Uncle Luke

The founder/creator of 2 Live Crew, owner of Luke Records and former concert promoter, Luther Campbell, at one time was arguably the nation’s most controversial hip-hop figure. Campbell formed the Miami-based quartet in 1987 and they were the centerpiece of a national campaign against allegedly obscene lyrics. He was embroiled in a volatile trial pitting him against then-Florida attorney general Jack Thompson. Campbell later became a solo artist, issuing his own discs as Luke featuring 2 Live Crew. He released Banned in the U.S.A., a parody of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.,” and I’ve Got S–T On My Mind. Campbell also published an autobiography and revamped 2 Live Crew, adding some fresh members. They issued Back at Your Ass for the Nine-4, which peaked at number nine on the R&B chart in 1994. Campbell also won a Supreme Court decision which ruled that his parody of Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” didn’t violate the copyright held by Acuff-Rose. Campbell launched the career of R&B vocalists H-Town, issuing their debut LP on Luke Records.