Banned in the U.S.A.: The Luke LP

by The 2 Live Crew, Luke

Overview

When Florida attorney Jack Thompson did everything he could to have the X-rated music of 2 Live Crew outlawed, his assault on the First Amendment led many free speech advocates to take up the group's cause. Thompson's actions inspired quite a bit of anger from both white liberals and African-American rappers, who saw something obscene about a prosperous lawyer declaring war on a young black entrepreneur who had avoided the pitfalls of Miami's Liberty City ghetto. Luke was under attack for doing the very thing Republicans consistently advocate -- using free enterprise to pull himself up by the bootstraps. Ironically, many of those who defended his First Amendment rights had little or no use for his lyrics. Banned in the USA, the Crew's first album for a major label and its first after the battle with Thompson, is for many, a guilty pleasure. Say what you will about Luke's high school locker-room lyrics; the Crew's Miami bass rap can be quite catchy, infectious, and amusing. Many New York hip-hoppers were quick to criticize the fast tempos employed by Miami rappers like Luke, but the fact that they did it their own way instead of emulating Northeastern MCs is something to admire instead of lambast. ~ Alex Henderson

Product Details

Release Date:	06/10/1996
Label:	Lil' Joe Records
UPC:	0022471011422
Rank:	65029

Tracks

1. Banned in the U.S.A.
2. News Flash "People in the News"
3. Man, Not a Myth
4. News Flash "350 Men"
5. Martinez
6. News Flash "Super Snoop"
7. Strip Club
8. News Flash "Nation by Storm"
9. Do the Bart
10. In Color/Men on Records
11. Face Down, A-- Up
12. Hey Jack!
13. Bass 9-1-7
14. So Funky
15. News Flash "Poll Results"
16. Mamolapenga
17. Video No Soul
18. I Ain't Bullsh--tin', Pt. 2
19. Commercial "Nasty M.F.s"
20. This Is Luke From the Posse
21. News Flash: "British Youth"
22. F--K a Gang
23. Commercial "Inquiring Minds"
24. Arrest in Effect
25. Mega Mix IV

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Luke   Primary Artist
The 2 Live Crew   Primary Artist
Denver A. Wright   Vocals
Luther Campbell   Speech/Speaker/Speaking Part

Technical Credits

Luther Campbell   Producer,Composer,Executive Producer
Denver A. Wright   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Mixing
Mike "Fresh" McCray   Producer
Tony Fisher   Producer
Big Tony   Composer
The 2 Live Crew   Composer,Producer,Executive Producer
Luke   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Denver Wright   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Bruce Springsteen   Composer
Ron Taylor   Mixing,Engineer
Mr. Mixx   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Performer
Rodney "Kool Kollie" Terry   Producer
John Taylor   Mixing,Engineer
Luke Skyywalker   Composer
Jeff Thompkins   Composer
Richard Griffin   Composer
Patrick Walter   Composer