Ludacris

Biography

Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (), is an American rapper and actor. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he first began rapping. Starting out with a brief stint as a DJ, he formed the record label Disturbing tha Peace in the late 1990s to release his debut studio album Incognegro×Incognegro16 May 2000 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Intro0:152U Got a Problem?5:063Game Got Switched4:0941st & 103:425It Wasn Us4:336Come On Over1:027Hood Stuck4:268Get Off Me2:469Mouthing Off3:0110Midnight Train4:5211Ho (skit)0:4312Ho2:5113Tickets Sold Out (skit)0:3214Catch Up4:1615What’s Your Fantasy4:3616Rock and a Hard Place4:20 (1999). After its single, "What's Your Fantasy" (featuring Shawnna), became a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, the album was re-released by Def Jam Recordings as his major label debut, Back for the First Time×Back for the First Time17 October 2000 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1U Got a Problem?4:552Game Got Switched4:0931st & 103:434What’s Your Fantasy4:365Come on Over (skit)1:036Hood Stuck4:227Get Off Me2:468Mouthing Off3:019Stick ’em Up5:0510Ho (skit)0:4311Ho2:5112Tickets Sold Out (skit)0:3213Catch Up4:1514Southern Hospitality5:0115What’s Your Fantasy (remix)4:3816Phat Rabbit4:58 (2000). The latter album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and spawned his second top 40 single, "Southern Hospitality×Southern Hospitality2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracksA1Southern Hospitality (radio edit)A2Southern Hospitality (LP version)A3Southern Hospitality (instrumental)B1Catch Up (radio edit)B2Catch Up (LP version)B3Catch Up (instrumental)" (featuring Pharrell).
Ludacris' subsequent albums—Word of Mouf×Word of Mouf6 November 2001 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Coming to America4:242Roll Out (My Business)4:593Go to Sleep5:124Cry Babies5:585She Said4:356HoWhere (Skit)1:147Area Codes5:058Growing Pains4:519Greatest Hits1:1910Move Bitch4:3311Stop Lying (Skit)1:3812Saturday3:5313Keep It on the Hush4:4914Word of Mouf (Freestyle)2:1415Get the Fuck Back5:2416Freaky Thangs5:3417Cold Outside6:03 (2001), Chicken-n-Beer×Chicken-N-Beer6 October 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Southern Fried Intro3:562Blow It Out4:053Stand Up3:344Rob Quarters Skit1:045Splash Waterfalls4:516Hard Times5:167Diamond in the Back4:138Screwed Up4:539T Baggin’ Skit0:5310P-Poppin’4:4911Hip Hop Quotables3:1012Black Man’s Struggle Skit0:3613Hoes in My Room4:4014Teamwork3:4615Interactive Skit1:0416We Got4:2117Eyebrows Down5:20 (2003) and The Red Light District×The Red Light District7 December 2004 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Intro1:252Number One Spot4:343Get Back4:314Put Your Money4:145Blueberry Yum Yum3:546Child of the Night5:027The Potion3:558Pass Out4:249Spur of the Moment4:1610Who Not Me4:5611Large Amounts4:3412Pimpin’ All Over the World5:3013Two Miles an Hour4:4614Hopeless5:0615Virgo3:31 (2004)—were each met with continued success, receiving multi-platinum certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His fifth and sixth albums, Release Therapy×Release Therapy1 January 2006 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Warning (intro)2:302Grew Up a Screw Up4:003Money Maker3:514Girls Gone Wild3:375Ultimate Satisfaction4:206Mouths to Feed4:187End of the Night4:378Woozy5:189Tell It Like It Is3:5610War With God4:3111Do Your Time5:1612Slap4:4013Runaway Love4:4114Freedom of Preach7:0715We Ain’t Worried ’Bout U4:24 (2006) and Theater of the Mind×Theater of the Mind24 November 2008 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Intro1:552Undisputed4:333Wish You Would4:474One More Drink3:415Call Up the Homies4:046Southern Gangsta4:347Everybody Hates Chris4:548What Them Girls Like4:029Nasty Girl4:3210Contagious4:4511Last of a Dying Breed4:1012MVP3:5013I Do It for Hip Hop5:2214Do the Right Thang5:1115Exclusive Video Footage3:08 (2008), explored more serious subject matter than its predecessors. His seventh album, Battle of the Sexes×Battle of the Sexes9 March 2010 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Intro1:282How Low3:223My Chick Bad3:374Everybody Drunk4:105I Do It All Night4:416Sex Room5:317I Know You Got a Man4:048Hey Ho4:129Party No Mo’4:2110B.O.T.S. Radio4:5611Can’t Live With You4:2012Feelin’ So Sexy3:3013Tell Me a Secret4:1914My Chick Bad (remix)3:2415Sexting4:44 (2010), featured a return to the more lighthearted tone of his earlier albums. Throughout his career, Ludacris has scored two number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 as a lead artist: "Stand Up×Stand Up2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Stand Up (album version)2Stand Up (Fatboy Slim remix)" (featuring Shawnna) and "Money Maker×Money Maker2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Money Maker (explicit)3:532Sweet Revenge (explicit)5:093Money Maker (instrumental)3:504Money Maker (video)3:54" (featuring Pharrell), as well as three singles which did so as a guest performer: Usher's "Yeah!" in 2004, Fergie's "Glamorous" in 2007, and Taio Cruz's "Break Your Heart" in 2009. The following year, he guest appeared on Justin Bieber's single "Baby", which remains one of the highest-certified singles of all time in the United States.
Ludacris was one of the first Dirty South rappers to achieve mainstream success in the early 2000s. He is the recipient of three Grammy Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics' Choice Award and an MTV Video Music Award. Outside of music, he has portrayed the character Tej Parker in the Fast & Furious film series—first appearing in its second film, 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003). His other notable acting roles include Crash (2004), Gamer (2009), and New Year's Eve (2011). In 2021, he created and starred in the children's animated series Karma's World for Netflix. Ludacris is also a private pilot.

