Ludacris - "Theater of the Mind" Era (11/25/08)

[sdot23]

Ludacris Hits The 'Theater' For New Album

April 30, 2008, 3:30 PM ET
Hillary Crosley, N.Y.

Ludacris is set to release his sixth album, "Theater of the Mind," in September via Def Jam, the rapper tells Bllboard.com. He has been prepping the set while shooting for the upcoming flick "Max Payne."

Calling the album a collection of his experiences up to this point, Ludacris promises that "Theater" will be film-worthy. "Expect the whole album [to be] theatrical," he says. Though he hasn't yet chosen a first single, he says that a track should drop by June or July.

Ludacris revealed the title of one track, "Let's Stay Together," produced by DJ Paul of Three6 Mafia. Other producers making contributions to the new album include Dre & Vidal, 9th wonder, Ice Drake and DJ Don Cannon.

The rapper is squeezing in studio time between film shoots in Toronto, Canada, for the big screen adaptation of popular Rockstar video game "Max Payne." He plays NYPD Deputy Police Chief Jim Bravura in the film, which co-stars Mark Wahlberg. Ludacris adds that he's really excited about his part as Roman in Guy Ritchie's upcoming film "RocknRolla," slated for October 31. That film also stars Thandie Newton and Jeremy Piven.

"It's about how the Russian mob came to Europe and took over," says Ludacris. "Then there's another film at the Tribeca Film Festival called 'Balls Don't Lie' with myself and Isaiah Washington about a kid that goes to an orphanage but is very talented in basketball. It's about how foster kids go in and out of families."


Ludacris' Disturbing Tha Peace Entertainment recently partnered with MegaMobile TV for a joint venture social networking site called WeMix.com, which has racked up 200,000 users to date. His 2006 LP, "Release Therapy," has sold 1.2 million units in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.

[tothefloor]

That's wassup! :)

Hope it's better than the last one.

[SHOOTER]

Can't wait!

[marcjm]

Yea, I do hope this is better than his last one. The last CD was promising, but it never really did anything much for me or anyone else. The singles were tight, but other than that, it was slightly disappointing. Ludacris has some competition now because while still skillful, he is edging into that more veteran territory (Nelly), and he's going to have to work a little harder to maintain the former momentum he garnered.

[Jayden]

Im anticipating this album.

[reception]

Jane Fonda gets some face time with Ludacris and Tommy Lee at the Three Generations of Fonda on Film event at Atlanta's Woodruff Center on Monday.

[reception]

Rocker Tommy Lee and Ludacris hit the stage for a duet Wednesday at a launch party for Planet Green, Discovery Communication's new eco-friendly network, at Los Angeles's Greek Theatre. The musicians have also joined forces for Battleground Earth: Ludacris vs. Tommy Lee, a TV show documenting their tours and attempts to "go green."

[Myeahhh.]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YJruXfWqDA

"Stay Together"

[busyboy]

Ludacris Gets Theatrical on Sixth Album

Ludacris is currently in the studio putting the finishing touches on his sixth studio album, the conceptual Theater of the Mind, which Rap-Up.com has learned is scheduled for an October 21st release.

“The whole album is theatrical, conceptual-wise. Every song you hear sounds like a scene from a movie,” Luda tells MTV News.

In the meantime, check out Luda’s new mixtape with DJ Drama, Gangsta Grillz: The Preview, which will be available on his website blog.wemix.com/. It includes the tracks “Still Tippin’” and “Blue Magic.”

www.rap-up.com/2008/07/16/ludacris-gets-theatrical-on-sixth-album/

[marcjm]

It seems like FOREVER since Luda has been in the game. Hip-Hop is missing him, sorely missing him.

[sdot23]

Yeah, I agree. I hope he drops a single real soon.

[JC. Da Don]

"Wish You Would" is HOT, It features T.I.

[1intelligentdude]

^^ it is im so glad they finally did a song together i been waitin for this they are my two fave rappers

[🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾]

Ludacris' Busy Fall: New Album, Two Films

September 02, 2008 , 10:10 AM ET
Gail Mitchell, L.A.

Ludacris is going to be a busy man this fall. He's completing the final tracks for his sixth Disturbing Tha Peace/Def Jam album, "Theater of the Mind," due Oct. 21, and that month will also yield co-starring roles in "Max Payne" (Oct. 17), adapted from the popular videogame, and Guy Ritchie's "RocknRolla" (Oct. 31).

Ludacris' rap and acting personas intersect on "Theater of the Mind," which comprises tracks envisioned as short plots from movies. And in Ludacris' special brand of musical theater, the featured guests -- including T-Pain ("One More Drink"), the Game ("Call Up the Homies") and T.I. ("Wish You Would") -- are billed as co-stars. Helping out on the A&R side is DJ Khaled and producers include Dre & Vidal and 9th Wonder.

Among the additional track selections is the healing-themed "Let's Stay Together." Armed with a beat and hook from artist/producers Juicy J and DJ Paul of Three 6 Mafia, Ludacris -- starring as a music fan -- exhorts artists to quell their beefs and come together to make better music.

