Skyywalker Crew Target of Copyright Suit

Lucasfilm Inc. filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the controversial rap singer Luke Skyywalker of the group 2 Live Crew has tarnished the image of the “Star Wars” character that bears a similar name.

The film company, owned by director George Lucas, filed a $300-million trademark infringement suit in Los Angeles against the 29-year-old lead singer of the Florida-based group.

Skyywalker’s real name is Luther Campbell and his rap group’s latest album “As Nasty As They Wanna Be” has been banned as obscene in Florida’s Lee and Broward counties because of its sexually explicit lyrics.

The film production company filed the lawsuit because the public may associate director George Lucas, Lucasfilm and the Skywalker character with the rap group’s music, said Lucasfilm lawyer Bertram Fields.

The movie hero, played in the Star War’s trilogy by actor Mark Hamill, is associated with “wholesomeness and bravery and honesty and a clean-cut character that we would want our kids to be like,” Fields said.

A telephone message left after business hours with Luke Skyywalker Records in Coconut Grove, Fla., was not returned.

Fields said Lucasfilm has received enraged letters from the public who believe the company approves of the band’s music. One person told the company that his young son purchased the album believing it was connected to the Star Wars story.

The federal lawsuit charges Campbell and his company, Luke Skyywalker Records Inc., with trademark infringement, dilution, unfair competition and unjust enrichment.

The suit is not attempting to halt the band’s freedom of speech rights but is challenging the use of the trademark owned by Lucasfilm.

The controversial album has sold more than 1.2 million copies since its June release and has encountered many stumbling blocks along the way.

Many record chains, including the nation’s largest record store operator The Musicland Group, have ordered their franchises to stop selling the uncensored versions of the recordings.