Early life

Bridges was born in Champaign, Illinois, and moved to Oak Park as a teenager. After attending Oak Park River Forest High School in ninth grade, Bridges moved to Centreville, Virginia, and attended Centreville High School for one year. He attended Banneker High School in Atlanta, Georgia, and graduated in 1995. From 1998 to 1999, he studied music management at Georgia State University. His great-great-grandfather was a Choctaw. In an interview with A. J. Jacobs, Bridges learned that his great-grandmother had said one of his great-great-grandfathers, who is a white Englishman, was probably Jewish. Bridges is also a distant cousin of the comedian Richard Pryor. He wrote his first rap song at age nine when moving to Atlanta and joined an amateur rap group three years later.

1998–2000: Incognegro and Back for the First Time

Ludacris served as an intern and a DJ at Atlanta's Hot 97.5 (now Hot 107.9) under the name "Chris Lova Lova". During his radio career, Ludacris met music producer Timbaland, whose album Tim's Bio: Life from da Bassment would feature Ludacris on the track "Phat Rabbit" (credited as Ludichris). Speaking with MTV's hip-hop show Direct Effect in 2000, Ludacris explained his stage name was a play on the word "ludicrous".
In 1999, Ludacris released his debut album Incognegro×Incognegro16 May 2000 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Intro0:152U Got a Problem?5:063Game Got Switched4:0941st & 103:425It Wasn Us4:336Come On Over1:027Hood Stuck4:268Get Off Me2:469Mouthing Off3:0110Midnight Train4:5211Ho (skit)0:4312Ho2:5113Tickets Sold Out (skit)0:3214Catch Up4:1615What’s Your Fantasy4:3616Rock and a Hard Place4:20 through his independent label Disturbing tha Peace. Def Jam South would later repackage Incognegro with some new songs added into Ludacris's major label debut Back for the First Time in 2000. The album reached number four on the U.S. Billboard 200 and included the singles "What's Your Fantasy" (featuring Shawnna) and "Southern Hospitality×Southern Hospitality2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracksA1Southern Hospitality (radio edit)A2Southern Hospitality (LP version)A3Southern Hospitality (instrumental)B1Catch Up (radio edit)B2Catch Up (LP version)B3Catch Up (instrumental)" (featuring Pharrell Williams), which respectively reached no. 21 and 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.

