Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell has spent four decades as one of Hip-Hop’s most unfiltered voices. He’s a pioneer, a First Amendment warrior who took his fight for artistic freedom all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and won. He also built an independent label empire out of Miami before it was fashionable. Now he’s after a new title: United States Congressman.
Luke is running for Florida’s 20th Congressional District, a Broward County seat that’s been held by Black representatives since 1992. The legend took time to talk to AllHipHop to talk about his campaign, his frustration with the Democratic Party, his views on today’s political moment, and why he thinks Hip-Hop’s generation is the leadership this country needs. He’s only taking only money from the people, not special interest groups.
AllHipHop: What has I’ve seen you begin to be far more outspoken about politics and the community. Running for office is definitely a different level of commitment. Tell us your general position.
Uncle Luke: My platform is real simple. In these times we need fighters, we need leaders, we need people to go to Congress to represent us. Our Hip-Hop culture is the leaders right now. The biggest misconception is, “Oh, he’s a rapper, young people will vote for him.” But our generation — we just celebrated 50 years of Hip-Hop, I’m about to hit my 40th year — we are the consumers, we own homes, we pay taxes, we’re the workers, we’re the grandparents. So who better to fight for the people than a hip-hop artist and pioneer who’s always fought for his community? Too much of our money is being spent overseas in unjustifiable wars. We’ve got homeless folks, seniors losing benefits, a shortage of homeownership. Those are the things I’m going to Washington to fight for.
AllHipHop: You’ve built parks, funded college scholarships through your youth program, put your name on streets and stadiums. How does that experience translate to Congress?
Uncle Luke: It’s about being creative…the same vision I had starting my record label, being one of the first to build hip-hop in the South. Through my youth program, we’ve put thousands of kids in college, sent kids to the NFL. We’ve rebuilt a 28-acre park with $24 million, an 18-acre park, built stadiums. I partner with organizations to get things done, and I want to do that in my district. It’s just a matter of getting people out to vote. Get off the couch, because everybody’s mad. I’m mad too.
AllHipHop: Some people argue we shouldn’t vote at all, that neither party serves Black communities’ interests. How do you get people, especially younger voters, off the sideline?
Uncle Luke: That’s a great question, and honestly I’ve felt that way too. I’m a card-carrying Democrat, but I’m not happy with the party right now, and I’m not happy with how African-Americans in the party have been treated. So either you sit on the sideline or you get in the game. I’ve got a big enough platform, and I believe the Hip-Hop community can push me over the top. I’m not going to Washington to do business as usual, a lot of these politicians just want catchphrases and TV time without bringing resources back. I’m going there to work with Republicans and Democrats and bring money back to my district. I’m depending heavily on the Hip-Hop generation I came up in…my fans, LL’s fans, Erick Sermon’s fans, Salt-N-Pepa’s fans, Run-DMC’s fans. I’m hoping they’re the ones who go out and vote.
AllHipHop: Do you think your past, the 2 Live Crew years, the controversy, will hurt you with older, more reliable “super voters”?
Uncle Luke: Not necessarily. This district is Broward County, and Broward County is where all my cases started — my Supreme Court case, where Nasty As They Wanna Be was ruled obscene, where I went to jail. The courthouse actually falls in my district, which is full circle. The people here know me — as Luke Skywalker the DJ, as a promoter, as the record label owner who signed Trick Daddy, Ace Hood, Pitbull, Anquette, JT Money, Poison Clan. This generation of voters grew up with me. They know what I stand for and what I’ve built.
AllHipHop: Tell me about your opponents.
Uncle Luke: You’ve got career politicians. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick was technically the incumbent but resigned after facing dozens of ethics violations and a federal indictment — she’s still running with all that hanging over her head. There’s a 27-year-old substitute teacher in the race too. Another opponent is a former mayor named Dale (Holness), who’s lost to Sheila before and, in my opinion, is part of the problem. Then there’s Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who’s running in my district after redistricting combined it with Jared Moskowitz’s seat. She’s a white Jewish woman running in a district that’s 54% African-American, 20% white, and 15% Hispanic, a seat that’s been held by Black representatives since 1992. A lot of people are upset about that, and I’ve called out the Congressional Black Caucus for staying silent while criticizing gerrymandering in Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana but saying nothing about this.
