In a touching ceremony, Ludacris has become one of the esteemed rappers to claim a star on the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame. Positioned at 6426 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, the 2,756th star was unveiled during a live streamed event on Thursday (May 18). The artist formerly known as Chris Lova Lova was joined by a constellation of supporters, including LL COOL J, Queen Latifah, Vin Diesel, and Tyrese.
However, the most emotional moment came when renowned Los Angeles radio host Ellen K announced that Ludacris’ eldest daughter, Karma, would share her thoughts. Overwhelmed by the surprise, the “Roll Out” rapper admitted, “I was fighting tears. Seriously, I was glad that I had my sunglasses on today. That blew me away. Usually, it’s not easy for people to keep certain things from me, but that was 100 percent a surprise. Seems like everybody knew but me! I’m a little pissed off right now. I’m a little mad.”
Ludacris took the opportunity to express his gratitude to fellow rap contemporaries and supporters, recognizing that his success is the result of a collective effort. Determined to break stereotypes and inspire others, he declared, “No matter what people say I can’t do, I will continue to shatter those stereotypes and show people it’s possible in order to make everyone who got me here proud. Because you all inspire my hard work and dedication to receive this star today. I’m motivated by legacy and history.”
The Hollywood Walk of Fame star represents a significant milestone in Ludacris’ life, symbolizing his personal history and the mark he has made in the world. The rapper humbly expressed his astonishment, stating, “To be amongst these names is just amazing to me. I’m just so thankful. So, getting a star is a statement, but be clear about this statement. The even bigger statement to me is that we are all interconnected. And I am a culmination of the people who showed up for me today, believing in me and pushing me to inspire me. So y’all be clapping for me all day I’m gonna need y’all to give yourselves a round of applause. Because I’m nothing without you.”
The unveiling of Ludacris’ star coincided with the highly anticipated premiere of “Fast X,” the latest installment in the beloved Fast & Furious franchise, hitting theaters on Friday (May 19).
During an appearance on The Tamron Hall Show earlier this week, Ludacris provided updates on his eagerly-awaited upcoming album, assuring fans that new music will be released before the end of this year. He enthusiastically stated, “We’re definitely gonna get some music before the end of this year. I would say an album, probably next year.”
When asked about the delay in releasing a new album, Ludacris attributed it to the remarkable success of the Fast & Furious franchise, playfully remarking, “They keep shooting more movies. What am I supposed to do?”
Emphasizing his commitment to maintaining his hunger and artistic prowess, Ludacris shared, “When I was young, I feel like some of my favorite rappers, once they get to a certain point, it’s almost like you wish that they were still kind of hungry and you feel like they don’t have it necessarily like they used to. I never wanted to be that. So it’s extremely important for me to prove to people that even though I’m doing all this other stuff, make no mistake, I still got it, and I’m still as hungry.”