Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell knows a thing or two about controversy.
The 2 Live Crew founder and political candidate is coming to Yung Miami‘s defense after criticism surrounding her latest single, “Spend Dat.”
During an exclusive, expansive interview with AllHipHop, Campbell said the criticism aimed at the City Girls star feels familiar, comparing it to the public outrage that followed his own music decades ago.
“It’s the same thing that I went through,” Luke said. “A bunch of people upset about free speech. She has the right to say what she wants to say on a record. People can choose to buy it, choose to listen to it, turn it on or turn it off.”
Campbell, who is currently running for Florida’s 20th Congressional District, has increasingly focused on politics and community advocacy in recent years. The Hip-Hop pioneer says his decades of fighting censorship, building youth programs and investing in South Florida neighborhoods have prepared him for public office.
Luke’s comments come after singer-songwriter India.Arie responded to the song “Spend Dat,” arguing against the celebration of scamming and booster culture. Campbell acknowledged Arie’s right to express her opinion but said she’s part of a long tradition of artists criticizing Hip-Hop without recognizing the genre’s creative freedom.
“I basically said to India, she has the right to sing what she wants to sing, and I defend her right. I defend everybody else’s right,” Luke explained. “We don’t live in a world where everybody just listens to one type of music all day. We’d get bored.”
In the interview, conducted by Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur, pointed to the backlash against 2 Live Crew, Too Short, N.W.A and Public Enemy in the late 1980s and 1990s, followed by Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion and other more recently.
“They first came after me because I was ‘too nasty.’ Then Too Short. Then N.W.A. saying ‘F*** tha Police.’ Then Chuck D saying ‘Fight the Power.’ Then it was Cardi B. Then Latto. Then ‘WAP.’ Now it’s Yung Miami,” he said. “It seems like every hit record becomes a problem.”
Campbell argued that Hip-Hop has always reflected realities people recognize, not endorsing criminal behavior per se.
“Art imitates life,” he said. “Are there boosters? Yeah. They’re in the barbershop. They’re in the beauty salon. Everybody knows scammers exist. The quickest way to make a hit record is to make a song that everybody can relate to, even if nobody’s talking about it.”
That relatability is precisely why “Spend Dat” has generated so much attention.
“Unfortunately, this song relates to the masses,” he said. “For people to keep criticizing it, they need to just sit down and keep it moving.”
Back in the day Uncle Luke spent years fighting obscenity charges and ultimately established stronger legal protections for artistic expression, he views today’s criticism through the same lens.
“The people can choose,” he said. “That’s what free speech is about.”
During his extended conversation with AllHipHop, Luke discussed his campaign, the role Hip-Hop should play in civic leadership and why he believes artists have a responsibility to engage with their communities.
The full interview is forthcoming.