Luke: The Real King of The South (part Deuce)

Tony S: When it comes to guys like Jay Z and Puffy, these cats basically followed in your footsteps; along with Russell Simmons footsteps…you guys lay down the blueprint. Do these guys show you any respect?
Luke: Oh yeah…I saw a interview the other day when they asked Jay Z about me and he gave me my props and I am sure if somebody asked Puffie he would give me as well. When I first met Jay Z he was with Biggie. He was just one of the cats that was rolling with Biggie…the same thing with Puff. The first time I met him he was just hanging out with some industry people.

Tony S: Back in the day, you had a celebrated battle of videos and diss songs with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. What originally caused that beef?
Luke: It was some stuff long time ago. I did a record…they did a record…there was a problem…I did a record on how I felt…just regular beefing and it got squashed.

Tony S: So everybody is cool today, right?
Luke: I am cool with Dre…but I have a problem with Snoop…over something that happened at a little league football game…his people was kicking one of mine...the little football kids…it almost broke out into a riot. I think he should apologize to the kid and to the kids’ parents…for his people acting stupid like they did…I have a problem with any man that will allow people in his crew to kick another kid. I got problem with him. It’s not to the point where I am going to go and beat him down. It’s something he have to deal with as a man.

Tony S: You and your crew have been responsible for a lot of hits. How do you approach the whole songwriting process?
Luke: I just put hot tracks on man…as long as it’s a party track…that’s what gets me cracking…gets me moving, ready to go.

Tony S: As a business man…what would you consider to be three of your most celebrated power moves in the industry?
Luke: Winning the Supreme Court decision. Being the first black owned and operated independent artist record company…as far as the career, being the man that I am and getting the respect from my peers.

Tony S: What were the circumstances that resulted in you filing for bankruptcy in the mid 90’s and losing your music catalog?
Luke: I wanted to get out of my contract with Sony. I was able to reject the contract in bankruptcy court. They wasn’t paying me my money! So in order for me to get out of the contract…I filed bankruptcy…Chapter 11…you can reject any contract that you wish to reject.

Tony S: Did you learn anything from this experience?
Luke: I learn things every day and when you listen to the audio book you will learn how I really feel about that whole process.

Tony S: How does a girl become a Luke dancer?
Luke: How does a girl become a Luke dancer? She has to be tri-sexual. We are having a contest around the country (Miss Freaky Soul 2006). It’s good that you asked about that. A girl just have to be real innovative, sexy, classy, educated and real sexually oriented.

Tony S: A lot of people don’t know about the philanthropic side of Luke. Tell us about the national youth football league. Tell us how and why you started this organization?
Luke: I started that program 17 years ago…I found that a lot of kids in programs did not have funding like they needed to have…So I got with my partners and some other influential business people in Miami…I started my own league…I started the program to help kids. I am giving out charters to other business people, athletes and entertainers to start their own leagues in their own cities…it’s a good way for athletes and entertainers to give back…

Tony S: That’s cool. More cats in the industry need to do things like that. As a businessman, what advice would you give to someone who is trying to follow in your footsteps?
Luke: I would tell them to read a lot of industry books. Learn about the business before you get in…don’t believe you can learn about the business by looking at a music video or a movie about the business. Learn about the business by reading books.

Tony S: Besides the music and DVD’s…what’s next in the pipeline from Luke?
Luke: Luke Adult Entertainment division…something I have been working on for the last several years…do the same thing I did for Hip hop...business wise… strip clubs around the country, DVD movies…classy movies with plots…a real interactive website and do a magazine on the level of Hustler or Playboy…do it real classy.

Tony S: Thank you and best of look in all your projects.
Luke: I appreciate it.


By
Tony "Rescue One" Samuel

Luke: The Real King of The South

The name Luke is synonymous with big booty chicks, sex, the southern bounce and party music. Beyond the music and the sexual undertones, Luke is a complex man who has paved the way for the likes of Jay Z, 50 Cent and P Diddy…to do what they do in the business of Hip Hop. Luke was one of the main architects of the southern hip hop sound. He made it fashionable and accepted to be a rapper from the dirty South. With a new release of his tell all audio book and music CD (Uncle Luke My Life & Freaky Times); Luke is continuing to change the game. Insomniac gained exclusive access to The Real King of The South and this is how it went down…
Tony Samuel: Tell me about your latest project?

Luke: We have the album (Uncle Luke My Life & Freaky Times)…DVD… I have everybody on the album…I have Pitbull, Petey Pablo & Trick Daddy…I am real excited about it…I have a double audio book…all in one package. I am giving my fans something they can all be happy about.
Tony S: Do you feel you have been given the credit you deserve as a pioneer in the Hip Hop game and also as a First Amendment activist?

Luke: I haven’t received any awards. I haven’t received any lifetime achievement awards. I haven’t received any credit from the establishments that give out awards. The only credit I have gotten was from the adult industry where they give me the Freedom Fighter Award. That’s about it, but as far as the music industry…nope, no BET lifetime achievement, no Source, no Vibe…no nobody…no nothing!
Tony S: How does that make you feel?

Luke: It’s very upsetting. One of the main reasons why I did this audio book is to tell the story myself. I won’t get upset if no one says I was the first to do all these different things. It’s real upsetting that these folks in the industry don’t give any credit. I feel like I am the Rodney Dangerfield of Hip Hop.
Tony S: When it comes to the down South…Miami sound, you are definitely one of the architects of that whole genre. The artist down South and from the Midwest…do they show you any love and respect…considering you are the pioneer and architect of that genre?

Luke: Oh yeah! No question about it. They know…they show me love and when writers like you ask them questions about me, they give me my respect. They give me props and my respect…artist from everywhere, from New York, California. It’s just the industry itself…people who run all the networks; the magazines…these people give me no credit. From the VH-1 and others…VH-1 have 25 years of Hip Hop and make no mention of me or Two Live Crew. That’s a disservice. When you see things like that it’s really, really disgusting! The sad part about it, no writers…nobody picked up on that and checked them. If a person don’t get checked they will continue doing that bullsh*t!
Tony S: When it comes to guys like Jay Z and Puffy, these cats basically followed in your footsteps…along with Russell Simmons footsteps…you guys laid down the blueprint. Do these guys show you any respect?

Part#2 next week...
Exclusive interview by Tony "Rescue One" Samuel