By Tai Saint Louis
In a new acquisition, a Tennessee-based global independent publishing company has obtained all rights to 2 Live Crew’s extensive back catalogue, as well as any of the group’s future copyrights.
By purchasing the entire 700 song catalogue of Lil’ Joe Wien Music, previously owned by Lil’ Joe Records boss Joe Weinberger, Evergreen Copyrights also owns several songs by popular Miami Bass era groups including Poison Clan and the 69 Boyz.
"We picked EverGreen as the new home for our songs because they have a keen interest and the proper marketing resources to continuing building upon the legacy of these artists and their amazing songs," said Weinberger, who’s label is home to the remaining two members of 2 Live Cre w, Fresh Kid Ice and Brother Marquis.
Evergreen, which also owns the rights to music by Tupac Shakur, MC Hammer, and Teddy Riley, to name a few, intends on aggressively marketing the Lil’ Joe catalogue, including songs like “C’Mon Babe” and “Me So Horny” through their film and television synchronization departments.
They already solidified the inclusion of the 2 Live Crew’s controversial single “Pop That P***y” in the upcoming Lionsgate film My Best Friend’s Girl, which is due out in September.
“The Lil’ Joe Wein Music catalog acquisition, and especially the 2 Live Crew assets, further strengthens EverGreen’s growing stellar Hip-Hop catalog,” added co-CEO David Schulhof.
“2 Live Crew is another body of work for us that can extend into a catalog ‘brand,’ which fits our long-term growth strategy of developing catalogs into other kinds of content and new revenue streams.”
The new visibility comes as 2 Live Crew is putting the finishing touches on their first album since 2004.
Just Wanna Be Heard is set to be released in early 2009 through Lil’ Joe Records/No Focus Entertainment.
The album features appearances by Too $hort, E-40 and Mannie Fresh, who also contributes to the project as a producer.
