Luda-crest - "Release Therapy"

[arebomb]

I love Luda and I think he's probably the most talented mainstream rap artist to debut since 2000, but I have to wonder if he's going to burn himself out releasing so many CDs/group projects in such quick succession. This will be, what, his 5th stuidio album in addition to the 2 DTP compilations he's released??

[Linnethia Monique]

LL released a CD once per year when he first started than he spread out to every 2 years. He doesnt want to be one of those rappers that is here today and gone tomorrow. I love that he releases so many CDs lets me brush up on my metaphors.

[Pink Champagne Ricochet]

I thought Ludacris' new CD was coming out in May?

[COW COW COW COW COW COW COW]

I'm sure this CD will sound like he was using "release therapy" on himself while recording it, just like all the rest of his crap...maybe he should win an academy-award for best original song too...it could be called "Masturbate Me."

He could actually perform that on stage and I'm sure the Academy would be OK with it...I guess they've lost all respect for film songs...only 3 nominations? WTF?

[Pink Champagne Ricochet]

alex81979 said:

I think he's one of the best rappers.  His albums are less exciting than his guest appearances I think, but when he jumps on somebodys track, 9 times out of 10 it's fire.

I know. I pretty much love every song Ludacris guests on. He's the reason I don't change the station when I hear "Yeah" nowadays, because otherwise i'm fricking sick of that song, but he makes it.

[Krypton46]

I'm looking forward to this. He's like one of the few current rappers out there whose music I actually enjoy, whether it's his own or whether he's a featured artist on someone else's song. He's got charisma and he comes off like a natural and not forced. For someone who's released an album for just about every year this decade thus far, he doesn't feel overexposed or anything, to me at least.

[1intelligentdude]

Ludacris is really talented, I like that he has success but isn't over exposed.

[britneyrules]

splitchick59 said:

I thought Ludacris' new CD was coming out in May?

It already leaked LOL Its @ RN and I won't lie

I downloaded it and I like it

[marcjm]

I too am looking forward to this. I hope that he brings it. His last two studio, solo releases from 2003/2004 (Chicken & Beer and The Red Light District) have been relatively lackluster, as a whole, especially comparing them to his Back for the First Time (2000) and Word of Mouf (2001).

[reception]

Posted 3/23/2006 8:48 PM
Ludacris to guest star on NBC's 'Law and Order: SVU'

NEW YORK (AP) - Rapper-actor Ludacris, real name Chris Bridges, who generated strong buzz for his performances in the Oscar-winning Crash and Hustle and Flow, is turning to TV for his next dramatic role.

He'll play rapper-actor Ice T's nephew in a guest spot on NBC crime drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET.

"When I was approached to work on SVU and read the script, there was no way that I could turn down this amazing opportunity," Ludacris said in a statement Thursday. "The character was so rich and the storyline so complex, that I knew it was something I had to do."

In the episode, Ice T's character, squad detective Fin, is put in a bind when his son becomes a suspect in a double homicide. The case opens a family secret involving Ludacris' character.

[1intelligentdude]

good to hear that luda is still with the acting, I think he did a great job in "crash"

[A Thug Named Slickback]

alex81979 said:

"My stock has definitely gone up," Ludacris said recently. "People can get used to seeing me on the big screen more in the future [as I] continue to choose projects that I feel will change people's lives."

LOL at him talking about his projects changing people's lives... Would he be referring to "Move B!tch, Get Out The Way" or "I got hoes in different area codes"?

Luda is easily one of my favorite rappers, but I'll be the first to admit that he doesn't have that much depth. Maybe his acting career will take a different path than his musical one. But so far, Crash has been his only substantial role and I think his imagine as a party rapper might make it difficult for him to secure weighty acting roles...

But, then again, I may be all wrong. I'll just have to wait and see

[singingsparrow]

I like Ludacris. His vocals are very unique amongst all the other big-name Urban and CHR/Rhythmic rappers, and he has a natural talent in that you can tell he's really into what he writes with the way his vocals emote off certain syllables and his lyrical puns.

