DefJam Records, the label responsible for LL Cool J, Run DMC, Slick Rick and DMX, has discovered yet another hip-hop phenomenon: Ludacris. Coming straight outta the dirty South, the Atlanta-based rhymer honed his mic-skills rapping on station promos while working as a night-producer at Atlanta's Hot-97.5 - from there, it wasn't long before his own self-produced hit single, "What's Your Fantasy," led to his making hip-hop history by becoming the first artist signed to DefJam's new Southern imprint, DefJam South. With the release of Ludacris: Back For The First Time, 'Cris is livin' large -- the album showcases not only the joint that made it all happen, "What's Your Fantasy," but also new tracks with UGK, Lil' Troy (of "I wanna be a baller, shot-caller" fame) and super-producer Timbaland, who's manned the boards for the likes of Jay-Z and Missy Eliot. Now that his skills have been recognized, get ready for Ludacris to show you just how dirty the dirty South can be.
"...good dirty fun." Tom Sinclair, Entertainment Weekly
"...if you've run out of slurs to sling at anyone within earshot, Word of Mouf will provide you with plenty of new ammo--just be ready to duck and cover!" David Sprague, Rolling Stone
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Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel includes: Ludacris, Nate Dogg, Mystikal, 8 Ball & MJG, Jagged Edge, Twista, 3-6 Mafia, LL Cool J, Keith Murray, Shawnna, I-20, Lil Fate, 4 Eze. | | Producers include: Timbaland, Organized Noize, Swizz Beatz, Trackmasters. | | WORD OF MOUF was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album. | | "Rollout (My Business)" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Male Rap Solo Performance. | | Personnel includes: Ludacris, Nate Dogg, Mystikal, 8 Ball & MJG, Jagged Edge, Twista, 3-6 Mafia, LL Cool J, Keith Murray, Shawnna, I-20, Lil Fate, 4 Eze. | | Producers include: Timbaland, Organized Noize, Swizz Beatz, Trackmasters. | | WORD OF MOUF was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album. | | "Rollout (My Business)" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Male Rap Solo Performance. | | Personnel: Ludacris (vocals, rap vocals); Shawty, Roxye Dock, 4-Ize, Parish Williams, Jeff Williams , Mimi, Scarface, Shondrae (vocals); Marvin "Chanz" Parkman (piano); Jazze Pha (background vocals). | | Audio Mixers: Duro; Jimmy Douglass; KLC; Mike "Hitman" Wilson; Patrick Viala. | | Recording information: Dungeon Recording Studios, Atlanta, GA; Hypnotized Minds Studio, Memphis; Manhattan Center Studios, New York, NY; Noontime, Atlanta, GA; Patchwerk Recording, Atlanta, GA; Quad Recording, New York, NY; The Hit Factory, New York, NY; The Medicine Cabinet, Baton Rouge, LA. | | Photographer: Butch BelAir. | | For this Atlanta-based rapper, keeping true to street roots has never been a concern, since he's always remained so close to them. Far from the east and west coast hip-hop star mills, this southern sensation rose up from the underground and never abandoned what he'd learned there. His third album WORD OF MOUF may find Ludacris surrounded by a brace of guests that include both heavy hitters (Mystikal, Jagged Edge, Nate Dogg) and more unknown names (Sleepy Brown, Keon Bryce, Fate Wilson), but he draws on his own considerable verbal skills and unique urban vision as the foundations for his work. | | For this Atlanta-based rapper, keeping true to street roots has never been a concern, since he's always remained so close to them. Far from the east and west coast hip-hop star mills, this southern sensation rose up from the underground and never abandoned what he'd learned there. His third album WORD OF MOUF may find Ludacris surrounded by a brace of guests that include both heavy hitters (Mystikal, Jagged Edge, Nate Dogg) and more unknown names (Sleepy Brown, Keon Bryce, Fate Wilson), but he draws on his own considerable verbal skills and unique urban vision as the foundations for his work. |
Engineer: Chris Theis; Kevin Parker; Bill Importico; Ismel Ramos; John Butler; Jason Rome; Josh Butler; KLC; Mike Wilson; Sean Davis; Senator Jimmy D; Derrick Williams |
Musical Guests | | Nate Dogg | | I-20 | | Fate Wilson | | Three 6 Mafia | | Keon Bryce | | Sleepy Sleepy Brown | | Jazze Pha | | 4-Ize | | Mystikal | | Shawnna | | Jagged Edge | | Twista | | Chimere |
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| Rolling Stone (1/17/02, p.53)
- 3 stars out of 5 - "...Alternates between bleak, nearly joyless hardcore and verbalistic hip-hop slapstick....he sounds like he's having a blast..."Rolling Stone (1/17/02, p.53)
- 3 stars out of 5 - "...Alternates between bleak, nearly joyless hardcore and verbalistic hip-hop slapstick....he sounds like he's having a blast..." Q (1/02, p.104)
- 3 our of 5 stars - "...more hits to follow....he can certainly mix it..." Q (p.137)
- 3 stars out of 5 - "[T]he beats still bounce and, crucially, there's a sense that he doesn't take himself too seriously." Q (p.137)
- 3 stars out of 5 - "[T]he beats still bounce and, crucially, there's a sense that he doesn't take himself too seriously." NME (Magazine)
(2/2/02, p.27)
- 7 out of 10 - "...Consolidates on his initial sex-rhyme success, while giving a more rounded picture a life lived below the Mason-Dixon Line..." NME (Magazine)
(2/2/02, p.27)
- 7 out of 10 - "...Consolidates on his initial sex-rhyme success, while giving a more rounded picture a life lived below the Mason-Dixon Line..." |
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