Rap star Luther Campbell files for bankruptcy

Jet, July 3, 1995

Rap star Luther Campbell recently filed for bankruptcy, according to news reports.

Campbell filed for bankruptcy to fight creditors who want to liquidate his recording empire, the Miami Herald newspaper reported.

Campbell was ordered last year to pay $1.6 million to fellow rapper MC Shy D in a dispute over royalties. MC Shy D, whose real name is Peter Jones, obtained a lien against some property that Campbell owns. The bankruptcy filing prevents the forced sale of the land.

Campbell is the founder of the controversial but popular rap group 2 Live Crew, known for raunchy songs, He made national headlines when he successfully appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court an attempt to censor the group's hit album, Nasty As They Wanna Be. The group records on Campbell's record label, Luke Records, headquartered in Miami.