Lyrically, Ludacris was pretty generic and uninteresting on his first two releases, but I felt him improving in this department on "Chicken N Beer".

The main problem Ludacris still faces to this day is that each of his albums have fallen victim to their share of filler. On every one of his albums, Ludacris always has had a handful of brilliant single tracks for each one, but, unlike Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot, who almost effortlessly most of the time puts together high-quality, cohesive albums, the filler keeps each of Ludacris's albums as a whole from being a brilliant one. I feel Ludacris is still too complacent as a writer.

Ludacris already has an excellent voice, the beats are usually intriguing, and though he's not as great of a lyricist like Jay-Z, Nas or older Eminem, he's improving there too. If Ludacris can just record a full-length album consistent in quality, he can certainly become bigger than ever and not only debut at the "Number One Spot", he can put a chokehold on it beyond one week.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[hidizzyguy]

^^^^^^

totally agree........

[reception]

Ludacris and daughter at the 19th Annual Kid's Choice Awards.

[1intelligentdude]

awww, i never even knew he had a daughter

[Would've Been The One]

Ludacris is one of my favorite rappers! his guest appearances are FIRE..and he is so creative! I can't wait for this album.

[Alex]

1intelligentdude said:

awww, i never even knew he had a daughter

All rappers have kids. Duh! T.I. has FOUR kids by FIVE baby mamas!

[francky]

rule1904 said:

Ludacris is one of my favorite rappers! his guest appearances are FIRE..and he is so creative! I can't wait for this album.

Right now he is one of the best mainstream rapper fo sure!

[reception]

Rapper Ludacris denies copying song
Updated 5/25/2006 3:20 PM ET

By Larry Neumeister, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Best-selling rapper Ludacris testified Thursday at a copyright infringement trial that he never heard an expression that he allegedly swiped to create his 2003 hit Stand Up.

Ludacris, whose real name is Chris Bridges, also said he never received copies of a disk containing the song Straight Like That by the East Orange, N.J., group I.O.F. The group is suing him in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

When lawyer Mel Sachs asked the rap star if he was really telling the jury he had never received copies of the song at three shows in 2002 and 2003, Ludacris replied, "I'm definitely saying that, sir."

Sachs called Ludacris as a witness after two days in which the attorney tried to prove that members of the New Jersey group had made sure to get him copies of their song before he wrote Stand Up.

As soon as he took the stand, Ludacris denied ever hearing the expression "straight like that," much less the entire song.

Sachs asked: "Sir, before you wrote the song, Stand Up, did you ever hear the term, 'straight like that?'"

"No sir," the singer responded. "I never heard anyone use the term."

Later, he added, "I do not know what the term 'straight like that' means, sir."

Ludacris co-wrote Stand Up with Kanye West, who was in court Thursday and expected to testify before the one-week trial ends.

Ludacris has been praised for his music and his acting roles as Anthony in the Oscar-winning Crash and as Skinny Black in Hustle and Flow.

West has won six Grammy Awards for his two multiplatinum albums, The College Dropout and Late Registration. He is known for his outspoken nature, including his comment that President Bush "doesn't care about black people" during a telethon for Hurricane Katrina victims.

A lawyer for the rappers and EMI April Music Inc., Christine Lepera, has asked the jury to reject the claims of BMS Entertainment/Heat Music LLC.

At issue in the trial are the words "like that," which Sachs said were repeated more than 80 times in each song. Ludacris testified that he believes the words are repeated fewer than 80 times in his song.

Straight Like That never made it beyond some air time on college radio after copies of it were released in September 2001. Stand Up was released in the fall of 2003 on Ludacris' album Chicken and Beer, and became a huge hit.

The trial will determine liability. If liability is found, a second phase of the trial will assess damages.

