Ludacris
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{{Infobox Band
| band_name = Ludacris
| image = Image:Ludacris.jpg
| caption =
| years_active = 1999-present
| origin = Champaign, Illinois
| music_genre = Rap, Hip-hop
| record_label = MCA Music
Disturbing tha Peace/Island Def Jam
}}
Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Born in Champaign, Illinois, he was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, where he eventually made a name for himself as one of the most prominent Southern rappers.
Contents |
Music career
Early years
Although the first song Bridges ever made was with Esco and the YTS crew, he began his music career as a radio personality and DJ as Chris Lova Lova on Hot 97.5, an urban radio station in Atlanta, Georgia. He made his recorded debut on "Phat Rabbit," a track from Timbaland's 1998 album Tim's Bio: Life from the Bassment. Although both Timbaland and Jermaine Dupri showed interest in signing Ludacris, he decided to take matters into his own hands, and released the album Incognegro independently in 1999. The album sold over 50,000 copies, most of them sold out of the trunk of Ludacris' car. The same year he recorded the theme to the video game Madden NFL 2000. Scarface, an original member of the Geto Boys, signed Ludacris in 2000 to Def Jam Recordings, and created a new imprint, Def Jam South, around him. Ludacris went on to release his Def Jam and major label debut Back For the First Time the same year. It had the smash singles "What's Your Fantasy?" & "Southern Hospitality"
Word of Mouf
Ludacris promptly completed his next album, Word Of Mouf and released it at the end of 2001. Its lead single, "Rollout (My Business)" was boycotted in many American video stations. Despite the controversy, the video was nominated for a 2003 VMA, and Luda performed it live at the awards' pre-show. Ludacris also toured with Papa Roach in 2002 after the release of their sophomore album lovehatetragedy.
Chicken & Beer
During the spring of 2003, Ludacris returned to the music scene after a brief hiatus with a new single, "Act A Fool" off the 2 Fast 2 Furious soundtrack. At around the same time, he released the lead single from his upcoming album, Chicken & Beer, called "P-Poppin" (short for "Pussy Poppin'") Neither of his new singles was as well-received by either the urban or pop audiences as his previous songs had been, and both music videos received only limited airplay. Chicken & Beer opened strongly, but without a popular single, the album fell quickly.
However, in the fall of 2003, Ludacris rebounded with his next single, "Stand Up", which appeared on both Chicken & Beer as well as the soundtrack for the teen hip-hop/dance movie, Honey. Produced by Kanye West, "Stand Up" went on to become Ludacris' biggest mainstream hit to date, hitting the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and garnering heavy airplay on mainstream pop, rhythmic, and urban radio stations, as well as on MTV, MTV2, and BET.
The album's next single, "Splash Waterfalls", was released in early 2004. Though not a pop hit, it became a success at urban radio and BET. It was Ludacris' most sexual video yet and an R&B remix that featured Raphael Saadiq and sampled Tony! Toni! Tone!'s "Whatever You Want". Luda next released "Blow It Out", a gritty song that had a heavily low-budget, gritty, and urban-looking music video, which was a huge departure from the colorful, sensual, R&B leanings depicted in "Splash Waterfalls". "Blow It Out" acted as a scathing response to Ludacris' critics, namely O'Reilly, who is mentioned by name in the following lyrics:
- Shout out to Bill O'Reilly, I'm'a throw you a curve
- You mad cause I'm a thief and got away with words
- I'm'a start my own beverage, it'll calm your nerves
- Pepsi's the New Generation—Blow it out ya ass!
The Red Light District
The fifth studio album from Ludacris. Although entirely different from the usual antics of the previous albums, Ludacris had taken a more mature approach to his album. Ludacris openly boasted that he may be the only rapper able to keep the Def Jam label afloat. Ludacris had recently filmed and recorded the single "Get Back" in which he was featured a muscle-bounded hulk who was being annoyed by the media and warned his critics to leave him alone. The follow-up single was the Austin Powers-inspired "The Number One Spot". It was produced by Hot 97 personality DJ Green Lantern. It used the Quincy Jones sample of "Soul Bossa Nova" and sped it up to the tempo of Ludacris' rap flow. Ludacris also filmed the video in which he pokes fun at Bill O'Reilly's problems with Andrea Mackris (Hi Mr. O'Reilly / Hope all is well kiss the plaintiff and the wifey). Production credits come also from veteran producer Timbaland, Lil' Jon, The Medicine Men and legendary rapper Doug E. Fresh. Featured on the album include rappers, Nas, DMX, Trick Daddy, and Disturbing Tha Peace newcomers Bobby Valentino (of Mista fame) and Dolla Boi and Small World. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard charts. And most recently the rapper had used his opportunity to start his own foundation. The Ludacare Foundation started by Ludacris and Chaka Zulu is an organization that helps young middle and high school students motivate themselves in creative arts. Ludacris also has a daughter by the name of Karma. Ludacris had also participated at the Super Bowl and is the spokesman for the Boost Mobile Phone ad-campaign. Ludacris also received his first Grammy Award with Usher and Lil Jon for their hit single "Yeah".
