Not signing to a record label was the stepping stone for Ludacris to invest in his artistry. Ludacris, who in his early days worked at an Atlanta, GA, radio station and became known as DJ Chris Lova Lova, would eventually catch the attention of record labels and producer Timbaland, scoring a feature on the single, “Fat Rabbit.” During a podcast interview with “Drink Champs,” Ludacris noted the attention he began to receive from record labels after that. Still, it did not translate into landing his own deal. This pushed him to dive into his pockets to release his debut album “Incognegro” in 1999. “I’ve had my moments with each of those entities, but I never signed with them,” Ludacris said. “Even with Timbaland, there was a time when I was about to get signed to Timbaland because of my first record before ‘What’s Your Fantasy.’ I was on his album, and I had a song called ‘Fat Rabbit,’ which ended up being on ‘Back for the First Time.’ So again, I went through all of these processes,...

“Fast & Furious” has been around for a reason, according to Ludacris. The latest installment of the successful franchise, “Fast X,” which stars Vin Diesel, Tyrese Gibson, and Ludacris, was released across U.S. theaters on May 19, 2023. Already, the action-packed film grossed an impressive $319 million worldwide, according to IndieWire. As of this writing, it reportedly ranks as the third-highest grossing box office opening worldwide for a “Fast & Furious” movie after “Fate of the Furious” ($541.9 million) and “Furious 7” ($397.6 million), according to Deadline.

Ludacris is no stranger to making boss moves. From Disturbing Tha Peace Records to Karma’s World Entertainment and The Ludacris Foundation, the hip-hop mogul has solidified his place as arguably one of the best emcees to come out of the South, while handling business every step of the way. Ludacris, whose given name is Christopher Bridges, is among the class of musicians who have been able to show versatility across several industries. His work as a businessman, actor, lyricist, and the list could go on, made him the perfect match for Google’s latest initiative to support Black-owned businesses ahead of the holiday season.

Climbing toward the top of the ladder through sports, entertainment, or the world of fashion, opens doors. One of those doors is education, specifically earning honorary doctorates from an accredited institution or university. The feat highlights the contributions of people who are breaking barriers and inspiring others. This year, entertainers Stevie Wonder, Ludacris, and Angela Bassett, are just a few names who have forged a path beyond their respective industries and can collectively toast to earning their doctorate titles.  

Ludacris will be receiving an official salute this upcoming spring. According to a press release, award-winning producer and Grammy award-winning artist Chris “Ludacris” Bridges will be awarded an honorary degree of Science in Music Management at Georgia State University for his philanthropic efforts and commitment to its students. The feat was made official by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents on Wednesday, April 13. “This is a dream come true for me,” said Ludacris, according to a press release. “Georgia State helped me get my start and I am so honored and excited to share this milestone with the world.” Ludacris’ journey at Georgia State began in the 1990s before making his splash in entertainment. Returning to his roots, Ludacris became an artist-in-residence in 2019. While serving in this position, he mentored students and worked alongside Creative Media Industries Institute professors, “focusing on entrepreneurship in the music and film industries.” What’s...

When a family member becomes incarcerated, there becomes a disconnect, especially when that person’s a mother or father. Thankfully, as AfroTech previously reported, Jay’Aina “Jay Jay” Patton and her father Antoine, an ex-prisoner, developed Photo Patch, a program and mobile app that connects imprisoned parents to their children. Due to their personal experience with the unjust and oppressive prison system, Jay Jay and Antoine are now changing the way that children can communicate with their loved ones who are currently incarcerated. On a recent appearance on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” the founders gave more insight on the company’s mission, which is also to help more girls of color get into tech. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ellen DeGeneres (@theellenshow) “Right now, I’m on a mission to help 10,000 girls of color get into the world of tech and start their career path,” shared Jay Jay. “Just for me, there’s not much representation of people who look like me in the...

Hip-hop artists are taking no days off when it comes to tapping into their entrepreneurial bags. Fans of Hip-Hop — both the old and new generations — are in for a treat as the South’s very own Ludacris and Gunna have partnered with Jif peanut butter’s The Lil Jif Project . And while Ludacris is no stranger to making business moves, Gunna’s collaboration with Jif is a major win for the Atlanta native as well. Courtesy of Jif The Lil Jif Project aims to bring viewers into the new flows of Hip-Hop which makes it the perfect choice of the rap veteran and new age favorite coming together as a dynamic duo for the genre (Ludacris even collaborated with jeweler Icebox for two limited-edition diamond and ruby Jif jars, one for him and one for special use, which is pictured above ). The film is directed by music video and film director, Dave Meyers, and tells the story of how Ludacris’ sound has progressed (with thanks to his love for Jif peanut butter) and how artists such as Gunna have...