2001–2003: Word of Mouf and Chicken-n-Beer

In 2001, Ludacris contributed the hit single "Area Codes" (featuring Nate Dogg) to the soundtrack to the film Rush Hour 2. It was also included on his next album, Word of Mouf×Word of Mouf6 November 2001 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Coming to America4:242Roll Out (My Business)4:593Go to Sleep5:124Cry Babies5:585She Said4:356HoWhere (Skit)1:147Area Codes5:058Growing Pains4:519Greatest Hits1:1910Move Bitch4:3311Stop Lying (Skit)1:3812Saturday3:5313Keep It on the Hush4:4914Word of Mouf (Freestyle)2:1415Get the Fuck Back5:2416Freaky Thangs5:3417Cold Outside6:03, released later that year. The Word of Mouf lead single "Rollout (My Business)×Rollout (My Business)2001 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Rollout (My Business) (album version)4:452Rollout (My Business) (Wiley Kat remix) (Pay As U Go)4:243What’s Your Fantasy (dirty)4:364Rollout (My Business) (video)" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Male Rap Solo Performance in the 2003 Grammy Awards. Two other singles reached the Hot 100 in 2002: "Saturday (Oooh! Ooooh!)" featuring Sleepy Brown peaked at no. 22, and "Move Bitch×Move Bitch2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Move B***h (radio edit)4:102Keep It on the Hush (radio edit)" featuring Mystikal and I-20 peaked at no. 10.
Ludacris also had guest spots on hit singles throughout 2001 and 2002, such as Jermaine Dupri's "Welcome to Atlanta" that peaked at no. 35 on the Hot 100 and no. 15 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Ludacris was among multiple featured rappers on "Bia' Bia'" by Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz, which peaked at no. 47 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart in August 2001. In the last week of 2002, "Gossip Folks" by Missy Elliott featuring Ludacris was released as a single, and it peaked at no. 8 on the Hot 100 in March 2003.
In April 2003, Ludacris released the single "Act a Fool×Act a Fool2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Act a Fool (radio edit)2Block Reincarnated (radio edit)3Act a Fool (instrumental)" from the soundtrack of the movie 2 Fast 2 Furious, in which he played Tej Parker. Director John Singleton brought Ludacris into the franchise after failing to secure Ja Rule's return for the sequel to The Fast and the Furious. In the fall of 2003, Ludacris released his next album Chicken-n-Beer×Chicken-N-Beer6 October 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Southern Fried Intro3:562Blow It Out4:053Stand Up3:344Rob Quarters Skit1:045Splash Waterfalls4:516Hard Times5:167Diamond in the Back4:138Screwed Up4:539T Baggin’ Skit0:5310P-Poppin’4:4911Hip Hop Quotables3:1012Black Man’s Struggle Skit0:3613Hoes in My Room4:4014Teamwork3:4615Interactive Skit1:0416We Got4:2117Eyebrows Down5:20, featuring guest appearances from Playaz Circle, Chingy, Snoop Dogg, 8Ball & MJG, Lil' Flip, I-20, Lil Fate, and Shawnna. The single, "Stand Up×Stand Up2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Stand Up (album version)2Stand Up (Fatboy Slim remix)" appeared on both Chicken-n-Beer as well as the soundtrack for the teen hip-hop/dance movie You Got Served. Produced by Kanye West, "Stand Up" went on to become one of Ludacris' biggest mainstream hits to date, hitting the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 garnering heavy airplay on mainstream pop, rhythmic, and urban radio stations, as well as on MTV, MTV2, and BET. Ludacris was sued by a New Jersey group called I.O.F. who claimed that "Stand Up" used a hook from one of their songs, but in June 2006, a jury found that the song did not violate copyrights. "I hope the plaintiffs enjoyed their 15 minutes of fame," Ludacris said after the verdict.
The album's next single, "Splash Waterfalls×Splash Waterfalls8 December 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracksA1Splash Waterfalls (radio)A2Splash Waterfalls (main)A3Spalsh Waterfalls (instrumental)B1Blow It Out (radio)B2Blow It Out (main)B3Blow It Out (instrumental)", was released in early 2004. A huge pop hit (despite its steamy video and explicit, adult-oriented lyrical content and themes), it subsequently became a success at urban radio and BET, and is the only time he has produced two consecutive top 10 singles from a solo album, except for Release Therapy×Release Therapy1 January 2006 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Warning (intro)2:302Grew Up a Screw Up4:003Money Maker3:514Girls Gone Wild3:375Ultimate Satisfaction4:206Mouths to Feed4:187End of the Night4:378Woozy5:189Tell It Like It Is3:5610War With God4:3111Do Your Time5:1612Slap4:4013Runaway Love4:4114Freedom of Preach7:0715We Ain’t Worried ’Bout U4:24 (an unedited version of the video could only be viewed on BET's Uncut program). It was Ludacris' most sexual video yet, an R&B remix that featured Raphael Saadiq and sampled Tony! Toni! Tone!'s "Whatever You Want". Ludacris received his first Grammy Award with Usher and Lil Jon for their hit single "Yeah!". Ludacris next released "Blow It Out×Blow It Out2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Blow It Out (radio)4:082Blow It Out (super clean)4:083Blow It Out (instrumental)4:044Blow It Out (call out)0:10", which was accompanied by a low-budget music video.

