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The 2 Live Crew is an American hip hop group from Miami, Florida, that had its greatest commercial success from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. The group's best-known lineup was composed of Uncle Luke, Fresh Kid Ice, Mr. Mixx, and Brother Marquis. They were considerably controversial in the U.S. due to the sexually explicit content in their songs, particularly on their 1989 album As Nasty as They Wanna Be.[1]
The 2 Live Crew, although seen as a main fixture in the Miami hip-hop scene, actually got their start in Riverside, California and was created by DJ Mr. Mixx (David Hobbs) with fellow rappers Fresh Kid Ice (Chris Wong Won), and Amazing Vee (Yuri Vielot).[citation needed]
The group released its first single, "Revelation", on its own label "Fresh Beat Records" in 1984. The A-side of "Revelation" contained a song where the only rapper featured was Amazing Vee. The B-side contained a song named "2 Live" where Fresh Kid Ice was the only rapper featured. "Revelation" was popular in Florida. Luke Skyywalker (Luther Campbell), who at the time was a local DJ and promoter, invited The 2 Live Crew to relocate to Miami. Also due to the subsequent success of 2 Live Crew, this made Fresh Kid Ice the first rapper to be noted in Asian American hip hop, and the first Asian rapper to gain notoriety.[2]
For their second single, "What I Like" (1985), Fresh Kid Ice was the only rapper featured. Amazing Vee was only credited as writer, and left the group shortly after.[3]
The single "Throw The D", released in January 1986, was a permanent blueprint for future Miami bass songs.[4] Wong Won said that the song came about when they noticed a new popular dance in Miami called "Throwing The Dick" when the Herman Kelly and Life's song "Dance to the Drummer's Beat" played. The dance consisted of men throwing their hips back and forth, while the girls would squat with their hands on their knees, bend over, and shake their butt. Wong Won suggested to Mr. Mixx that they should adapt the hook, and they scratched it into the song. Wong Won felt his voice was too high pitched for the hook, so Mr. Mixx who came up with the pattern did it using an emulator. Wong Won wrote the lyrics in 20 minutes on a plane ride. Finally, they booked a 16-track studio to record it.[5]
Rapper Brother Marquis (Mark Ross) joined The 2 Live Crew. Luke Skyywalker (Luther Campbell) gave The 2 Live Crew a record deal and worked as the group's manager. He also joined the group as its hype-man and spokesperson in their subsequent controversies.[6]
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 such as "We Want Some Pussy" and "Throw the 'D'".[7] With word-of-mouth attention, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Bob Rosenberg of Will to Power remixed "Beat Box" (originally released as "Two Live") and was billed "King of Edits" by Luke Skyywalker. In 1987, a Florida store clerk was acquitted of felony charges for selling the album to a 14-year-old girl.[6]
In 1988, the group released their second album, Move Somethin' It was certified Gold and featured the singles "Move Somethin'" and "Do Wah Diddy Diddy". The album improved on the charts from the previous album, making in to No. 68 on the Billboard 200 and No. 20 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.
Campbell decided to sell a separate clean version in addition to the explicit version of the 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.[8] It was the first time in the United States that a record store owner was held liable for obscenity over music, though the store was eventually acquitted.[8]
In 1989, the group released their third album, As Nasty as They Wanna Be, 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 locally with heavy radio rotation on Miami's WPOW-Power 96 FM. 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.[citation needed]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 obscenity.[9] 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.[6] 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.[10]
Navarro warned record store owners that selling the album might be prosecutable. 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 2 Live Crew after they performed the As Nasty as They Wanna Be album at Club Futura in Hollywood, Florida, hosted by radio personality Tony the Tiger (Ira Wolf) from Power 96 FM, one of the few radio stations in the U.S. that continued airplay while the trial ensued. After international exposure with support from freedom of speech advocates like SCREW magazine's Al Goldstein (who owned a house in Broward County) and many others, 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.[6]
"A lot of people have gotten the impression that I'm this rude, sexual deviant or something," Campbell told journalist Chuck Philips. "But contrary to what has been printed about me in the papers, I'm no moral threat to anybody. I'm just a hard-working guy marketing a new product."[11]
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 2 Live Crew, 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.[14]
As a result of the controversy, sales of As Nasty as They Wanna Be remained brisk,[15] selling over two million copies. It peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 and number 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 later gained fame as a marijuana activist. Later, hard-rock band Van Halen sued the group over an uncleared sample of their song "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" in the 2 Live Crew song "The Fuck Shop".[16] 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.[16] Campbell changed his stage name to Luke (and changed the record label's name to Luke Records)[16] and the group released an extremely political follow-up album, Banned in the U.S.A.,[16] after obtaining permission to use an interpolation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A.".
