Luther Campbell

Luther Campbell
Campbell in 2017
Background information
Birth name Luther Roderick Campbell
Also known as Luke Skyywalker, Solo Luke, Uncle Luke, Luke
Born (1960-12-22) December 22, 1960
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Genres Hip hop, Miami bass
Occupation(s) Vocalist, concert promoter, actor
Instruments Vocals
Rapping
Years active 1981–2010, 2017-present (as rapper)
Labels Luke Records
Atlantic Records
Loud Records
Island Records
Koch Records
Virgin Records
Associated acts 2 Live Crew, Fresh Kid Ice, Mr. Mixx, Brother Marquis, Verb, Professor Griff, Mike Fresh, DJ Slice, DJ Spin Felix Sama, DJ Laz

Luther Roderick Campbell (born December 22, 1960), also known as Luke Skyywalker, Uncle Luke and simply Luke, is an American rap performer, promoter, record executive, and actor. He is best known for being the former leader of rap group 2 Live Crew, and star of his own short-lived show on VH1, Luke's Parental Advisory. As a result of one of the group's songs, which used a parody of Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman", Campbell was party to Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc., which was argued in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. As a result, the Miami New Times described Campbell as "the man whose booty-shaking madness once made the U.S. Supreme Court stand up for free speech".[1]

Career

Luke's most recent album, My Life & Freaky Times, was released in March 2006. The first singles serviced to radio were "Holla at Cha Homeboy", featuring Pitbull & Petey Pablo, and the reggaeton-leaning "Pop That" by Plan B and Rey Chester Secretweapon.[2] Luther Campbell and his label, Luke Records, Inc. went bankrupt in 1995 and sold their catalogs to Joseph Weinberger and Lil' Joe Records, Inc. in 1996.

Association with University of Miami Hurricanes

Campbell was also infamous in the late 1980s–early 1990s for his association with the University of Miami Hurricanes football team. Campbell was alleged to have been behind what was referred to as a "pay-for-play" system, which involved cash rewards for acts such as scoring touchdowns and big hits,[3] although Campbell has never actually donated to the University of Miami or its athletics department. In 1993, he also threatened to go public with various violations by University of Miami's athletic department, specifically their football program, if Ryan Collins, a black player, wasn't named their starting quarterback for that season.[4]

Campbell was interviewed about his involvement with the Miami Hurricanes for the documentary The U, which premiered December 12, 2009 as part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series.

Other ventures

In 1994, Campbell co-founded Liberty City Optimists, an inner city youth sports program. One of his notable apprentices is Devonta Freeman, who went on to play college football for Florida State Seminoles, rival of the Hurricanes.[5]

Campbell appear in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories as DJ Luke for the hip-hop station Fresh 105 FM. Campbell hosts a sports talk show on Miami's 790 The Ticket with former football player Terry Kirby on Saturdays.

Luke has previously entered the adult film industry and cites on his MySpace page the need to clean up the "sometimes amateurish new courtship of Hip-Hop and Adult Entertainment".[6] He produced the Adult Entertainment movie Luke's Bachelor Party in 2007.

In December 2007, Campbell launched The Luke Entertainment Group and took the company public trading under the symbol LKEN on Pink Sheets. As of September 3, 2008, its current price is $0.01 per share.[7] With this launching of Luke Entertainment Campbell had bought an oil company with the stock trading symbol of FPPL. Luther Campbell was also a legendary DJ member of The Ghetto Style DJ's.

Personal life

Luther Campbell is of Jamaican and Bahamian ancestry and has three older brothers.[8][9] He has six children from five previous relationships. On July 19, 2008, he married law school graduate Kristin Thompson in Dallas, Texas. She is the mother of his seventh child. Luther was brought up in Liberty City, Miami.

On February 18, 2009, Campbell was arrested for falling behind on child support payments.[10] He became a columnist for the Miami New Times[11] in February 2010. His column, Luke's Gospel,[12] provides "a forum for his crazy-ass views on current events," which include politics, sports and entertainment. He is quoted on the web site as saying: "It's the perfect place for me. I am a free-speech guy. It's just a match made in Heaven. Can you believe it? Me turned loose on the world in New Times. Wow."[13]

On February 2, 2011, Campbell announced his intention to run for mayor of Miami-Dade County on a platform that includes making housing projects safer, transparency in local government, and taxing strippers.[14] He came in fourth in a field of 11 candidates, winning 11% of the vote.[15] Campbell is a registered Democrat.[16]

In 2014, Campbell tweeted that he would be defensive coordinator for Miami Norland Senior High School in 2014.

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album Chart Positions
US US Hip-Hop
1990 The Luke LP 21 10
1992 I Got Shit on My Mind 52 20
1993 In the Nude 54 8
1994 Freak for Life 174 24
1996 Uncle Luke 51 8
1997 Changin' the Game – 49
2001 Somethin' Nasty 149 36
2006 My Life & Freaky Times – 35 "—" denotes the album failed to chart or not released

Compilation albums

References

  1. ↑ Luther Campbell (January 11, 2011). "Column, "Luke for Miami Mayor!" January 11, 2011". Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  2. ↑ Clark, Carlos (February 1, 2006). "2 Live Crew Member Tells All". CMJ. Archived from the original on February 7, 2006. Retrieved March 12, 2006.
  3. ↑ "Cash Bounties Reported at Miami". May 21, 1994. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Rapper's Threats on Behalf of Collins Trouble Qb's Dad". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Devonta Freeman has unlikely, but inspiring mentor". YouTube. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  6. ↑ Luther Canpbell, Myspace.
  7. ↑ "LUKE ENTERTAINMENT (LKEN.PK)". Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  8. ↑ Jamaican Ancestry
  9. ↑ About Luther: Luther R. Campbell
  10. ↑ Castillo, Arielle (February 20, 2009). "Luther Campbell Speaks on Going to Jail". Miami New Times. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  11. ↑ S. Pajot (November 25, 2014). "Miami New Times website". Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  12. ↑ "List of Campbell's columns on the Miami New Times website". Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  13. ↑ Luther Campbell (February 23, 2010). ""Fire Heat coach Erik Spoelstra," February 25, 2010". Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  14. ↑ "It's Official: Luther Campbell To Run For Mayor « CBS Miami". Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Dade – Election Results". Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Luther Rodrick Campbell Voting Record" Archived April 14, 2013, at Archive.is, FindTheData.
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