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2 Live Crew is a Hip-Hop group of historic and legendary proportions. First hitting the scene in the early 90’s, there was no other force to reckon with the Miami based consortium.

Created by DJ Mr. Mixx, the crew consisting of Fresh Kid Ice, Dizzy Short, Brother Marquis, Amazing V, and Verb, and later Uncle Luke, they had a considerable run from about 1985 until 2004. Always full of controversy because of the ever present sexual themes in their work, there was no stopping the discussion of sexuality in society, regardless of their presentation.

For many Rap groups, 2 Live Crew represent the other side of the spectrum from Public Enemy, another revolutionary example of Rap history. It could also be argued that the wild nature and unapologetic behavior from the band gave birth to what would become the Waka Flocka Flames of our generation.

Yo! Raps exclusively caught up with Brother Marquis and Fresh Kid Ice after they returned from a series of performances in Australia.

So what exactly has been up with 2 Live Crew?

Marquis: Everything is everything. We’re performing and still doing our thing, individually and collectively. I’ve been focused on my comedy thing lately because, I’m a funny dude. You won’t ever hear me saying anything that won’t bring a smile to your face. Whether I’m in the strip club or the grocery store, I’m the same and I’ll make you laugh.

Fresh Kid Ice: Everything in Australia was pretty good. We did a few shows out there. The reception was great. That was our firs time out there. We did a venue in Melbourne, Sidney and Perth. Perth was more like a festival type thing. A lot of different deejays and things like that.

2 Live Crew, historically, has come under fire for controversial themes in the Rap group’s history. Have your views on women changed since the early 90’s?

Marquis: You know, I’m not the one to tell you that hoes ain’t going to be hoes. There are some women who don’t agree with that, but I’m going to tell you that I know what hoes be doing. There is no other way to determine what my “views” on women are, based on the past music. I’ve grown up a lot, I’m a man, but I know what the game is.

What do you have to say about longevity in Hip-Hop, since you’ve been a part of a crew that has lasted for so long?

Fresh Kid Ice: A lot of it is that some of the people got older and a lot of the kids are just finding out about 2 Live Crew. To me the energy is still there. A lot of it is still the same a lot of them like the old school, you know?

Marquis: You gotta know the business. There’s no point in coming out and making a bunch of music and thinking you’re going to get somewhere if you don’t know the business. It’s one thing to sit up in the strip clubs and, drinking and partying, and doing all this type of stuff, but you need to know what you’re talking about. I’ll believe it when I see it, is what I always say.

You guys just returned from Australia, how is the popularity so international at this point?

Marquis: We just do what we do, and performed those classics. People want to hear what they always heard from us. Party music, and feel good music. It don’t matter what you’re doing or where you’re going, if you hear a 2 Live Crew song come on the radio, or you put in a CD, you’re gonna feel good and know that’s what we stand for.

Is there a place for that sound in today’s music?

Marquis: I’m not knocking what any single person is doing. You can play our music in New York, Atlanta, Australia, anywhere, and the response will be the same. It’s something we’ve always been able to do. Now, whether other’s music can stand that time that we have, I can’t say. You never know what someone else is doing but as long as we continue to do what we do, and do it well, there ain’t no denying that. Hell, I’m still a fly dude. I ain’t scared of being fly. Believe that.

What about all the newer music styles that are, directly or indirectly influenced by the crew? Waka and others?

Fresh Kid Ice: A lot of people say that the music today sounds the same or that they’re going back to the older music and a lot of the young ones are discovering the old school. With Waka Flocka and others, that’s part of the South, you know? A lot of them from the South grew up on 2 Live Crew so it’s kind of natural that there would be elements. It keeps us out there.

And is ultimately good for Hip-Hop?

Marquis: That’s what Hip-Hop is all about. It can take any form of music and create something new from it. By there being so many facets of Hip-Hop, it keeps it young and moving forward.

Fresh Kid, in your opinion, are the romps with the women as wild as ever or has it toned down?

Fresh Kid Ice: It’s toned down some, because a lot of the venues in our past provided dancers and it was actually a part of the performance. Nowadays, it’s different and it just gets crazy because that’s what the party is like.

Still nasty though?

Fresh Kid Ice: We’re still nasty. We are in ways, due to the fact that we just do it according to the song. If the song needs to be nasty, we’ll nasty it up.

What’s the latest for 2 Live Crew?

We just finished up the first album but don’t have a release date for it yet. We’ve already finished up on the second album and continue recording. Nowadays, music moves so fast and the longevity of the songs and the albums are about 6-9 months. You just gotta keep music out. The name of the album is “Just Wanna Be Heard.”