According to 2 Live Crew member Fresh Kid Ice, it was the Miami, Florida-based group’s dealings with Atlantic Records that resulted in the end of 2 Live Crew. He spoke on the matter during a recent appearance on the Murder Master Music Show.
Fresh Kid Ice went on to explain that when 2 Live Crew signed with Atlantic Records, those in the group had to sign contracts back-dating their contracts, and therefore forfeited money that would have been for the group.
He says they ultimately felt “bamboozled” by Atlantic Records and their deal with the label.
“What really broke 2 Live Crew up was when the deal came to Atlantic,” Fresh Kid Ice said. “Because basically we did three albums, right? Two gold and one double platinum without a contract…When the money was coming from Atlantic we had to sign contacts back-dating our contracts, you understand? Stating that we was with this label this time, so the money that was supposed to have been for the group went to the company. Which we felt later on we were bamboozled. And that’s what really broke 2 Live Crew up. 2 Live Crew could have had a longer run.”
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Fresh Kid Ice later revealed that despite 2 Live Crew’s Banned In The U.S.A. album and single going gold, when it came to royalties, the group received less than $10,000.
“When it was time for royalty time—around Christmas time, we received less than $10,000 for a royalty check,” he said. “On a gold record…The album and the single went gold. And we had a gold video out. Remember the ‘Banned In The U.S.A.’ video? That was a gold video and we received nothing for that.”
