Uncle Luke and the surviving family members of 2 Live Crew are preparing for a crucial courtroom showdown over control of the group’s iconic catalog. On January 28, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in Miami.

At the center of the dispute is whether the group can use federal copyright termination laws to reclaim rights to albums released in the late 1980s and early 1990s, or whether those rights permanently belong to Lil’ Joe Records, which acquired them during Luke Records’ bankruptcy nearly 30 years ago.

Campbell and the heirs of the late Fresh Kid Ice and Brother Marquis argue that copyright law gives artists a second chance to own their work after 35 years. Lil’ Joe Records counters that the albums were “works made for hire” and that the bankruptcy court’s transfer of rights cannot be undone.

In October 2024, a Miami jury rejected Lil’ Joe’s work-for-hire claim, but the label is now appealing, arguing the transfers were court-ordered and immune from termination. The ruling could have wide implications as veteran artists increasingly fight to regain control of their masters — a battle highlighted recently when Salt-N-Pepa lost a similar case against Universal Music Group.

What happens next could reshape how legacy artists reclaim ownership in the streaming era.