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Luther Campbell Sues Nevin Shapiro for Defaming his Name in Yahoo Article that Broke Miami Hurricanes Scandal
Luther Campbell, the longtime Miami Hurricanes supporter and former 2 Live Crew frontman, is suing Nevin Shapiro for slandering and defaming his name in the Yahoo! Sports article that exposed the scandalous behavior of the Miami Hurricanes football program. Campbell apparently is taking issue with how Shapiro cited him as someone who used to be involved with illegal activities and involvement with ‘Canes players. We’ll see how the lawsuit plays out, but Campbell has to at least feel good about his chances considering how much of a dirtbag Shapiro seems to be. From where I’m sitting though — at least based on what facts we’re presented with at the time being — Campbell may have a hard time winning this one. I can understand why he’s interested in tackling the problem though. Campbell, as you’ll hear, seemingly has a reputation and good name to uphold these days down in the Miami area.
Campbell joined 2 Live Stews on Yahoo Sports Radio to talk about why he’s suing Nevin Shapiro, the two times he met Shapiro, why he immediately got a bad vibe from the embattled booster, the work he does in the Miami area with kids, missing the old days during the peak of his music career when things were more stress free, and being proud of the recognition that the South Florida hip-hop scene is garnering behind the success of guys like Rick Ross, Khaled and other artists he’s helped identify and promote.
On why he’s filed a lawsuit against Nevin Shapiro:
“Yeah man, basically when the guy did the Yahoo! Sports article and he mentioned my name and saying that he was the little version of Luther Campbell was doing back in the day at the University of Miami paying players and things like that which was all false. That was a guy wrote an article assuming those things, and the NCAA investigated and came out and found out that I didn’t do any wrong doing. The university was never sanctioned for anything that was said that I did, so I had a real serious problem with that with this guy coming 21 years later saying he was doing things basically because he knew me to be doing those things, and he was wrong in doing ‘em.”
If he’s taken it personally that his name as been associated with the Miami scandal considering how much he loves the school and football program:
“I took it personal very much because number one, I’ve got a problem when you use my name. I’m a community oriented guy. I started my youth football program over 25 years ago; kids like Chad Johnson came out of the program, Antonio Bryant, Brandon Harris, – so many kids, so many doctors and lawyers that came out of our youth program that I started. And I say to people that if you want to be like me, go back and give back to your community, do some things, put some programs together where you can leave a good legacy as far as your name is concerned other than trying to take my name and saying that I was doing some wrong doing.”
If he’s ever met Nevin Shapiro:
“Yeah I met him on two occasions. One occasion, a friend of mine said ‘hey, look, he’s a booster, a great friend of the University of Miami, he loves it and just wants to meet you. I went and met him, and he kind of offered, he said he wanted to start some kind of agency and he knew I had a relationship with the kids because of my programs and my work in the community. I said ‘I don’t get into things like that.’ First of all because my love is a genuine love for the kids of Miami and the kids in this inner-city, and I didn’t care to get into a business venture with him. Then I see him again, I was at the University of Miami game and I was in the club seats, and right above was his suite, and he asked for me to come up there. And when I was up there I really just didn’t like the vibes and the environment, I saw Kirby Hocutt go up in there, and he started ranting and raving about how he hates Randy Shannon to the athletic director. And at that point — I like Randy Shannon — I was like this really ain’t a place for me right here.”
If he misses the old days back when he was at the peak of his musical career:
“Man, I miss the old days! You party, have fun, go to the club, you know what I’m saying? You just do the shows, people were happy, you didn’t have to worry about getting shot on the way home. Those were the good days. Football was great. I think when some of the guys I knew started getting into the business of football and me understanding the business of football, I kind of lost interest. I had to go back and start coaching at the high school level to get that energy back. Because back in the days it was good. It was a beautiful thing.”
What he thinks of the state of Florida hip-hop with guys like Rick Ross and Khaled doing well:
“Yeah I’m happy about those guys. Rick is a good friend of mine; Khaled I kind of discovered Khaled. He was doing an underground radio station and I was doing a big show on one of the stations here, and I heard him and brought him to the big station and he blew up from there. Rick is a good kid, been through a whole lot things in the community. Pitbull is another kid that I’ve discovered, Trick Daddy and all those cats. I’m happy about South Florida; I’m happy about the South period. Because even when we talk about those Shining Showcase days and Club Excess, even then when you were growing up in Atlanta, all you would hear on v103 is New York music and New York dj’s . But the underground music was there, so I’m happy to be a pioneer of the South and I carry their flag, and I’m happy to see all these guys doing good, making money, putting people to work and just doing a great thing.”
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