The set's official lead single is the bouncy "What Them Girls Like," co-starring Chris Brown and writer/producer Sean Garrett as Ludacris' female-loving sidekicks. During the video's Aug. 24 shoot at the Microsoft House/Studio in Los Angeles, the trio's natural camaraderie and magnetism were in keeping with the video's premise: three fly guys who know what women like. The Chris Robinson-directed video takes its cue from the Mel Gibson movie "What Women Want," with balloon pop-ups revealing the female extras' thoughts.

"'Theater of the Mind' is all of my albums put together," says Ludacris, who still hopes to hook up with Eminem for the album. "There's the funny Ludacris, the serious Ludacris and the story-telling Ludacris as well as the movie-making Ludacris."

Then there's the films. Ludacris co-stars alongside Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton and Jeremy Piven in "RocknRolla," which is about a London real-estate scam that attracts all manner of tough guys and underworld types. "Max Payne," a loose adaptation of the videogame, finds Ludacris playing deputy police chief Jim Bravura. The movie stars Mark Wahlberg in the title role and veteran actor Beau Bridges.

"This adaptation takes the storyline and the characters to a whole other level," Ludacris says. "This is the first time I've played any kind of police role. It's funny ... in most movies, Mark plays the dominant role but my character is the dominant one over Mark. That was a power thing and I absolutely loved it."

SOURCE

[Haley]

oh man, I can't wait! The Red Light District was like, my soundtrack. lol

[**βécky**™]

I love "What Them Girls Like", cant wait for the video.

[Coin-Operated [Boy]]

The new single sounds good at first, it's a jam and all but after some time it begins to sound underwhelming. It sounds a bit too "standard".

[sdot23]

Ludacris Lets Listeners Inside His 'Mind'

Ludacris unveiled four tracks from his new album, "Theater of the Mind," for fans last night (Sept. 25) at New York's Tribeca Cinemas, ahead of its Oct. 21 release via Def Jam.

MTV's Sway moderated the audience Q&A portion of the evening, which found Ludacris addressing a surprising collaboration with long-time rival T.I. on album track "On Top of the World." He also mentioned plans for a tour, but said details weren't finalized.

"We had been talking under the radar for a long time," said Ludacris of teaming with T.I. "We were just trying to figure out the right opportunity to surprise everybody. With that being said, we live in Atlanta and Atlanta is small as hell, compared to New York and we've got the same circle of friends. It was never really beef between me and him. We felt, with everything going on in the business, there was no better time to make it happen."

Tracks played during the session included "MVP," produced by DJ Premier and sporting the producer's trademark strong drums, and the bouncy, Clinton Sparks-produced "Call Up the Homies," featuring the Game and Willy Northpole.

"Last of a Dying Breed" features Lil' Wayne, while T-Pain guests on "One More Drink." "I did this song because when you're at a club, the more drinks you have the better them mutherf*ckers look," Ludacris said of the latter.

Following the music, the audience was ushered into a screening room to watch a behind-the-scenes video of Ludacris' current single and clip, "What Them Girls Like" featuring Chris Brown and Sean Garrett. The video for another track, "Undisputed," followed and featured boxer Floyd Mayweather as Ludacris' coach.

www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003855663

[sdot23]

The album cover, from Rap-Up:

[jamrock16]

I don't think this album will be as big as we thought it would. Is "What them girls like" blowing up @urban?

[Jayden]

Sept 29, 2008 17:58:27 GMT -5 jamrock16 said:

I don't think this album will be as big as we thought it would. Is "What them girls like" blowing up @urban?

It's just a buzz single. Don't worry, he's gonna come hard.

[Haley]

This has been pushed back to November 25th, heard it straight from his mouth last night on a radio interview.

[Young Money]

I don't know about that cover.

[marcjm]

That CD cover needs to go. He has been away for the longest...no guest appearances, no hits since Runaway Love with Mary J. Blige, and he comes back with a single like this and a CD cover like that. Please!

[1intelligentdude]

i never get why people on this site make a big deal about album covers..the album cover doesnt sell cd's the music does :S

[Young Money]

Oct 4, 2008 20:44:12 GMT -5 marcjm said:

That CD cover needs to go. He has been away for the longest...no guest appearances, no hits since Runaway Love with Mary J. Blige, and he comes back with a single like this and a CD cover like that. Please!

He has been featured on several songs. Maybe not singles, but he has been featured on the latest T.I. album. He was also on the I'm So Hood Remix, he was on several other remixes as well.

[marcjm]

To a certain degree, I am sure the CD cover has something to do with some of the buying public's attraction to the CD. It may not be a monumental impact, but in some subtle, as-yet unquanitfied, unmeasured way, the CD cover has some effect on folks' perception of the project. I know as a music fan, the CD cover does have a slight place in how I perceive and respond to a project...a tacky, off-putting, inappropriate, uncharacteristic, unfitting CD cover makes me think twice about a project. I am sure there are other people like me, IntelligentDude.

[JC. Da Don]

Album covers do add to the albums. Looking foward to the seond single, not to big on what them girls like.

[shaq91]

One More Drink ft T-Pain leaked! I like it!

[Deleted]

Oct 6, 2008 13:27:56 GMT -5 shaq91 said:

One More Drink ft T-Pain leaked! I like it!

It's HOT! Way better than the shit with Chris Brown. It's supposedly the second single.