Banned in the U.S.A.

I decided to go for a morning run this morning. Buurrrrrrrr, it was cold out. 30-35 degrees? This all in preparation for the SacTownGuy's trip to Maui in February for his big 4-0 celebration. That is, I love running outside in Maui so am starting to run a little now to be in shape to run everyday while in Maui. I don't want to make this blog all about rap music because that plays a pretty small part in the SacTownGuy's life but... this morning on the Ipod an old classic came on that I thought you all should know about (or be reminded about in case you once knew).

Back about 1986 Luther "Luke Skywalker" Campbell (later changed to "Luke" when George Lucas sued him - yes, really) was selling rap albums out of the trunk of his beat up car in Florida. Four years later he had a private plane, a recording studio, etc.... His first hit was "Throw The Dick" which was followed by We Want Some P_____." We Want Some... was an international mega-hit. I remember visiting my boy Footloose in Spain in 1989. We went to a house party where all the ladies were dancing (I was trying to take over the single turn table from the DJ but with the language barrier it was tough). The Two Live Crew came on at one point and all the ladies were singing along, "heeyyyy, we want some p____ ." It was quite funny. Anyway, Two Live Crew were HUGE back between '86 and '92 or so. They put out several albums which sold tons.

As the song, Banned in the U.S.A. tells us though Luke put out a clean and a "nasty" version of his album, though he put a parental advisory on his album cover, though he only let in adults to his shows, though he did everything he could to comply with (and even go well beyond then existing) laws and standard procedures, the Man came after Luke and the boys. The Man arrested Luke performing on stage, arrested record store owners who sold the album, etc... and all of that in Florida; Broward county (his home) even! We will talk about Florida politics some other time.

Luke pounced on this! He very quickly produced a single, followed by whole album, to the Born in the USA song, with his special (but clean) lyrics. I bought the single at Tower Records as they sold like hotcakes right next to the cash register. I still have that CD along with my 600 other rap CD's. A CLASSIC! Yes, Two Live Crew put out some songs with some NASTY lyrics; not even sure I can repeat them here without you seeing my blush. Me So Horny was the top hit off the album that was the final straw that brought the Man out. However, as Luke points out in the Banned in the USA song "this is not China, this is not Russia, this is not that country where the wall came down... this is America...." I just love the internet, rather than my paraphrasing with my average memory, I just found the words and will paste down below the Wikipedia entry which also points out that Bruce Springsteen approved the use of Born in the USA for this song! What a country!

Reminds me, that during the Two Live Crew's heyday, some old white guys in Florida put out an album called "Two Live Jews" but I actually refrained from buying it. Yes, really there was such an album and yes really I didn't buy it.



Banned in the U.S.A.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Banned in the U.S.A. is the fourth album by 2 Live Crew. Released July 13, 1990 on Luke/Atlantic Records. Includes the hits "Do The Bart" and the title track.
The eponymous title single is a reference to the decision in a court case that their album As Nasty As They Wanna Be was obscene (the decision would later be overturned on appeal.) It uses the music from the song Born in the U.S.A. to which Bruce Springsteen gave them permission.
Displeased over the decision of Florida Governor Bob Martinez who, on being asked to examine the album, decided it was obscene and recommended local law enforcement take action against it, and over the subsequent action of Broward County, Florida sheriff Nick Navarro who arrested local record store owners on obscenity charges for selling the group's albums, and the subsequent arrest of members of the group on obscenity charges, the group included the song "Fuck Martinez," which also includes multiple repetitions of the phrase "fuck Navarro." To prevent the possibility of being sued by either Martinez or Navarro, the group found two other men with the same names, and got them to sign releases.

Banned In The U.S.A. lyrics[Government of the people]
[For the people]
[By the people]
News reporter:
Earlier today in Broward County, appalling court
judges upheld the previous
ruling to ban the sale of Miami rap group the 2 Live Crew's
double-platinum album, "Nasty As They Wanna Be," in Broward County.
"We think it's the banning of free speech. First Amendment protects
material, resultably."
Luke (being interviewed):
"We don't talk about, uh, harrassing and sexually brutalizing women in
my music, man!"
"We don't do that in my music, man! I'm tired of you saying that!"
Verse 1: Fresh Kid Ice
We've got white-collar people trying to grab our style
Saying we're too nasty and we're 2 Live
Corrupted politicians playing games
Bringing us down to boost their fame
They must be joking thinking we will fall
But they're like flies movin' the wall
We stand tall from beginning to end
With the help from fans and all our friends
Freedom of speech will never die
For us to help, our ancestors died
Don't keep thinking that we will quit
We'll always stand and never sit
We're 2 live, 2 black, 2 strong
Doing the right thing, and not the wrong
So listen up, y'all, to what we say
We won't be banned in the U.S.A.!
Reporter:
"Luke's concerts are for adults"
Luke (being interviewed):
"If it's an adult show you have to be 18"
"Our record is a year old, but with all the publicity, there's a lot of
people ... curiosity is around!"
"We're selling records to a totally different audience."
"I take a precaution that nobody else has not stickered my album, I made
TWO versions"
Verse 2: Brother Marquis
The First Amendment gave us freedom of speech
So what you sayin'? It didn't include me?
I like to party and have a good time
There's nothin' but pleasure written in our rhyme
I know you don't think we'll ever quit
We've got some people on our side who won't take your lip
We're gonna do all the things we wanna do
You can't stand to see a brother get as rich as you
This is the 90s and we're conin' on strong
Sayin' things and doin' things that you're sayin's wrong
Wisen up, 'cause on Election Day,
We'll see who's banned in the U.S.A.!
[The United States of America]
[Government of the people]
[The United States of America]
[For the people]
[The United States of America]
[By the people]
[By the people]
Luke (being interviewed):
"The show in Hollywood, that was for 21-and-over people, they had police
out there, cars of the people coming in the club, and they still
arrested us for performing in front of adults!"
Luke's speech:
What is this?? Is this not America? This is not China! This is not
Russia! This is not the place where they brought down the wall, this is
America! We have the right to say what we want to say, we have the right
to do what we want to do, and what I do in my house,
you might not do in your house!
So what I do in my house is my business! And the simple fact
of it all is that we are BONDED by the First Amendment! We have the
freedom of EXPRESSION! We have the freedom of CHOICE! And you,
Chinese, black, green, purple, Jew,
YOU have the right to listen to whoever
you want to, and even the 2 Live Crew! So all you right-wingers, left-
wingers, bigots, Communists, there IS a place for you in this world!
Because this is the land of the FREE, the home of the BRAVE! And 2 Live
is what we are!