Banned in the U.S.A. was the group's fourth album. It was originally credited as Luke's solo album.[16] The certified Gold album included the hits "Do the Bart" and the title track. It was also the first release to bear the RIAA-standard Parental Advisory warning sticker.[16] The eponymous title single is a reference to the decision in a court case that its album, As Nasty as They Wanna Be, was obscene (the decision was overturned on appeal).
Displeased over the decision of Florida Governor Bob Martinez who, upon being asked to examine the album, decided it was obscene and recommended local law enforcement take action against it and over the subsequent action of Broward County, Florida, SheriffNick Navarro, who arrested local record-store owners on obscenity charges for selling the group's albums and the subsequent arrest of members of the group on obscenity charges, the group included the song "Fuck Martinez", which also includes multiple repetitions of the phrase, "fuck Navarro". The group found two other men with the same names, and had them sign releases, as they thought that this action would make it impossible for Martinez or Navarro to sue them.
Live in Concert (1990) was their fifth album.[16] This was 2 Live Crew's first and only live album, and was also the only 2 Live Crew release under the Effect subsidiary label of Luke Records,[16] a move that was deemed necessary for the company to be able to release additional 2 Live Crew material outside of their distribution deal with Atlantic Records, which was signed in 1990 – the same year they released Banned in the U.S.A.
Sports Weekend: As Nasty as They Wanna Be, Pt. 2 was their sixth album.[16] Released in 1991, it is the sequel of As Nasty as They Wanna Be.[16] A clean version was released later that same year titled, Sports Weekend: As Clean as They Wanna Be Part II.[16] This was the last studio album by all original members of the 2 Live Crew. It contains the successful single "Pop That Pussy". The album was certified a gold record.
From that point on, all the releases by 2 Live Crew would always vary, having one or two members of the original lineup missing, with the exception of Fresh Kid Ice.
In 1994, Back at Your Ass for the Nine-4 was released.[16] This album the group was billed as "The New 2 Live Crew"[16] as Brother Marquis and Mr. Mixx had left the group, the lineup for this album was Fresh Kid Ice, Luke and new member, Verb. It is the last album with the 2 Live Crew banner to feature Campbell. The album became a moderate hit, peaking at No. 52 on the Billboard 200 and No. 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[17] Two charting singles were produced, "Hell, Yeah" and "You Go Girl" who were both made into music videos.
1995 saw a reunion of Fresh Kid Ice, Brother Marquis and Mr. Mixx re-formed again to record "Hoochie Mama" for the soundtrack of movie Friday. The soundtrack reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, where it held the position for two weeks, and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for six weeks.
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) without Luther Campbell. Shake a Lil' Somethin' is their seventh album. It was released on August 6, 1996, for Lil' Joe Records and was produced by Mr. Mixx. The album made it to No. 145 on the Billboard 200 and No. 33 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and two singles "Shake a Lil' Somethin'", which peaked at No. 11 on the Hot Rap Singles chart and "Do the Damn Thing", which reached No. 24 on the same chart. It peaked at number 59 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop and albums chart. At the time of this album, Fresh Kid Ice had left the New 2 Live Crew (which consisted of himself, Luke and Verb and Luke Records) to re-join original members Mr. Mixx and Brother Marquis. However, the reunion was short lived as Mr. Mixx left the group after this album.
