Crew Minus 2

Luther "Luke" Campbell's Web site bio claims that Campbell was the "riveting leader" of 2 Live Crew, the raunchy hip-hop trio that garnered national headlines for its sexually explicit 1989 album As Nasty As They Wanna Be. But Fresh Kid Ice (né Chris Wong Won) claims on his Web site that he was the founder of the group.

"If you check out all the old records, 2 Live Crew was around in '84," says Wong Won. "I started that group when I was in the Air Force. Campbell was a promoter in Miami, and he became our manager. And in '88, he became a member of the group."

Campbell is no longer a member of the group. In fact, Fresh Kid Ice is the only one of the three original members performing with the "reunited" 2 Live Crew that plays the Venue of Scottsdale on Thursday, August 11. Wong Won says the other two members -- Campbell and Brother Marquis -- were unavailable. "Brother Marquis got saved. His uncle was a preacher," says Wong Won. "And Luther's doing his own thing. His schedule doesn't permit a lot of stuff on the side."

But Campbell, reached at his Florida office, tells New Times there's another reason he's not on the tour. "I never heard from them," he says. "If they contacted me directly, I wouldn't have a problem with that. I think the fans would like to see the original group. As a personal thing, I probably wouldn't, but I'd do it for the fans rather than the love and camaraderie of the band."

Or maybe the love and camaraderie of the women. "We've got the girls with us, so it's very interactive and a lot of fun," says Wong Won. "We do an R-rated show and an X-rated show."

And which show will 2 Live Crew bring to the Valley?

Wong Won lets out a naughty-sounding laugh. "That's undisclosed at this time."