Early years
Bridges began his music career as a radio personality and DJ as Chris Lova Lova on Hot 97, 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 Basement. Although both Timbaland and Jermaine Dupri showed interest in signing Ludacris, he decided to release the album "Incognegro" independently in 1999. The album sold over 50,000 copies through the Atlanta based independent music distributor, Southern Music Distribution. 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.
Back for the First Time
Ludacris released his major label debut, Back for the First Time, in October 2000. The album reached as high as #4 on the charts, and was a major success. Ludacris made his mark on the industry with singles such as "Southern Hospitality" and "What's Your Fantasy", along with his first ever single "Phat Rabbit", from 2 years prior. Back for the First Time was the beginning of Ludacris's explosion to the top of the rap world.
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. Ludacris reached a new level of notoriety when TV's Bill O'Reilly expressed outrage that Pepsi had hired Ludacris as a spokesman. O'Reilly repeatedly attacked Ludacris's foul language and called for a nation-wide boycott of Pepsi, who then fired Ludacris and hired Ozzy Osbourne's family instead.
Chicken-N-Beer
During the spring of 2003, Ludacris returned to the music scene after a brief hiatus with a new single, "Act A Fool" from 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 were 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 both as a scathing response to the aforementioned criticism levied by Bill O'Reilly and an expression of disgust at Pepsi's cowardice in the affair:
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 cha ass!
* On 1 June 2006, a federal jury found that "Stand Up" did not infringe on the copyright of a song called "Straight Like That" by a New Jersey group known as I.O.F. "I hope the plaintiffs enjoyed their 15 minutes of fame," Ludacris said after the verdict. "This whole experience is proof to me of why I will always fight for what I believe in."
The Red Light District
The fourth 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. He also was featured on Saturday Night Live playing his song Get Back with Sum 41. The follow-up single was the Austin Powers-inspired "The Number One Spot". 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. Ludacris also filmed the video in which he pokes fun at 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 producers Timbaland, Lil' Jon, The Medicine Men and legendary rapper Doug E. Fresh. Featured artists on the album include Nas, DJ Quik, 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 Ludacris 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 Release Therapy was released on September 26, 2006. Ludacris is going to format the cd to have two sides, a Release side and a Therapy side. With the Release side having songs that allow him to get everything off his chest and the Therapy side being just feel-good music. A song titled "War With God" is one of the confirmed tracks from the upcoming album. The first single, "Money Maker", which features Pharrell, was released to U.S. radio outlets on July 17. Others songs will be : "Tell It Like It Is" (Produced by Elaborate Musik Workshop), "Runaway Love" (Feat. Mary J. Blige) and Woozy (Feat. R. Kelly)[1] "Money Maker" reached number one on the BET 106 & Park Countdown for the first time on September 15, 2006. The album recently reached number 1 on the Billboard 200 album charts with sales of more than 300,000 in its first week.
To promote the album, Ludacris will be hosting and performing on Saturday Night Live 18 November. Ludacris is the second and only rapper to host and perform on the same episode (MC Hammer hosted and performed in 1991, on different episodes ).
Theater of the Mind
Ludacris's 6th album, Theater of the Mind was released on November 24, 2008 it includes the singles "What them Girls Like" Co-Starring Chris Brown and Sean Garrett , "One More Drink" Co-Starring T-Pain, and "Nasty Girl" Co-Starring Piles. The New album peaked at 1 on U.S. Billboard Top Rap Albums and peaked at 5 on U.S. Billboard 200.
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 the Oscar-winning films Hustle & Flow and Crash. Crash includes an ironic sequence where Ludacris's character is dismissive of hip-hop music. Interestingly, in both films, he is physically beaten by characters played by Terrence Howard. 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.Ludacris narrated the 2006 Ward Serrill basketball documentary "Heart of the Game." Ludacris recently cut his trademark braids off to project a new image for his upcoming album, Release Therapy.
He recently appeared in the 28 March 2006 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Ludacris portrayed Darius Randall, the nephew of Detective Fin Tutuola, portrayed by Ice T.
Disputes
Furthering the controversy, in response to the signing of the Osbourne family, popular music hip-hop mogul, Russell Simmons, organized a boycott against the company. Simmons demanded an apology from Pepsi to Ludacris and a 5 million dollar donation to one of Ludacris' charities. Eventually Simmons and Pepsi settled on an agreement to stop the boycott, right before it was to officially begin-- while Pepsi did not formally apologize to Ludacris, they did agree to donate millions of dollars over years to Russel Simmon Hip-Hop Summit Action Network.
Ludacris' song "Blow It Out" (from the Chicken & Beer album), acted as a scathing response to his critics, namely O'Reilly.