The Real One is their eighth and last studio album. 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 peaked at No. 59 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Shortly after the release of this album, Brother Marquis left as well.
Circa 2006–2007 Fresh Kid Ice and Brother Marquis discussed their differences and decided to relaunch 2 Live Crew. They offered other past members to be involved but were declined. Both of them started to tour and release singles.[20]
2010–present: Honors, death of Fresh Kid Ice, new lawsuit, and death of Brother Marquis
In 2010, Brother Marquis and Fresh Kid Ice briefly reunited with Luke, and Mr. Mixx as they were honorees winners at the 2010 VH1 Hip-Hop Honors: The Dirty South Edition.
Later that year, the both of them released the singles "I'm 2 Live" featuring Mannie Fresh, "Cougar", "Boom" featuring E-40. They announced the release of a new 2 Live Crew album called Just Wanna be Heard with guest Too Short, E-40, and Insane Clown Posse. It was set to be released in August 2010, but remains unreleased to this day.[21][22][23]
In June 2014, the 2 Live Crew released a new single, "Take It Off", the video clip featured cameos by Mannie Fresh, Flavor Flav, Trina, Flo Rida, and Trick Daddy. The single is available on iTunes[24][25] Later that year they made a cameo in the Flo Rida music video "G.D.F.R.".[26]
Also in 2014, they announced an album called Turn Me On, which also remains unreleased.[27] By Thanksgiving of that year, 2 Live Crew reunited with Campbell for a series of shows until 2015.[28][29]
In 2016, Fresh Kid Ice left the group, and Mr. Mixx rejoined.[30]
On July 13, 2017, at age 53, Fresh Kid Ice died in a Miami hospital from cirrhosis.[31][32]
Currently, there is an ongoing dispute between Lil Joe Records against former 2 Live Crew member Luther Campbell, Brother Marquis and the estate of Fresh Kid Ice. The central issue revolves around whether bankruptcy proceedings from the 1990s affect the group members' rights to reclaim copyrights to their old recordings. Lil Joe Records claims the bankruptcy proceedings extinguished these rights, while 2 Live Crew argues that copyright law overrules the bankruptcy order, protecting creators. Additionally, the debate includes whether the recordings were created under work-for-hire agreements, with Lil Joe Records asserting they were. This case may establish a precedent regarding the impact of past bankruptcy proceedings on artists' termination rights, with both parties seeking a favorable summary judgment from the court.[33]
On June 3, 2024, Brother Marquis was found dead, at the age of 58.[34]
Southern hip hop, also known as Southern rap, South Coast hip hop, or dirty south, is a blanket term for a regional genre of American hip hop music that emerged in the Southern United States, especially in Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Florida—often titled "The Big 5," five states which constitute the "Southern Network" in rap music.
Miami bass is a subgenre of hip hop music that became popular in the 1980s and 1990s. The use of drums from the Roland TR-808, sustained kick drum, heavy bass, raised dance tempos, and frequently sexually explicit lyrical content differentiate it from other hip hop subgenres. Music author Richie Unterberger has characterized Miami bass as using rhythms with a "stop-start flavor" and "hissy" cymbals with lyrics that "reflected the language of the streets, particularly Miami's historically black neighborhoods such as Liberty City, Goulds, and Overtown".
Luther Roderick Campbell, also known as Luke Skyywalker, Uncle Luke and simply Luke, is an American rapper, promoter, record executive, actor, and former leader of the rap group 2 Live Crew. He is known for having helped create the Miami bass genre, for establishing one of the first rap groups and rap labels in Southern hip hop, and his sexually crude call and response lyrics which were unique for the time period. He also starred in a short-lived show on VH1, Luke's Parental Advisory.
