Dallas Penn: Ludacris Is NOT In Your Top 10…

14 years ago view-show 873,972

ludacris

Ludacris is the best rapper that will NOT be on anyone’s top 10 list. At least anyone with any sense. I’m not going in like this to bash Luda. He’s cool with me. He has been making consistent hit singles over the past decade plus. He’s a highly regarded actor when Hollywood wants to attract the ‘hip-Hop’ demographic. To people all around the world who know very little about rap or Hip-Hop Ludacris is their entre.

Maybe that is why he will never be on my top 10 list. Ludacris has TOO much appeal and not enough real. I always felt like Ludacris was a Redman clone minus the grit and funk. Luda is a lyrical machine but I still feel like he’s on some rap version of paint-by-the-numbers. Still and all, Ludacris makes hits. He makes weak songs sound sassy. The Lil’ Jon x Luda x Ersher triumvirate is ladykillers. Then Luda makes a song to save runaway girls from becoming the chicks in the strip clubs that he frequents which earns him a Nobel Peace prize and a date with the President.

Ludacris should be my favorite rapper, but I don’t even care what he is up to. I just started listening to the radio again for this job so I hear that Ludacris is cycling a new project across the airwaves. Which album is this anyway? Ludacris shit is formulaic like Similac. This might as well be his first album. Not that I don’t appreciate the artist that flashes his hunger for the game after several albums and awards and acclaim, but Ludacris hasn’t changed his content or his delivery since day number one.

This is a recession we are in and I can’t afford to hang at the strip club right now. Ludacris albums are filled with strip club anthems. That was fine and well when Bill Clinton was still in office but we are in a new day and age. Rappers need to spit about universal healthcare (get well Guru) and other trends like pet activism, or environmentalism. Rappers still think that ‘going green’ is switching up their cannabis from chocolate to kush. Why isn’t Ludacris leading this new movement? Maybe he’s simply content with being uber-wealthy.

Ludacris even more than Scarface is responsible for placing southern style rapping on the front of national radio playlists. I wouldn’t say that he was better than 3 Stacks, but he definitely has more hits. So why does Anfre 3K make everyone’s top 10 and Ludacris rarely gets a shoutout? At the end of the day Ludacris could give less than two fux about my list. Luda is making Will.I.Am money so what does a broke-ass blogger and his list mean?

Comments

  1. Even tho his act is still pretty much the same, i liked the old luda way better. but then again i like everybody's older work better.. i guess the state of music right now got me bitter about everything.

    still tho luda definitly deserves his dues

  2. I always felt Luda was Redman lite until Luda really began to flex his muscles throughout his career. While you say Luda hasn't changed since his first project he still rocks like Too Short. Short Dog ain't never changed and held it down for years.

    I don't think Luda has to lead a new movement or discuss any of the aformentioned topics. Some rappers just aren't built for that. His sound about runaways was similar to LL Cool J's song about fatherhood, it was awkward. Ehhh . . . I would put Ludacris on my top list just because. He definitely got flows for days, lyrics and he knows how to project his voice and personality on stage.

    Hmmm . . . good question there, Andre 3000 is clearly in a class by himself. He's clearly playing with rap.

  3. “Ludacris shit is formulaic like Similac.”

    Luda always brings lyrics to the table, but can't say too much about the content of his music. He is more for entertainment than anything else. NOT top ten, but Def top 25

  4. I'd put him on tha top 10 list…of SOUTHERN rappers…..

    Luda gets it in, just like LL still gets it in, but I wont buy either of their albums… (Lastt LL I purchased was Mamma said…..)! They have skills, just not not for me…..

  5. His videos are better than his albums. That Austin Powers one & the drunk anthem with Auto-Pain are crazy ill.

  6. You bring up a good point. I always liked Luda. He would bring it….but never thought enough about him to rank him. In fact, I don't really give him much thought, particularly between albums. It typically goes, he drops and it's, “oh there's some heat there, Imma cop.” Then I hear the joints I like often enough (usually the same night), and I'm over it. Still heat, but I'm good. And then I'll see a video and it's, oh yeah, that's that Luda joint….

    I'd have to do the introspection, but it is probably the content, at the end of the day. But let's agree that he's not Gucci Mane. I at least understand how he sells/sold records. And I can appreciate his catalog. Top 10? Knock it off…

  7. if you look at luda's last album if he would have cut 4 or 5 joints that could have been a classic. luda loves making songs for the bitches or about bitches. that do the right thang song with spike lee common and luda. common went in and stole that song from luda. which is a shame became luda went first then after common.

  8. All great Artists have a defining album and that is Luda's weakness all his shit is the same and its not upper level he raps great but we need more thats why Canibus never gets top 10 love cuz his albums suck.
    My top ten fav albums in no order
    Hova, Tip, 3000, Face, Cam, Ghostface, Big, Pac, Jeezy, Common

  9. I agree with you. While Luda may not be in ANYBODY'S top 10, he is that cat that would devour your favorite rapper in a battle. I don't think anyone's taken him seriously b/c he's always been a cartoon character. Hell….he resembles Snagglepuss from the old Hanna Barbera joints

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