In another song, "Hoes in My Room", he tells a story about anonymous prostitutes being left in his room, and at the end of the last verse he says:
Then it got to my head and Somethin' remind me
I know who let 'em in, it was Bill O'Reilly.
Then, in 2004, in "Number 1 Spot"
Respected highly, Hi Mr. O'Reilly.
Hope all is well, kiss the plaintiff and the wifey.
In a 2006 interview with GQ magazine, Ludacris criticized Oprah Winfrey about his appearance on her show with the cast of the film Crash. During the interview, the conversation veered from the movie and Winfrey chose to speak on Ludacris' lyrical content, which he felt was unfair as he was visiting her show in the capacity of an actor and not a rapper. Also, Ludacris was upset that some of his responses were later edited from the show's airing. He was later joined by other rappers such as 50 Cent, Ice Cube and Killer Mike who argued that Winfrey had an anti-hip hop bias.
Winfrey responded by saying that she's opposed to rap lyrics that "marginalize women," but enjoys some artists, including Kanye West, who appeared on her show. She said she spoke with Ludacris backstage after his appearance to explain her position and said she understood that his music was for entertainment purposes, but that some of his listeners might take it literally. Ludacris later said the media had blown his comments out of proportion and said he respects Winfrey and considers her "a great individual."
In 2004, before the release of his debut album Straight Outta Ca$hville, Nashville, Tennessee native and G-Unit member Young Buck would enlist the services of fellow Atlanta emcee T.I., also known as T.I.P. in his native Bankhead neighborhood of westside Atlanta. They would create a track entitled "Stomp" amid growing tension between Buck's good friend Ludacris and T.I. On the track, T.I. takes subliminal shots at Ludacris including the line "me gettin' beat down, that's ludicrous." Buck, immediately sensing the tension, decided before releasing the track to notify Ludacris that T.I. had mentioned him since he didn't want to position himself as encouraging T.I.'s actions. Ludacris hears the track and asks Buck if he can add his own verse to which Buck agrees. The results end up being costly for T.I. as he is berated throughout Ludacris' verse and called out by name in his last line. Representatives from T.I. notify Buck that T.I.'s vocals will not be cleared for the album unless T.I. is allowed to change his verse, and also have Ludacris change his. Buck refuses this offer and T.I. prohibits his vocals from being used. Buck has hypeman and fellow rapper D-Tay replace T.I. on the song and D-Tay himself is eventually replaced by The Game on the official release.
Although T.I. was removed, the street cut featuring him and Ludacris had already been leaked to DJs in Atlanta and New York. T.I. was unable to stop the track's distribution throughout the streets of the nation at this point. It is widely accepted that T.I. "lost" this battle with Ludacris easily being the victor. The beef between Ludacris and T.I. was then put to an end behind closed doors as T.I. said that the problems between them have ceased.
In 2006 however, T.I. would release his highly anticipated fourth solo album entitled KING. In his Just Blaze produced track titled "I'm Talkin To You," T.I. lyrically attacks one or more unknown targets who have widely been speculated to be either Ludacris, New Orleans emcee Lil Wayne, or Houston rapper Lil' Flip (whom T.I. also had beef with but has since ended their animosity behind closed doors) or a combination of all three. It is still unknown whether or not T.I. was in fact battling Ludacris again or anyone else for that matter at all. A closer listen to the song, however proves that T.I. isnt dissing Ludacris. In one of T.I.s lines he quotes "had it out with 'Cris, but he still my nigga...sat down civilized talked about it like niggas", alluding to the sit down that he and Ludacris had to end their beef. As a matter of fact during the taping of MTV's My Block 'Atlanta', T.I. and Ludacris are shown greeting each other respectfully.
In July of 2006, a track entitled "War with God" would see Ludacris return after some time off in movies. In the track, Ludacris goes on the offensive against an unknown rapper who has sold drugs, and makes repeated references to shooting guns in his songs, isn't as rich as he (Ludacris) and likes to give himself titles - all very well known characteristics and facts directly relating to T.I and Young Jeezy (or countless other less popular rappers) or the newcoming rappers Yung Joc and Young Dro. In this instance it also unknown whether or not Ludacris is indeed aiming his disses at Young Jeezy, T.I. or if the track is even a song recorded recently. Ludacris recently stated that the song was deeper than just a diss, and the song is more about him than anyone else, it's showing that he isn't just the 'cartoon entertainer' type rapper that he has always been portrayed as, when asked about who specific rhymes were aimed at he said "The guilty will speak". The track has been confirmed to be a selection from Ludacris' upcoming album Release Therapy this September. The song is not aimed at Young Jeezy as he features on the latest album. "War with God" uses a beat written by Don Cheegro and Dirty Harry. Hardship took over ludacris and he was under alot of stress by the end of that album.
