersey, and Los Angeles.
In May 2010, it was announced that the duo's album, "Just Wanna Be Heard", would feature production from Mannie Fresh
Mannie Fresh
Byron O. Thomas, better known by his stage name Mannie Fresh, is currently an artist and hip-hop producer who records for Def Jam South and his own division Chubby Boy Records...
and was to be released on Nu Focuz Entertainment/Lil' Joe Records with guest verses from Too Short, E-40
E-40
Earl Stevens , better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and investor from Vallejo, California. He is also part of the rap group The Click and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. His solo debut album, Federal, was released in November 1992, after The Click's debut...
, and Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore...
. It was set to be released in August 2010, but currently the release date is unknown.
Discography
- The 2 Live Crew Is What We AreThe 2 Live Crew Is What We AreThe 2 Live Crew Is What We Are is the first album by hip-hop group the 2 Live Crew. It was released in 1986 on Luke Records to a great deal of controversy and promptly was certified gold by the RIAA...
(1986) - Move Somethin'Move Somethin' (album)Move Somethin' is the second album by Miami rap group 2 Live Crew. The album was released in 1987 for Luke Records and was produced by Luke Skyywalker and Mr. Mixx. The album was certified Gold and featured the singles, "Move Somethin' and "Do Wah Diddy Diddy"...
(1987) - As Nasty As They Wanna BeAs Nasty As They Wanna BeAs Nasty As They Wanna Be is the third album by Miami rap group 2 Live Crew. It was released in 1989, and became their largest seller, going 2x Platinum. In 1990, United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida ruled that the album was legally obscene; this ruling was later...
(1989) - Banned in the U.S.A. (1990)
- Sports Weekend: As Nasty as They Wanna Be, Pt. 2Sports Weekend: As Nasty As They Wanna Be, Pt. 2Sports Weekend: As Nasty As They Wanna Be Part II is the fifth album by The 2 Live Crew and the sequel to As Nasty As They Wanna Be. A clean version was released later that same year titled Sports Weekend: As Clean As They Wanna Be Part II and was the sequel to As Clean As They Wanna Be...
(1991) - Back at Your Ass for the Nine-4Back at Your Ass for the Nine-4Back at your Ass for the Nine-4 is the sixth studio album released by rap group 2 Live Crew. It was released on June 8, 1994 for Luke Records and was produced by Mike Fresh, DJ Slice, Professor Griff, DJ Spin Felix Sama & DJ Laz...
(1994) - Shake a Lil' Somethin'Shake a Lil' Somethin'Shake a Lil' Somethin' is the seventh album released by rap group, 2 Live Crew. It was released on August 6, 1996 for Lil' Joe Records and was produced by Mr. Mixx...
(1996) - The Real OneThe Real OneThe Real One is the eighth and last studio album released by rap group, 2 Live Crew. It was released on April 7, 1998 for Lil' Joe Records and with the absence of Mr. Mixx, was produced by various producers. The album was not a success, peaking at #59 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. By the time of...
(1998)
External links
- The 2 Live Crew at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Luther Campbell aka Uncle Luke Talks About The 2 Live Crew History in BallerStatus interview
- (Audio) HipHipDx Interview