Rapper Ludacris’ First Car Explains So Much About His Career Choice
Christopher Brian Bridges, otherwise known as Ludacris, wasn’t born into fame. He had a rather typical childhood and worked for everything he’s gotten over the years. In fact, it wasn’t until he was a young adult that his hard work began to pay off.
There were hints of his future fame as a rapper, however, and it came from a most unexpected source — his first car. While you might think it was a classic that inspired him to join the cast of the Fast and the Furious, you’d only be half right. Let’s check out Ludacris’ rise to fame and how his first car might have played a role in it.
Ludacris’ music career
According to Biography.com, Ludacris began his rap career at age nine. He joined a group known as the Loudmouth Hooligans, before moving to Atlanta at age 12. He got his first big break when Timbaland featured him on his debut album Tim’s Bio: Life from Da Bassment. Ludacris later released his own album Incognegro. In 2000, Ludacris decided to branch out and started his own label that he called Disturbing Tha Peace.
Ludacris has collaborated with many other rappers over the years, such as Foxy Brown, 2 Chainz, Nate Dogg, Twista, and Trina. In fact, 2 Chainz was a little-known MC going by the name of Tity Boi when Ludacris decided to work with him. Perhaps he wanted to pay it forward by helping someone else start their career the same way Timbaland did for him.
Joining the Fast and Furious
While many rappers are happy just making music, Ludacris had other dreams. His love of music was his sole pleasure in life, and it took another rapper turning down a potentially life-changing role for Ludacris to get his chance.
MTV reports that Ja Rule was set to return to 2 Fast, 2 Furious in a starring role. He was even getting a hefty raise to sweeten up the deal. In a move that shocked the world, Ja Rule turned the role down, stating he wasn’t sure it was what he wanted. Many believe it had more to do with the fact that his music career was booming, and Ja Rule simply got ‘too big for his pants.’
Either way, it opened up the door for Ludacris to join the cast. The other actors described him as humble and enjoyed working with him. The role brought him to the attention of many fans who had never heard his music and probably wouldn’t have listened to it if they hadn’t seen him on the big screen.
Another rapper is set to join the cast, and it’s none other than Cardi B. She’ll be doing a concert performance with Ludacris. This gives the rapper a chance to do everything he loves without having to choose.
Ludacris’ first car
It’s no secret that Ludacris wasn’t born into money. Every penny he has, he earned through hard work and sweat. So when Ludacris got his first car, it wasn’t exactly his dream car.
According to Hot Cars, Ludacris bought his first car from one of his teachers. It was a 1986 Plymouth Reliant that had seen better days. Someone botched a wax job on the Reliant, and wax mixed in with the paint. This gave it a patchy look that a mother couldn’t love.
To say that Ludacris wasn’t fond of his Plymouth Reliant was an understatement. He described as ‘better than riding the cheese.’ It was better than nothing, but just barely.
Thankfully the Reliant had one saving grace that hinted at Ludacris’ future career in music. He had it fitted with 15” subwoofers, so he could jam out to his favorite music. It was the only thing he liked about his Plymouth Reliant because all he truly cared about was the sound. Given some of the songs he has released over the years, and the care he takes when producing a new album, that wasn’t exactly surprising.
Driving the Reliant probably fueled Ludacris’s love for cars. He appreciated it when he was able to drive cars that didn’t have botched wax jobs and had decent speakers already installed. In fact, Ludacris is even considering switching to electric cars in order to protect the environment.
Ludacris’ Reliant may have also played a role in his decision to join the Fast and Furious cast. Reliants aren’t known for their speed, so driving a vehicle like the R33 Skyline would be a dream come true.