2004–2007: The Red Light District and Release Therapy

Ludacris took a more mature approach to his fourth album The Red Light District×The Red Light District7 December 2004 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Intro1:252Number One Spot4:343Get Back4:314Put Your Money4:145Blueberry Yum Yum3:546Child of the Night5:027The Potion3:558Pass Out4:249Spur of the Moment4:1610Who Not Me4:5611Large Amounts4:3412Pimpin’ All Over the World5:3013Two Miles an Hour4:4614Hopeless5:0615Virgo3:31. Sohail Khalid helped produce this album with various artists such as T.I., Lil' Flip and Bun B. Ludacris openly boasted that he may be the only rapper able to keep the Def Jam label afloat on the opening track. Ludacris filmed and recorded the single "Get Back×Get Back2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracksA1Get Back (clean)A2Get Back (main)A3Get Back (instrumental)B1Put Your Money (clean)B2Put Your Money (dirty)B3Put Your Money (instrumental)" in which he was featured as a muscle-bound hulk who was being annoyed by the media and warned critics to leave him alone. He first appeared on Saturday Night Live as a special guest performing with musical guest Sum 41 on a season 30 episode hosted by Paul Giamatti. He then recorded "Get Back" with Sum 41 to make a rock crossover single. The follow-up single was the Austin Powers-inspired "Number One Spot×Number One Spot2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Number One Spot4:342Get Back (Sum 41 Rock remix)4:11". It was produced by New York City's 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. Featured artists on the album include Nas, DJ Quik, DMX, Trick Daddy, Sleepy Brown and Disturbing tha Peace newcomers Bobby Valentino, Dolla Boi and Small World. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard charts.
In an issue of XXL, Ludacris was placed in the number nine spot for the most anticipated albums of 2006, for Release Therapy×Release Therapy1 January 2006 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Warning (intro)2:302Grew Up a Screw Up4:003Money Maker3:514Girls Gone Wild3:375Ultimate Satisfaction4:206Mouths to Feed4:187End of the Night4:378Woozy5:189Tell It Like It Is3:5610War With God4:3111Do Your Time5:1612Slap4:4013Runaway Love4:4114Freedom of Preach7:0715We Ain’t Worried ’Bout U4:24. The album Release Therapy was released on September 26, 2006. Ludacris formatted the CD to have two sides: a Release side and a Therapy side on a single CD. Guest appearances include Pharrell Williams, R. Kelly, Young Jeezy, Mary J. Blige, Field Mob, Bobby Valentino, Pimp C, C-Murder and Beanie Sigel. The first single, "Money Maker×Money Maker2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Money Maker (explicit)3:532Sweet Revenge (explicit)5:093Money Maker (instrumental)3:504Money Maker (video)3:54", which features Williams, was released to U.S. radio outlets on July 17, 2006. "Money Maker" reached number one on the BET program 106 & Park. It then went to become the rapper's second number-one single after 6 years. His second single, "Grew Up a Screw Up×Grew Up a Screw Up2006 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Grew Up a Screw Up (clean)4:132Grew Up a Screw Up (dirty)4:133Grew Up a Screw Up (instrumental)4:01", featuring Young Jeezy, dispels rumors that the two are or ever were in a dispute. His third single, "Runaway Love", soon peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks and won Best Collaboration in the 2007 BET Awards. Release Therapy won the Best Rap Album award at the 2007 Grammy Awards. His album then reached number one on the Billboard 200 album charts with sales of 309,000 in its first week. With the release of this album, Ludacris marked a change in style in his career with his musical style. The new album itself features a departure of the lighthearted mood of his previous albums, and introduces a darker side. A change of hair accompanied this as he cut off his trademark braids for a more conventional "fade" cut. To promote the album, Ludacris returned to Saturday Night Live (as both host and musical guest) on November 18, 2006.

