Who We Are: 2 Live Crew, the Miami Bass Pioneers
New to 2 Live Crew, or only know the headlines? Here's a quick guide to us, the Miami bass group.
Where did 2 Live Crew start?
We got our start in Riverside, California, with Mr. Mixx, Fresh Kid Ice and Amazing Vee. Luther Campbell, then a Miami DJ and promoter, invited us to move to Miami, and that's where the 2 Live Crew story really takes off.
Who was in 2 Live Crew?
The classic line-up is Fresh Kid Ice, Mr. Mixx, Brother Marquis and Luther "Luke" Campbell. Campbell took Amazing Vee's place and did a bit of everything: hype man, manager, promoter, spokesman and boss of our own label.
What does 2 Live Crew sound like?
Heavy bass, booming drum machines and party chants. It's the sound known as Miami bass, and our 1986 single is often called a blueprint for the Miami bass records that came after it.
Why were we in the news?
In June 1990 a federal judge ruled As Nasty As They Wanna Be obscene and illegal to sell. An appeals court reversed that ruling in 1992. Then, in 1994, the Supreme Court ruled that our parody of Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman" was fair use.
The studio albums
- The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are (1986)
- Move Somethin' (1988)
- As Nasty As They Wanna Be (1989)
- Banned in the U.S.A. (1990)
- Sports Weekend: As Nasty As They Wanna Be, Pt. 2 (1991)
- Back at Your Ass for the Nine-4 (1994)
- Shake a Lil' Somethin' (1996)
- The Real One (1998)
Wear the history
2 Live Crew Merch comes on tees, long sleeves, crewnecks and hoodies. Whether you were there in 1989 or just found the records, there's something here for you.