As the man of the
hour steadily nodded his head along with the press members in attendance, Ludacris’
fourth album, The Red Light District, was premiered for the ears of a
lucky few last night (Oct. 20).
“Luda had
a lot of fun making this record,” Ludacris’ manager Chaka Zulu announced
before pressing the Play button. “This was the first time that he really
got to relax while making an album.”
This level of enjoyment
is obvious throughout The Red Light District, a title which is meant
to anoint Luda’s hometown of Atlanta as the U.S. parallel to Amsterdam’s
carefree haven.
Heavy on inspired
collaborations, his typically vibrant wordplay, and speaker-damaging production,
The Red Light District is sure to be another smash for multi-tasking
rapper.
“Get Back,”
the first single, recaptures the intensity of Ludacris’ past hit “Move
B####,” with kinetic beat work courtesy of KLC of the Medicine Men. Lil
Jon contributes moody electric guitars on the alcohol and weed ode “Too
Much,” while Timbaland blesses Luda with tribal percussion and avant-garde
bounce on “Potion.”
New producer Voodoo
nearly steals the show with his haunting Teena Marie sampling on “Child
of the Night,” where Ludacris engages in candid self reflection, spitting,
“I admit to being trumped by too many distractions, and I’ve been
forced to pay for my childish actions.”
DJ Green Lantern
turns the Austin Powers theme music into a rowdy soundtrack for Ludacris to
fire off cocky boasts on “Number One Spot,” with Luda even throwing
a swift jab at rival Bill O’Reilly.
High-profile guest
appearances are bountiful on The Red Light District, with artists like
DJ Quik and DMX joining the festivities. Sleepy Brown provides the hook for
the vibrant “Blueberry Yum Yum,” Ludacris’ experimental exercise
in off-kilter singing.
The album’s
crown jewel, however, comes in the form of the old-school inspired “Virgo,”
featuring Nas and Doug E. Fresh, complete with a vintage Fresh beatbox backdrop.
With additions
from Mannie Fresh and The Neptunes currently being finalized, The Red Light
District should easily make Ludacris fans happy when it’s released
on December 7.