2008–2010: Theater of the Mind and Battle of the Sexes

The Preview, a mixtape to preview the album was released on July 28, 2008. Theater of the Mind was released on November 24, 2008, and in April 2008, the single "Let's Stay Together" appeared on xxlmag.com; supposedly from the new album ("Let's Stay Together" was expected to but was released as a bonus track on the CD). A song with Small World called "Pinky Shinin" was expected to be on the album, but it was dropped. In an interview with Complex Magazine he stated that Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, T.I., Plies, Common, T-Pain, Jay-Z, Nas and The Game will be on the album; Game is featured in a track with Willy Northpole titled "Call Up the Homies". T.I. was on the album on a track called "Wish You Would" squashing the long feud between them. The album debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 with 213,493 sold first week. The album was released the same day as Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak, which took the number-one spot. His first single "What Them Girls Like", featuring Chris Brown and Sean Garrett, peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100. His second single, "One More Drink", featuring T-Pain, peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. The third official single is "Nasty Girl×Nasty Girl2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Nasty Girl (clean)3:572Nasty Girl (main)3:573Nasty Girl (instrumental)3:57", featuring Plies. He confirmed a "sequel" titled Ludaversal due to be released September 11, 2012.
Ludacris was featured on Justin Bieber's hit single "Baby", which became one of the highest-certified singles of all time in the US and gained international success. His eighth studio album was released on March 9, 2010, with his first promotional single for the album being "Everybody Drunk" which features Callum Smith, originally featuring Shawnna. The first concept idea of the album was to have Ludacris and Shawnna battle it out on the album back–to–back, but this was later axed upon Shawnna's departure from Disturbing tha Peace, ending her contract on Ludacris' label and joining T-Pain's Nappy Boy Entertainment label. The first official single released from Battle of the Sexes was "How Low×How Low8 December 2009 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1How Low3:27", which was released on December 8, 2009. The follow–up single was "My Chick Bad", released on February 23, 2010. The third single is "Sex Room", peaking at number 69 on the Billboard Hot 100. Ludacris's Battle of the Sexes entered the chart at number one, with 137,000 sales in the first week. The album is currently certified gold.

