Ludacris stated in an interview on MTV's hip hop program Direct Effect that he came up with his stage name based on his 'split personality' that he considered 'ridiculous' and 'ludicrous'.Ģ001–2003: Word of Mouf and Chicken-n-Beer Guest appearances included 4-Ize, I-20, Shawnna, Pastor Troy, Timbaland, Trina, Foxy Brown, UGK, and others. The album made its mark due largely to the singles “What’s Your Fantasy” and 'Southern Hospitality' (featuring Pharrell Williams). The album reached number four on the U.S. In 2000, Ludacris released his major label debut Back for the First Time. Successful local sales in the Atlanta area landed the artist a record deal with the Southern based division of Def Jam Recordings (Def Jam South). The album was supported by his debut single 'What's Your Fantasy', which ended up peaking at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100. This album was the defining example of Ludacris' fast, wild, and comedic flow, a unique style for southern rappers. In 1998, Ludacris began to record his debut album Incognegro, which was eventually released by his then-independent label, Disturbing tha Peace, in August 1999. Ludacris collaborated with Timbaland on the track 'Phat Rabbit' from his album Tim's Bio: Life from da Bassment. He was also known for DJing during Freaknik at one point. Bridges wrote his first rap song at age nine when moving to Atlanta, and joined an amateur rap group three years later.ġ998–2000: Incognegro and Back for the First Timeīridges served as an intern and then a DJ at Atlanta's Hot 97.5 (now Hot 107.9) under the name 'Chris Lova Lova'.

He is a distant cousin of late comedian Richard Pryor. Bridges's parents are both African American, and he also has more distant English and Native American ancestry. From 1998 to 1999, he studied music management at Georgia State University. He attended Banneker High School in Atlanta, Georgia and graduated in 1995. He then moved to Centreville, Virginia and attended Centreville High School for one year. He later moved to the Chicago area, where he attended Emerson Middle School in Oak Park. For his performance in the ensemble of Crash, Ludacris was co-awarded a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Critic's Choice Award for Best Cast.Ĭhristopher Brian Bridges was born in Champaign, Illinois, the only child of Roberta Shields and Wayne Brian Bridges. His other notable roles include Crash (2004), Gamer (2009), and New Year's Eve (2011). His most recent effort, Ludaversal, was released on March 31, 2015.Īs an actor, Ludacris is best known for his role as Tej Parker in the Fast and Furious film series, with his first appearance in the franchise coming in 2003. His next record, Battle of the Sexes, was released in 2010 and featured a return to the more lighthearted tone of his previous albums. He took a more serious approach with his next two albums, Release Therapy (2006), and Theater of the Mind (2008). In 2001, he released Word of Mouf, followed by Chicken-n-Beer in 2003 and The Red Light District in 2004, all of which were certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It contained the hit singles 'Southern Hospitality' (featuring Pharrell), which wasn’t on Incognegro, and 'What's Your Fantasy' (featuring Shawnna). After a brief stint as a DJ, he independently released his first album Incognegro in 1999 to local success, but achieved national attention the following year when the album was repackaged and re-released as his major label debut, Back for the First Time. For his music, Ludacris has won an MTV Video Music Award and three Grammy Awards.īorn in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris moved to Atlanta at age nine, where he first began rapping. After forming his own label, Disturbing tha Peace in the late 1990s, Ludacris later signed with Def Jam South and would go on to become one of the first Dirty South rappers to achieve mainstream success with his subsequent releases.

Christopher Brian Bridges was born September 11, 1977.

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