Too Easy
Ludacris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See what we have here is
An open invitation to the first day of the rest of your life
'Rese
Just pulled up to the club in a McLaren, got like oh
We hopped out and the girls followed us as we escorted to the top flo'
Got bottles in one hand, cash in the other
My black cards unlimited, keep on spending it, cause I got money to blow
After we leave this club, it's on
Yeah you already know
Got a lot of fly chicks tryna leave with me
So now I'm ready to go
I've got so many, I need an extra car
Don't worry about drinks, baby, I bought the bar
Models everywhere, don't need an Entourage
You know I do it big b-big, I hustle hard
I swear I make it look too easy
Suckas wishing they could be me
Naw, haters can't see me cause I'm too hot for TV
If you niggas don't believe me
Put it in your face like 3-D
That attitude is so greasy, I make it look too easy
You can't get what I get unless you got a passport
Because my swag is so international
From Brazil all the way to Tokyo
I bet you haters thought I would never blow
Now I'm doing what bosses do
Calling out shots from the VIP and all the chicks wanna roll with me
'Cause they know
After we leave this club, it's on
Yeah you already know
Got a lot of fly chicks tryna leave with me
So now I'm ready to go
I've got so many, I need an extra car
Don't worry about drinks, baby, I bought the bar
Models everywhere, don't need an Entourage
You know I do it big b-big, I hustle hard
I wake up and [?] excellence
Good Lawd! This the New Testament
There's one life to live for dead presidents
So being Frank don't insult my intelligence
Get it? Meaning money, I'mma get it
You love it don't ever own it, you rent it, you just a tenant
Forget it, I'm in the Guinness like Dennis, I'm just a menace
To society, Luda will pop eyes for the spinach
Yeah, I'm on that lyrical tip
Plus the coupe's all-white, it's a miracle whip
Then I'm in between the sheets, say I'm flipping the script
With two bad foreign woman: dual citizenship
'Rese!
After we leave this club, it's on
Yeah you already know
Got a lot of fly chicks tryna leave with me
So now I'm ready to go
I've got so many, I need an extra car
Don't worry about drinks, baby, I bought the bar
Models everywhere, don't need an Entourage
You know I do it big b-big, I hustle hard
In the song "Too Easy" by Ludacris, the lyrics depict a luxurious and extravagant lifestyle. The opening lines set the tone, describing a party atmosphere with "Swag central" and an invitation to embrace a new beginning. Ludacris arrives at the club in a McLaren, an expensive sports car, immediately attracting attention. As he enters the club, women eagerly follow, and he holds bottles and cash, symbolizing his wealth. Money is spent freely, with stacks of cash flying everywhere, reinforcing the idea of his lavish lifestyle.
As the night progresses, Ludacris reveals that after leaving the club, the party continues elsewhere. He boasts about the number of attractive women who are interested in leaving with him, and that he needs an extra car to accommodate them all. The lyrics indicate that he is financially secure enough to buy the entire bar. Additionally, he mentions having models around him, suggesting that he does not need an entourage to enhance his image. Ludacris exudes confidence and ambition, stating that he always goes big and works hard.
The chorus emphasizes Ludacris' belief that he effortlessly achieves success and makes it look easy. Those who envy or despise him are referred to as "suckas" and "haters" who cannot compare to his status. He asserts that his achievements are undeniable, almost tangible like a 3-D experience. Ludacris' attitude is perceived as arrogant, or as he describes it, "so greasy."
In the next stanza, Ludacris brags about his international appeal and broad reach. He suggests that his coolness extends from Brazil to Tokyo, surprising those who may have doubted his potential. His confidence leads him to assume a position of power, making decisions from the VIP section. This authority attracts a lot of women who want to be associated with him, emphasizing his desirability.
Moving forward, Ludacris mentions waking up and pursuing excellence while referencing the New Testament. He connects the pursuit of money with reverence for iconic individuals on monetary denominations. He encourages others to strive for success and mocks those who merely rent and don't fully embrace their desires. Ludacris confirms his position in the music industry, comparing himself to a famous animated character, Popeye, known for his strength after consuming spinach. This comparison speaks to Ludacris' confidence and the impact he believes he has on society.
Overall, Ludacris paints a picture of a charismatic and successful individual who effortlessly navigates a world of luxury and excess. The lyrics convey his unwavering self-assurance and desire to live life to the fullest, making it clear that he believes his accomplishments come with ease.