2012–2015: Ludaversal

In 2012, Ludacris released the singles "Representin" and "Rest of My Life", both of which were scrapped after the songs underperformed and the recording process for his upcoming album Ludaversal×Ludaversal31 March 2015 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Ludaversal Intro3:352Grass Is Always Greener3:163Call Ya Bluff3:084Lyrical Healing1:165Beast Mode3:366Viagra Skit1:447Get Lit3:598Come and See Me Interlude1:169Come and See Me4:2610Good Lovin3:4311Ocean Skies4:4912Not Long4:1413Charge It to the Rap Game3:5014This Has Been My World6:3215Money4:5316Problems4:0017In My Life4:5318Burning Bridges4:05 stalled.
On May 24, 2013, Ludacris released a mixtape entitled #IDGAF×#IDGAF24 May 2013 · Studio album · Mixtape/StreetSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Intro0:322If I Ain't Fucked Up3:533Raised In The South4:534Helluva Night3:1759 Times Out Of 104:296Speak Into The Mic4:097Dancing Dirty3:388IDGAF3:049Shes A Trip4:0910Mad Fo6:38. He had been releasing a new song on Fridays as he was calling these releases IDGAF Fridays. These songs, in order of release, were "Raised in the South" featuring rapper Jeezy, released on April 19. That release was followed by "If I Ain't Fucked Up" on April 26, "9 Times Out of 10" featuring rappers French Montana & Que on May 3, "Speak into The Mic" on May 10, and "I Don't Give A Fuck" on May 17. The last song was released a week before the release of the mixtape. The mixtape had almost 60,000 downloads via datpiff.com within the first day. Ludacris reprised his role as Tej in the blockbuster movie Fast & Furious 6, which opened during Memorial Day Weekend, May 2013. Ludacris had this to say about his upcoming new album: "I think every album is like a progression, I'm working with different producers. Usher, We definitely have this album which is a great thing. Ne-Yo is also on the album and I have producers like David Guetta, we have Stargate, have trainees. [The] Kelly Rowland single just came out that you need to check out. It's called 'Representing'".
On August 3, 2013, Ludacris confirmed to VIBE.com he will be working with Anita Baker. "I don't know if the cat's out the bag. Yeah, Anita Baker is definitely on the album", admitted Luda. "She's on that particular song. [It] is really about my father and growing up and me being a kid and trying to get him to stop and me dealing with that."
After a lengthy hiatus, Ludacris returned to the music on January 30, 2014, with the release of a single "Party Girls" featuring Jeremih, Wiz Khalifa and Cashmere Cat. The song takes a cue from Aqua's 1997 song "Barbie Girl"; however, the single did not appear on the new album. On October 9, 2014, Ludacris announced that Ludaversal would be released on March 31, 2015; which will be preceded by an EP titled Burning Bridges×Burning Bridges15 December 2014 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1New Beginning Intro1:352Money4:543Problems3:594In My Life4:535Burning Bridges4:066Good Lovin3:44 due for release on December 16, 2014. On October 31, 2014, Ludacris premiered the first single from the "Burning Bridges" EP titled "Good Lovin'" featuring American singer Miguel.
Due to its moderate success, "Good Lovin" would go on to serve as the first single from Ludaversal. On March 3, 2015, Ludacris held a listening party for Ludaversal with Def Jam. The tracks "Intro", "Not For Long" featuring Usher, and "Come N See Me" featuring Big K.R.I.T. were revealed to the public After 3 years worth of delays, Ludaversal was released March 31, 2015 to generally positive reviews and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard 200.

2017–present: Upcoming tenth studio album and Karma's World

In March 2017, Ludacris confirmed that he was working on his tenth studio album in an interview with Complex magazine. On March 31, 2017, Ludacris released a new single called "Vitamin D" featuring Ty Dolla $ign.

In 2017, Ludacris hosted YouTube's Best.Cover.Ever show.
In 2018, he was featured on country singer Carrie Underwood's single "The Champion". The song peaked at number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the opening song for Super Bowl LII and 2018 Winter Olympics and Cry Pretty. On May 8, 2018, Ludacris received three nominations and one win at the 2018 CMT Music Awards.
On October 14, 2020, Netflix commissioned his then-new animated musical children's television series known as Karma's World for an initial 40 episodes from 9 Story Productions, Creative Affairs Group and his production company, Karma's World Entertainment, Using the inspiration of his eldest daughter, Karma Bridges, and the eponymous website created in 2009. Ludacris stated in interviews with People and Billboard that he and Karma "spent close to a decade and a half" working on the "perfection" of the production. The series premiered on Netflix on October 15, 2021, alongside its official soundtrack album, which was produced and released by Def Jam Recordings on global digital music streaming platforms. On January 17, 2022, the series got nominated for three NAACP Image Awards including Outstanding Children's Program and Ludacris himself got nominated for his voice-over performance as Karma's on-screen father. Netflix renewed Karma's World for a second season on back of the encouragements, which premiered on March 10, 2022.
In August 2021, Ludacris released the single "Butter.ATL×Butter.ATL13 August 2021 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Butter.ATL2:07". In December 2022, it was announced that Ludacris would open up for Janet Jackson's Together Again Tour. In 2024 Ludacris made a cameo in Usher's Super Bowl LVIII halftime show, performing his portion of "Yeah". In 2025 Ludacris released the single 44 Bars". In 2026, Ludacris released the single "Pull Over×Pull Over17 April 2026 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Pull Over2:57", which is rumored to be the first single for an upcoming album.

