Rapper turned Actor, Ludacris widespread popularity

Christopher Brian Bridges was born on September 11, 1977 in Champaign, Illinois. He is better known as Ludacris, his stage name. Though he was born in Illinois, Ludacris was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, where he established himself as a top-notch Southern rapper. He has also made a splash on the acting scene, appearing in multiple films, including: 2 Fast 2 Furious, Crash, and Hustle & Flow.

Ludacris entered the music industry as a DJ and radio personality, as Chris Lova Lova on Hot 97.5, a popular urban radio station in Atlanta, Georgia. He made his first record contribution on “Phat Rabbit,” a track from Timbaland’s 1998 album, Tim’s Bio: Life from the Bassment. In 1999, Ludacris would independently release his debut album, Incognegro. Through, independent music distributor, Southern Music Distribution, he sold over 50,000 copies of the album.

In the following year of 2000, Scarface would sign Ludacris to Def Jam Recordings and would create a new imprint, Def Jam South, which would center on Ludacris as its foundation. Later that year in October, Ludacris would release his first album with a major record label, Back for the First Time. The album was a commercial success, peaking at #4 on U.S. music charts and selling over 3 million copies, thanks to its hit singles, “Southern Hospitality” and “What’s Your Fantasy”. In late 2001, Ludacris released another album, Word Of Mouf, with controversial lead single, “Rollout (My Business).” The album would peak at #3 on U.S. music charts and sell over 3 million copies. In 2002, Ludacris would tour around the country with Papa Roach.

In the fall of 2003, Ludacris released a new album, Chicken & Beer, which would debut at the top of U.S. music charts. Some of the album’s most popular singles include “P-Poppin,” “Splash Waterfalls,” and “Stand Up,” a single produced by Kanye West that would become Ludacris’ biggest hit to date. In the winter of 2004, Ludacris released his fifth studio album, The Red Light District, which would debut at the top of the Billboard charts. The album’s hit singles include “Get Back” and “The Number One Spot”. Also, in 2004, Ludacris won his first Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Usher and Lil Jon for their hit single, “Yeah”.

Beyond rapping, Ludacris has stepped foot in Hollywood, starring in the Oscar Award-winning film Crash and also starred in 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Hustle & Flow. He has also started his own foundation, The Ludacris Foundation, which he found with Chaka Zula. The organization assists in motivating young middle and high school students in the realm of creative arts. Ludacris has a much anticipated album, entitled Release Therapy, scheduled to hit stores in September 2006.

Freelance writter, covering the music industry