The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are is the debut studio 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. It includes the hits "We Want Some Pussy", "Throw the 'D'", and "Cuttin' It Up". In Florida, it was deemed obscene, and one store clerk was charged with felony "corruption of a minor" for selling it to a 14-year-old girl. The clerk was later acquitted.
As Nasty as They Wanna Be is the third album by Miami bass group 2 Live Crew. It was released on February 7, 1989, and became the group's largest seller, being certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. In 1990, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida ruled that the album was legally obscene; this ruling was later overturned by the Eleventh Circuit. It is the first album in history to be deemed legally obscene.
Christopher Wong Won, better known by his stage name Fresh Kid Ice, was a Trinidadian-American rapper and a Miami bass pioneer. Wong Won was born and spent his early childhood in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, before emigrating to the United States. In his early twenties, Wong Won was in the United States Air Force and he co-founded 2 Live Crew while he was stationed in California. Early 2 Live Crew singles gained so much traction in Florida that they relocated there. By 1986, the group released the single "Throw The 'D'"; it is now considered the blueprint of Miami bass.
Back at Your Ass for the Nine-4 is the sixth studio album by Miami-based hip hop group 2 Live Crew. It was released on February 1, 1994 via Luke Records and was produced by Mike Fresh, DJ Slice, Professor Griff, DJ Spin Felix Sama & DJ Laz. The album became a moderate hit, peaking at #52 on the Billboard 200 and #9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Two charting singles were produced, "Hell, Yeah" and "You Go Girl" who were both made into music videos. For this album the group was billed as the new 2 Live Crew as Brother Marquis and Mr. Mixx had left the group, the line-up for this album was Fresh Kid Ice, Luke and new member, Verb. It is the last 2 Live Crew album to feature Luke.
The Hip Hop Honors is an annual event that airs on VH1. The television special honors old school and golden age hip hop rappers and contributors for their long-term influence and importance in the history of hip hop culture. It features live performances by most of the honorees along with new artists who have been influenced by them in tribute. The show is taped at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan, New York City.
Dirty rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that contains lyrical content revolving mainly around sexually explicit subjects.
Asian hip hop is a heterogeneous musical genre that covers all hip hop music as recorded and produced by artists of Asian origin.
Move Somethin' is the second studio album by the Miami-based hip hop group 2 Live Crew. It was released on August 17, 1988, via Luke Records and was produced by Luke Skyywalker and Mr. Mixx. It was certified Gold by Recording Industry Association of America. The album improved on the charts from the previous album, making in to number 68 on the Billboard 200 and number 20 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. It contains the singles "Move Somethin'" and "Do Wah Diddy Diddy".
David P. Hobbs, also known by his stage name Mr. Mixx, is an American musician and record producer who is the co-founder of the controversial rap group 2 Live Crew. In 1986, the group released the single "Throw The 'D'"; it is now considered the blueprint of Miami bass.
Shake a Lil' Somethin' is the seventh studio album by Miami-based hip hop group 2 Live Crew. It was released on August 6, 1996, via Lil' Joe Records and was produced by Mr. Mixx. The album made it to #145 on the Billboard 200 and #33 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and three singles: "Shake a Lil' Somethin'", which peaked at #11 on the Hot Rap Singles chart, "Do the Damn Thing", which made it to #24 on the same chart, and "Be My Private Dancer", which peaked at #34. At the time of this album, Fresh Kid Ice had left the New 2 Live Crew and Luke Records to re-join original members Mr. Mixx and Brother Marquis. However, the reunion would be short lived as Mr. Mixx would leave the group after this album and Marquis would leave after the next album.
The Real One is the eighth and final studio album by Miami-based hip hop group 2 Live Crew. It was released on April 7, 1998 via Lil' Joe Records and, with the absence of Mr. Mixx, was produced by various producers. The album peaked at #59 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. By the time of this album, Mr. Mixx had again left the group and shortly after the release of this album, Brother Marquis left as well.