Personal life

From 2009 until their marriage in 2014, he dated model Eudoxie Mbouguiengue. On December 26, 2014, Ludacris became engaged to Mbouguiengue while in Costa Rica, and the two married later that same day. In early June 2015, Eudoxie announced that the couple had welcomed a baby girl. In May 2021, Eudoxie shared via Instagram that she and Ludacris were expecting their second child together. He has two other daughters from previous relationships.
In January 2020, Ludacris acquired Gabonese citizenship along with his mother and his two daughters.

Business ventures

Ludacris is the founder of his own record label, Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings. He is the co-owner of Conjure Cognac. In 2011, Ludacris released his own line of headphones called "Soul By Ludacris" manufactured by Soul Electronics. He also has various real estate holdings.
In 2006, Ludacris appeared in a television and print advertising campaign for Puma, which released three limited edition models of a "Clyde x Luda" Puma Clyde sneaker, with Ludacris' image on the heel of the insole and "DTP" (for Disturbing tha Peace) on the heel window.
In November 2016, Ludacris opened up a restaurant named "Chicken N Beer" at the Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport in Atlanta.
In December 2023, he made his theater producing debut as a producer on the Broadway musical How to Dance in Ohio.

Philanthropy

In 2011, Ludacris joined a joint effort between Do Something and Better World Books to collect books to help restock library shelves in New Orleans. He filmed a public service announcement in support of the Epic Book Drive.
Ludacris also started the Ludacris Foundation at the beginning of his music career in 2002. The aim of the foundation is to inspire the youth through education, memorable experiences and helping the youth help themselves. The focus is what Ludacris calls the "3Ls": Leadership and Education, Living Healthy Lifestyles, and LudaCares.

Awards and honors

Ludacris has won many awards throughout his career, including three Grammy Awards for his music and an ensemble Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance in the 2004 movie Crash.
In October 2019, Ludacris was named the artist-in-residence at Georgia State University, where he will mentor students in the Creative Media Industries Institute.
On April 13, 2022, Georgia State University announced the Georgia Board of Regents had approved Ludacris to receive an honorary Bachelor of Science degree in Music Management. He received this honorary degree on May 4, 2022, at the commencement ceremony at Center Parc Stadium where he also delivered a speech.

T.I.