Release Therapy
In a recent issue of XXL, a hip-hop based magazine, Ludacris was placed in the number nine spot for the most anticipated albums of 2006, for Release Therapy. The album has a tentative release date in August.
Acting career
Ludacris has been acting in film since The Wash in 2001, but his big break came in 2005, where he received critical praise for his roles in Hustle & Flow and Crash. Crash includes an ironic sequence where Ludacris's character is dismissive of hip-hop music. He is occasionally credited as "Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges". On January 29, 2006 he was awarded with a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Cast in a Motion Picture for his work in the film Crash. Ludacris also starred in 2 Fast 2 Furious, and recently appeared in the March 28, 2006 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Discography
Solo albums
- 1999: Incognegro US #179
- 2000: Back For The First Time US #4 (Certification: 3x Platinum)
- 2001: Word Of Mouf US #3 US (Certification: 3x Platinum)
- 2003: Chicken & Beer #1 US (Certification: 2x Platinum)
- 2004: The Red Light District #1 US (Certification: 2x Platinum)
- 2006: Release Therapy
With Disturbing tha Peace
- 2002: Golden Grain
- 2005: Ludacris Presents: Disturbing tha Peace #11 US (U.S. Certification: Gold)
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop | U.S. Rap | UK Singles Chart | |||
| 2000 | "Southern Hospitality" | 23 | 6 | 5 | - | Back for the First Time |
| 2001 | "What's Your Fantasy" (featuring Shawnna) | 21 | 10 | 12 | 19 | Back for the First Time |
| 2001 | "Area Codes" (featuring Nate Dogg) | 24 | 10 | 7 | 25 | Word of Mouf |
| 2001 | "Fatty Girl" (with LL Cool J & Keith Murray) | 87 | 32 | 6 | - | FUBU - The Good Life Comp |
| 2001 | "Roll Out (My Business)" | 17 | 7 | 20 | 20 | Word of Mouf |
| 2002 | "Move Bitch" (featuring Mystikal and I-20) | 10 | 3 | 3 | - | Word of Mouf |
| 2002 | "Saturday (Oooh Oooh)" (featuring Sleepy Brown) | 22 | 10 | 4 | 31 | Word of Mouf |
| 2003 | "Act a Fool" | 32 | 20 | 10 | - | 2 Fast 2 Furious |
| 2003 | "Stand Up" (featuring Shawnna) | 1 (1 week) | 1 | 1 | 14 | Chicken -N- Beer |
| 2004 | "Splash Waterfalls" | 6 | 2 | 3 | - | Chicken -N- Beer |
| 2004 | "Diamond in the Back" | 94 | 51 | - | - | |
| 2004 | "Yeah!" (Usher featuring Ludacris & Lil Jon) | 1 (12 Weeks) | 1 | 1 | 1 | Confessions |
| 2004 | "Get Back" | 13 | 9 | 5 | 30 | The Red Light District |
| 2005 | "Number One Spot" | 19 | 8 | 6 | 30 | The Red Light District |
| 2005 | "Potion" | - | 65 | - | - | The Red Light District |
| 2005 | "Pimpin' All Over the World" (featuring Bobby Valentino) | 9 | 5 | 2 | - | The Red Light District |
| 2005 | "Unpredictable" (Jamie Foxx featuring Ludacris) | 9 | 2 | - | 16 | Unpredictable |
| 2005 | "Georgia" (featuring Field Mob & Jamie Foxx) | 39 | 31 | 21 | - | Ludacris Presents: Disturbing tha Peace |
Grammy Awards history
| Category | Genre | Song | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Rap Solo Performance | Rap | "Number 1 Spot" | 2006 | Nominated |
| Best R&B Song | R&B | "Yeah!" | 2005 | Nominated |
| Record of the Year | General | "Yeah!" | 2005 | Nominated |
| Best Rap/Sung Collaboration | Rap | "Yeah" | 2005 | Won |
| Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television Special | Motion Picture | "Act A Fool" | 2004 | Nominated |
| Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group | Rap | "Gossip Folks" | 2004 | Nominated |
| Best Male Rap Solo Performance | Rap | "Stand Up" | 2004 | Nominated |
| Best Rap Album | Rap | Word of Mouf | 2003 | Nominated |
| Best Male Rap Solo Performance | Rap | "Roll Out (My Business)" | 2003 | Nominated |
| Best Short Form Music Video | Music Video | "One Minute Man" | 2002 | Nominated |
| Best Rap/Sung Collaboration | Rap | "Area Codes" | 2002 | Nominated |
| Best Rap Album | Rap | Back For the First Time | 2001 | Nominated |