Spank Rock and Benny Blanco Are... "Bangers & Cash" is an EP by Philadelphian Virginian alternative hip hop group Spank Rock and record producer Benny Blanco. The EP follows Spank Rock's 2006 debut album YoYoYoYoYo. The album was released on October 9, 2007.
Deal with This is a compilation album by American rap group 2 Live Crew. It was released independently on January 20, 1993 via Macola Records and was entirely produced by Mr. Mixx and Fresh Kid Ice under Rock On Crew and 2 Live Crew monikers. The tracks that appeared on this album were unreleased songs that Wong Won and Hobbs recorded before Brother Marquis and Luke Skyywalker joined the group.
Somethin' Nasty is the seventh solo studio album by American rapper Uncle Luke. It was released on March 13, 2001 through Luke Records/Koch Entertainment Label Alliance. Production was handled by Darren “DJ Spin” Rudnick, Mr. Mixx, Daz Dillinger, Gorilla Tek, and Luke himself. It features guest appearances from Sporty G, Pitbull, Jiggie Gee, Daz Dillinger, No Love, Cam'ron, Kurupt, Lil Zane, Snoop Dogg, HonoRebel, Shelly Diva, Sciryl, Kid Capri, DJ Kizzy Rock and DJ Smurf. The album peaked at #149 on the Billboard 200, #36 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #6 on the Independent Albums.
The influence and impact of hip hop was originally shaped from African American and Latino communities in the South Bronx. In the last several decades, the movement has become a worldwide phenomenon which transcends different cultural boundaries as it reaches several ethnic groups, including Asian Americans. Asian American hip-hop practitioners include: MC Jin, Lyrics Born, Dumbfoundead, Tokimonsta, and DJ Q-Bert.
Mark D. Ross, better known by his stage name Brother Marquis, was an American rapper and a Miami bass pioneer. Ross was born in Rochester, New York. In his teens, he moved with his mother to Los Angeles, California. By the early 1980s, Ross started to release music and made an impression on DJ and producer David Hobbs. Hobbs was part of the group 2 Live Crew, who had just created the Miami Bass blueprint, and were successful in Florida. This led Ross accepting an invitation to join them. Due to his comedic sensibilities, Ross integrated easily into the direction the group was taking. Alongside Hobbs, Christopher Wong Won, and Luther Campbell, they became the most well-known line up of the group. In 1986, they had a breakthrough with their Gold-certified debut album, The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are.
The Chinaman is the first studio album by American rapper Fresh Kid Ice of the 2 Live Crew. It was released on July 15, 1992, by Effect Records.
↑ Bein, Kat (November 3, 2014). "Tootsie Rolls, 'Hoochie Mamas,' and Cars That Go Boom: The Story of Miami Bass". thump.vice.com. VICE. Retrieved February 27, 2017. Miami Bass, Booty Bass, Booty Music, or whatever you want to call it, changed the scenes of hip hop, dance music, and pop forever...The story of music's dirtiest genre reaches back to the '80s with roots set firmly in Afrika Bambaataa's elektro-funk...foundational artists Amos Larkins and Maggotron, both of whom have been credited as kicking the regional sound into motion. According to Stylus Magazine, Larkins and the Miami Bass conception can be traced back to the movie Knights of the City...Inspired by the humid and vice-ridden melting pot of cultures, ...MC A.D.E.'s "Bass Rock Express" gets the title for first hit of the genre, but it was 2 Live Crew who became the poster boys of movement. Record store owners who sold the album were arrested and charged with crimes of obscenity, and 2 Live Crew members were arrested just for playing shows...US Appeals Court system ruled rap was protected by First Amendment rights...2 Live Crew made it safe for hip-hop as we know it to exist. The influence of the genre is far-reaching...Miami Bass remains not only one of the most ridiculous and enjoyable genres of music in recent memory but also one of the most important.
↑ Wong Won, Christopher (2015). "9. Throw the dick". My Rise 2 Fame. Iconic Three Media Group. pp.890–911. ASINB010NY9W06.
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