Tensions began when T.I. saw Disturbing tha Peace rapper I-20's video in which a man wearing a shirt with the words "Trap House", was being beaten. T.I. believed the man's shirt actually said "Trap Muzik", perhaps interpreting this to be a reference to his album of the same name. Later, G-Unit artist Young Buck asked these two fellow Southern rappers to appear on his new record on the track "Stomp". T.I. recorded a verse that contained a line that Young Buck considered to be an insult towards Ludacris, "Me gettin' beat down?/That's ludicrous". Young Buck spoke to Ludacris about his interpretation of the event. Ludacris then later recorded a verse that can be found on the album Straight Outta Cashville. T.I's record company wanted Ludacris to change his verse before they sanctioned it but Ludacris refused and T.I. was therefore replaced by Game on the album version.
On June 24, 2007, at the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood, California, T.I. was involved in a physical altercation. During a luncheon held by Kevin Liles of Warner Music Group (parent company of T.I.'s label, Atlantic Records), the MC got into a fight with Ludacris' manager Chaka Zulu. According to witnesses, T.I. punched Zulu in the face and choked him and a small, brief melee ensued.
T.I. was awarded honors for Best Hip-Hop Artist at the BET Awards, and took the opportunity to apologize for his scuffle with Zulu. While accepting his award, he expressed regret over the situation. "They say it's a fine line between brilliance and insanity", he said, in an apparent reference to his troublesome alter ego, T.I.P. During the broadcast, cameras showed his onetime rival Ludacris smiling in the audience.
The two rappers have resolved their disagreement and have collaborated on four songs: "Wish You Would" off Ludacris's sixth studio album Theater of the Mind×Theater of the Mind24 November 2008 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Intro1:552Undisputed4:333Wish You Would4:474One More Drink3:415Call Up the Homies4:046Southern Gangsta4:347Everybody Hates Chris4:548What Them Girls Like4:029Nasty Girl4:3210Contagious4:4511Last of a Dying Breed4:1012MVP3:5013I Do It for Hip Hop5:2214Do the Right Thang5:1115Exclusive Video Footage3:08, "On Top of the World" off T.I.'s sixth studio album Paper Trail, and "We in This Bitch" off DJ Drama's album Quality Street Music. The original version of the latter had Kanye West. The two have also collaborated on Big Boi's song called "In The A", released on the 2012 album Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors.

Bill O'Reilly and Pepsi

On August 27, 2002, political pundit Bill O'Reilly called for all Americans to boycott Pepsi products because they hired Ludacris for promotional purposes and O'Reilly objected to Ludacris's style and attitude. The next day, O'Reilly reported that Pepsi had fired Ludacris. Six months later, Russell Simmons and his hip-hop action summit threatened a boycott of all PepsiCo products on the grounds that Pepsi had subsequently hired Ozzy Osbourne for a commercial even though Osbourne is notable for use of profanity and explicit lyrics. Eventually an agreement was reached that resulted in PepsiCo donating $3 million to Ludacris's foundation and other inner city charities.
This is referred to in the 2003 songs "Hoes in My Room" as well as "Blow It Out×Blow It Out2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Blow It Out (radio)4:082Blow It Out (super clean)4:083Blow It Out (instrumental)4:044Blow It Out (call out)0:10" from Chicken n' Beer. Three years later, this would be referred to again in the song "Number One Spot×Number One Spot2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Number One Spot4:342Get Back (Sum 41 Rock remix)4:11". During a summer 2003 appearance on MTV's The New Tom Green Show, Ludacris and host Tom Green launched copies of Bill O'Reilly-authored books into a dumpster using a homemade catapult. In an interview with RadarOnline.com in 2010, Ludacris stated that he and O'Reilly had made amends after having a conversation at a charity event.

2008 presidential election

The song "Politics as Usual" from Ludacris's mixtape The Preview×The Preview28 July 2008 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 21 tracks1And Starring…1:442Still Spittin4:263DTP Magic4:394Get Up Get Out4:465So Thoro2:216The Vocalizer1:457Bigg Ass House3:2282 Kings3:099Politics as Usual2:1310Look What I Got3:0611Pinky Shinin’3:4112Sho’Nuff Revisited3:5213Ordinary Negroes2:4214Throw It Up4:2215Coogi Down2:5816I’m a Dog4:3817Smokin Big Kill2:3718Stay Together4:0119We Ain’t Worried Bout You3:2820Roll the Credits0:1921Been Puttin On / Secret Song8:46 has caused controversy due to lyrics in the song criticizing Jesse Jackson; ("Now Jesse talkin' slick and apologizin' for what? If you said it then you meant it", in reference to Jackson stating that he would "like to cut Obama's nuts off"), John McCain ("McCain don't belong in any chair unless he's paralyzed"), President George W. Bush ("Yeah I said it, 'cuz Bush is mentally handicapped / Ball up all of his speeches and throw 'em just like candy wraps / 'Cuz what you talkin' I hear nothin' even relevant / you the worst of all 43 presidents"), and Hillary Clinton ("Hillary hated on you, so that bitch is irrelevant", in reference to Hillary's campaign comments against Obama).