The past couple of years have been big for hip-hop artists getting stars on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Missy Elliott got one in 2021, Nipsey Hussle got his in 2022, and even DJ Khaled got one last year. The latest icon to join his contemporaries on Hollywood Blvd. is Ludacris, whose run of hits spanned from 2000 to 2018 and bolstered a career that saw him go from Atlanta underground rap hero to international movie star (Fast X is out now, only in theaters!).
Luda — real name Chris Bridges — was honored in a ceremony on Thursday (May 18) attended by inspirations like LL Cool J and Queen Latifah, his Fast & Furious Family, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, and onscreen banter partner Tyrese, and his real family, wife Eudoxie Mbouguiengue, mother Roberta Shields, and four children. According to the LA Times, his eldest daughter Karma told him she was speaking at her school, Spelman College (an aside: It’s so weird that Karma is in college when the children’s TV show based on her, Karma’s World, still has her titular character in grade school), then surprised him at the ceremony, bringing tears to his eyes.
During his speech, Chris took care to thank the two late Hollywood icons who brought him on board the Fast series way back in 2003, John Singleton and Paul Walker, as well as his longtime managers Chaka Zulu and Jeff Dixon. Interestingly enough, the Times notes that Luda’s star bears the motion picture logo instead of the one for music, although, in this writer’s opinion, he deserved it for either. Give him two. And speaking of his music career, he promised that he’d get to work on that 11th album whenever he finds time. Maybe Vin can have Tej put in a coma or something so Luda can get a break.