Luther Campbell Explains Importance Of Hip-Hop Films

03/17/2000 7:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Craig Rosen

(3/17/00, 7 a.m. ET) - Luther Campbell, better known to rap aficionados as both Luke and Uncle Luke, knows the importance of taking a stand. The Miami rap icon rose to prominence in the late 1980s as a member of the controversial rap group 2 Live Crew, whose explicit lyrics and performances drew the ire of some government officials. Campbell is now taking his business -- and sexual content -- to the big screen with Luke's Freak Fest 2000, his debut feature film.

The picture centers on a three-day beach party in Miami's vibrant South Beach area. Luke told LAUNCH that hip-hop films are very important: "I think it's real important. It shows that we as rappers are real creative. We are a force in the marketplace, unlike a lot of people may think. We show our perspective from where we are from, just like in our music," he explained. "And say, OK, whether it's southern music or West Coast music, or East Coast music...whatever it is, we give a description of where we from and how we came up. Mack 10 and Cube movies, they show a picture of, where they from and how they came up, and a lot of people can relate to that."

Campbell executive-produced the movie and will release its accompanying soundtrack on Loud Records. Featured artists on the soundtrack include Big Punisher, Krayzie Bone, Goodie Mob, 95 South, and Campbell himself. Luke's Freak Fest 2000 will air on BET's pay-per-view network in May. The soundtrack was released on Tuesday, March 14.

-- Soren Baker, Los Angeles