Ludacris’ bombastic music videos were popular during the peak of his career, but the rapper revealed Jay-Z told him that people would not take his rap lyrics seriously because of them.
“It was big. But there was a downside to it because even JAY-Z was one of the ones that said, you know, he don’t think I get the lyrical credit that I deserve because of the visuals. People ask me, ‘Why don’t you think get the credit?’ Because I played too goddamn much, that’s what I do! And I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said on the All The Smoke podcast.
“That’s why my name is Ludacris, because it’s beyond crazy, it’s wild, it’s ridiculous. I like post-effects and augmenting reality, big-ass shoes with big-ass chains, and bobble heads and all that. So I get it, I can’t be mad at it. I just have to show the multi-faceted aspects of myself and I actually love that.”
Thankfully, Luda did not take the advice and he still has a thriving rap career. Ludacris recently debuted his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