[Caviar]

slave4britney said:

1intelligentdude said:

awww, i never even knew he had a daughter

All rappers have kids. Duh! T.I. has FOUR kids by FIVE baby mamas!

How is he going to have more baby mamas than kids? ???

[reception]

Jun 2, 12:59 PM EDT
Kanye West, Ludacris Win Copyright Trial

By LARRY NEUMEISTER
Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Top-selling rappers Kanye West and Ludacris won a copyright infringement trial Thursday when a jury concluded their 2003 hit "Stand Up" did not copy a tune by New Jersey musicians.

"I hope the plaintiffs enjoyed their 15 minutes of fame," Ludacris said after the verdict was announced. "This whole experience is proof to me of why I will always fight for what I believe in."

Ten jurors returned the verdict after less than a day of deliberations in the two-week trial in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

West was not in court.

Outside the courthouse, Ludacris signed autographs and posed for pictures before leaving for Los Angeles to promote a documentary he narrated about a female basketball team in Seattle.

Ludacris said he never doubted the jury would agree that the song he and West created did not sound like "Straight Like That," a tune created by an East Orange, N.J., group named I.O.F., or It's Only Family.

"The only thoughts and ideas I borrow from are those of my own," Ludacris said.

"Straight Like That" never made it beyond some air time on college radio after copies of it were released in September 2001. "Stand Up" was released in the fall of 2003 on Ludacris' album "Chicken and Beer" and became a huge hit.

At issue at trial were the words "like that," repeated more than 80 times in each song, though one song precedes the phrase with "straight" while the other precedes it with "just."

Jeff Billingsley, a plaintiff and owner of Cobble One Records, of Newark, N.J., said the verdict will be appealed.

He said the plaintiffs were damaged when the judge excluded their music expert from testifying as part of sanctions taken against a lawyer who was dismissed from the case before trial.

Mel Sachs, the lawyer who argued the case for the plaintiffs, said the issue provides the group with a stronger case on appeal.

"We were at a severe disadvantage," he said.

Sachs said the verdict was disappointing but understandable since the plaintiffs could not present their expert.

Ludacris, whose real name is Chris Bridges, has been praised for his music and his acting roles in the Oscar-winning "Crash" and "Hustle and Flow."

West has won six Grammy Awards for his two multiplatinum albums, "The College Dropout" and "Late Registration." He is known for his outspoken nature, including when he said President Bush "doesn't care about black people" during a telethon for Hurricane Katrina victims.

When West testified last week, he said he had sympathy for the New Jersey group.

"It's like that glimmer of hope. You're this close," he said. "I've been in those shoes. It's hard to make it in this game. I understand why they would sue."

Ludacris, though, said after the verdict that he saw one of the plaintiffs fall asleep during the trial and was thinking he was not going to let someone like that "ruin my reputation."

"I feel no sympathy," he said, "not at all."

[dayzedfan]

nauticaiu04 said:

slave4britney said:

All rappers have kids. Duh! T.I. has FOUR kids by FIVE baby mamas!

How is he going to have more baby mamas than kids?  ???

rofl, my question too ;)

about Luda...I love his flow, and humour, but yeah he aint that deep If I want deep, I know where to look. I turn to Luda for fun

As for his acting, I saw him in Crash and SVU. He is very talented. I hope he keeps it up but is careful when choosing his roles.

[diamond]

hopefully Luda will be bringing the heat with this one!

[SHOOTER]

^^ - he always does!!

[Adonis the DemiGod!]

I heard from mtv.com that this comes out Sept. 26th

[marcjm]

Can't wait!

[SHOOTER]

He still looks cute w/o the braids to me.

[marcjm]

5 years older than 28 is actually 33, but it's cool that Luda has gotten a new hair style. It can't be denied that he's one of the most solid, stable and energizing rappers out there today.

[Linnethia Monique]

A couple of pics from the video thats shows his new hair.