Line by Line Meaning
Swag central
This place is filled with people who ooze confidence and style
See what we have here is
Let me show you what's going on
An open invitation to the first day of the rest of your life
This is an opportunity to start fresh and make the most of your life
'Rese
Referring to someone named 'Rese
Just pulled up to the club in a McLaren, got like oh
I arrived at the club in a luxurious McLaren car and everyone was impressed
We hopped out and the girls followed us as we escorted to the top flo'
As we got out of the car, the girls immediately paid attention to us and accompanied us to the VIP floor
Got bottles in one hand, cash in the other
I'm holding bottles of expensive drinks in one hand and a stack of money in the other
Stacks flying everywhere, need an umbrella
I'm throwing money in the air so much that it's like a raining stack of cash and you would need an umbrella to shield yourself from it
My black cards unlimited, keep on spending it, cause I got money to blow
I have an unlimited credit card and I keep spending because I have plenty of money to spare
After we leave this club, it's on
Once we leave the club, the real party begins
Yeah you already know
I'm sure you're aware of how things go
Got a lot of fly chicks tryna leave with me
Many attractive women are interested in leaving the club with me
So now I'm ready to go
I'm prepared to leave and continue the fun elsewhere
I've got so many, I need an extra car
I have so many women with me that I need an additional vehicle to accommodate them all
Don't worry about drinks, baby, I bought the bar
You don't need to be concerned about paying for drinks because I've already taken care of it
Models everywhere, don't need an Entourage
There are attractive models all around, and I don't need a group of people to accompany me
You know I do it big b-big, I hustle hard
I always go all out and put in a lot of effort to achieve success
I swear I make it look too easy
I confidently and effortlessly make everything seem effortless
Suckas wishing they could be me
People who envy me wish they could be in my position
Naw, haters can't see me cause I'm too hot for TV
Those who dislike me can't even acknowledge my presence because I'm so popular and successful
If you niggas don't believe me
If some individuals don't trust what I'm saying
Put it in your face like 3-D
I will forcefully make you see and acknowledge the truth
That attitude is so greasy, I make it look too easy
My confidence and demeanor may come across as arrogant, but I effortlessly handle everything with ease
You can't get what I get unless you got a passport
You can't experience the same things I do unless you have a passport to travel internationally
Because my swag is so international
My style and aura have a global appeal
From Brazil all the way to Tokyo
My influence and popularity span from Brazil to Tokyo
I bet you haters thought I would never blow
I'm sure those who dislike me never expected me to achieve such great success
Now I'm doing what bosses do
I'm now in a position of power where I can make decisions and control my own destiny
Calling out shots from the VIP and all the chicks wanna roll with me
I'm giving orders and making things happen from the VIP section, and all the women want to be associated with me
'Cause they know
Because they are aware of my reputation and status
I wake up and [?] excellence
I wake up every day with a mindset focused on achieving excellence
Good Lawd! This the New Testament
Wow! This is a whole new level of greatness and success
There's one life to live for dead presidents
We only have one life to live, and it should be dedicated to accumulating wealth and financial success
So being Frank don't insult my intelligence
Being straightforward with me doesn't offend me because I'm smart enough to handle the truth
Get it? Meaning money, I'mma get it
Do you understand? I'm referring to making money, and I will surely acquire it
You love it don't ever own it, you rent it, you just a tenant
You may enjoy the material possessions and wealth, but you don't truly own them, you're just temporarily experiencing it
Forget it, I'm in the Guinness like Dennis, I'm just a menace
Disregard it, I'm so exceptional and record-breaking, just like Dennis in the Guinness World Records, and I'm a disruptive force
To society, Luda will pop eyes for the spinach
I bring excitement and attention to the world, just like Popeye's spinach does
Yeah, I'm on that lyrical tip
Yes, I excel in lyrical mastery and wordplay
Plus the coupe's all-white, it's a miracle whip
In addition, my white coupe car is remarkable and exceptional
Then I'm in between the sheets, say I'm flipping the script
Later on, I'm in bed with someone, and I'm changing the dynamics or expectations of the situation
With two bad foreign woman: dual citizenship
I'm involved with two attractive foreign women who have dual citizenship
'Rese!
Referring to someone named 'Rese
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Aaron Sledge, Brandon Hodge, Christopher Lacy, Michael Harris, Rondell Turner, Tyrese Gibson, Christopher Brian Bridges, Unknown Splits, Aaron C. Sledge, Brandon Alexander Hodge, Rondell Edwin Turner, Tyrese Darnell Gibson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@CoryGeorgeMusic
Tyrese and Luda definitely went hard on this!! They definitely make this look way too easy.
@ryandaugherty8647
"Plus the coupes all white it's a miracle whip" that shit rt 🔥
@3phatboy2
Underrated song
@dalewilson2034
💯🔥
@711chad
And the award for "MOST UNDERRATED RAPPER" GOES TO: LUDACRIS!!!!
@momac06
This should have been on the fast five soundtrack
@chrishomes9931
true
@coolsomeash
Fr
@dalewilson2034
💯🔥
@FranckYound
"Sweet Lady" will always be my favorite Tyrese's songs for ever.