TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The influential hip hop group 2 Live Crew played a pivotal role in establishing new legal precedents concerning free speech and artistic expression through their daring and sexually explicit music, leading to significant court rulings that safeguarded the rights of artists.
However, the legendary group has struggled to regain legal control over their renowned catalog for many years, having forfeited their rights during bankruptcy proceedings that followed their extensive legal battles in the 1990s.
Recently, a jury’s decision has opened the door for the surviving members of 2 Live Crew and the heirs of its two deceased members to reclaim five of their early albums after a prolonged copyright dispute with a record company. This company has expressed intentions to appeal the ruling.
“Victory is ours!” exclaimed Luther Campbell, widely known as Uncle Luke, in a celebratory social media video shortly after the verdict was announced on Wednesday. “We’ve retrieved all of our albums!”
The copyright case was initiated by Lil’ Joe Records, which acquired the rights to 2 Live Crew’s albums following the bankruptcy of the original record company in 1995.
In 2020, the group members and the heirs informed Lil’ Joe that they were terminating its copyrights, asserting that ownership of the albums should revert back to the artists. In retaliation, Lil’ Joe filed a lawsuit, claiming that the contracts stemming from the bankruptcy proceedings prevented such action.
Ultimately, a federal jury in Florida ruled in favor of 2 Live Crew and their heirs.
“Our team is thrilled to have participated in this landmark case,” stated Scott Burroughs, the attorney representing the group. “Our unequivocal triumph at this trial is a message to inspire other artists to embark on the legal journey to reclaim their copyrights.”
On the other hand, Richard Wolfe, attorney for Lil’ Joe Records, challenged the claims of the group, asserting that the bankruptcy terms dictate that his client retains the complete rights. He emphasized that this dispute is far from over.
“This is just round two in a long battle,” Wolfe remarked. “We have always maintained that this case will not conclude at the trial court; it will be resolved at the appellate or potentially at the Supreme Court levels.”
Key albums in question include the notorious 1989 record “As Nasty As They Wanna Be,” which features controversial tracks like “Me So Horny” and “The F— Shop.” The material was deemed so provocative by law enforcement in South Florida that a record store owner faced arrest simply for selling it.
Campbell and fellow member Christopher Wong Won, also known as Fresh Kid Ice, faced obscenity charges after performing songs from this album. In a significant turning point, a federal appeals court in 1992 overturned a prior ruling that had deemed the album obscene.
The case also involves the track “Pretty Woman,” which sampled Roy Orbison’s 1964 classic. The dispute over 2 Live Crew’s remix made its way to the Supreme Court, which unanimously ruled in 1994 that their parody was considered fair use.
The initial ruling was viewed as a monumental achievement for free expression, not limited to the rap genre, according to University of Richmond professor Erik Nielson, an authority on hip hop and law who grew up listening to 2 Live Crew. Furthermore, the subsequent ruling helped solidify a fundamental aspect of hip hop: the practice of remixing previous works to create something innovative.
“The importance of these rulings cannot be overstated; 2 Live Crew has played a crucial role in shaping spaces for creative expression,” Nielson stated.