AllHipHop: How can people help your campaign?
Uncle Luke: They can donate at luthercampbellforcongress.com. It’s a $5 campaign, but if people want to give more, that’s fine. This may look like a local race, but what I vote on in Washington directly affects everybody. We’re up against someone with millions in a slush fund and PAC money, and I don’t take special interest money, so every contribution helps. Beyond money, people can volunteer, phone banking, door-knocking, posting on social media. That’s sweat equity, and it goes a long way.
AllHipHop: What’s your read on where things stand politically right now, with Trump back in office?
Uncle Luke: We made the mistake of not turning out for Kamala Harris, and we’re living with the results. This administration is erasing Black history, firing Black generals, pulling history from monuments, parks and books, cutting funding to HBCUs. We can’t do business as usual.
We’ve got to be smarter and more strategic with our messaging, because the old approach isn’t resonating. And people cheering for impeachment don’t realize what they’d get in return is JD Vance. I know how to deal with Trump. I knew him back when he was a Democrat, and I know Marco Rubio well too. The way you deal with people like that isn’t screaming at them on national TV, it’s sitting down and negotiating, because we’re not going anywhere.
There’s real money already allocated and sitting there — for port expansion, affordable housing, entertainment tax credits, trade programs, that I can bring back to the district without having to fight Trump for it.
AllHipHop: Let’s talk about Hip-Hop’s role in political leadership. I always thought Chuck D could’ve been president one day. What’s your take on the culture’s political evolution?
Uncle Luke: Guys like Chuck D, Ice Cube, myself — we were always on the front lines because we were the ones being attacked by government in some form or fashion, and a lot of our music had political undertones. Me and Ice Cube created Rap the Vote years ago, focused specifically on Black voters. The conglomerates saw it, created Rock the Vote and Vote or Die, watered it down and made it “nonpartisan.” I kept doing what I was doing in my community, using my platform to get parks built, get people elected, and never lose a vote at a school board or council meeting because my constituents trusted me.
AllHipHop: One thing I’ve noticed is how little today’s rappers get involved politically. Last year I watched younger artists turn down serious money just to tell people to vote — no endorsement, just “vote.” What’s your take on where we are right now?
Uncle Luke: You’re right. A lot of Hip-Hop artists right now are thinking about themselves. Let’s keep it a buck — a lot of them don’t even live in their own communities anymore. Back in the day, if you rapped out of Brooklyn, you stayed in Brooklyn. Now guys claim a city they don’t even live in, so the attachment isn’t there, and they don’t feel what’s happening on the ground.
A lot of them were also scared to support Kamala because they thought Trump might do something for the hood, or that they could buy a pardon if they got in trouble. That’s part of why we’re facing the hardest times we’ve faced, losing congressional seats, losing representation to gerrymandering. That’s why this midterm matters. I’m not calling anybody for a bag. I expect artists to use their platform because without the people who paved the way, they wouldn’t be making the money they’re making now.
AllHipHop: Last question — how do you want your legacy remembered?
Uncle Luke: As a businessman, a creator, one of the forefathers of hip-hop in the South. Starting my own independent label. Fighting for free speech all the way to the Supreme Court, protecting artists’ rights to say what they want on record, and helping create the parental advisory sticker because I was being responsible. I discovered Pitbull, Trick Daddy, Ace Hood, Anquette, Poison Clan. My youth program produced NFL players like Chad Johnson.
I want to be remembered for the community and philanthropic work, and for changing the narrative — back then everybody wanted to be on Sony, Def Jam, Atlantic. I changed that when I started Luke Records and showed artists they were getting pennies on the dollar when they could own the whole thing. Bad Boy, So So Def…all of that came after. Two Live Crew is part of my life, but it doesn’t define me — not as a father, a businessman, a philanthropist, or now, a congressional candidate.
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