Music Review

Banned in the U.S.A. (1990)

EW's GRADE
A

Details Lead Performance: Luke; Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap

How do you fight back when your music gets banned? If you're Luke — Luther Campbell, leader of the rap group 2 Live Crew, whose As Nasty as They Wanna Be has been ruled legally obscene in parts of Florida — you record a stirring anticensorship single and release it on July 4.

Banned in the U.S.A. is Campbell's strongest rap ever, though he doesn't use four-letter words. His refrain is the chorus of Bruce Springsteen's ''Born in the U.S.A.,'' used with Springsteen's endorsement, but with one small change: ''Banned in the U.S.A./I was banned in the U.S.A.'' The record is angry, but — with ''Yankee Doodle'' tootling in the background — also lots of fun. Campbell won't let his anger grind him down.

Originally posted Jul 13, 1990 Published in issue #22 Jul 13, 1990 Order article reprints

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