Early Life
Born Christopher Brian Bridges in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris successfully escaped the traps of troubled youth. His parents divorced when he was very young and regardless of being poor throughout his childhood, he chose to study hard in school.
While living in Chicago with his mom, Ludacris attended Emerson Middle School and Oak Park & River Forest High School. Having moved to Centreville, Virginia, he transferred to a local high school there. He finally graduated from Banneker High School in Atlanta.
Ludacris today credits his mom for being strict in keeping him off the street as a young boy. Thanks to this sense of responsibility and work ethic, he also attended Georgia State University, where he studied music management. He is one of the few college-educated rappers in the US.
Career
Ludacris’ musical career didn’t start until many years after, but that didn’t stop Bridges from writing songs and rapping with his friends from the age of nine. His first shot at commercial fame was in Atlanta where he was working as a DJ for a local radio station.
After having appeared on one of Timbaland’s tracks, Ludacris went on to release his debut album Incognegro in 1998. The record was a flop, but the rapper stayed persistent and successfully debuted on a major label two years after with a symbolic title Back for the First Time.
From 2000 until 2008, everything Ludacris made turned to gold. He also became a regular in The Fast and the Furious movie franchise, launched his own record label, designed his own headphone line, and opened his own restaurant at the airport in Atlanta, among other things.
In the News
Aside from a few controversies involving the rapper T.I. and a business contract with Pepsi, Ludacris managed to stay out of trouble throughout his long career. For that, as well as for his philanthropic work, he earned the love and respect of both colleagues and fans.
Ludacris is very private about his love life and has been happily married since 2014. He has one daughter with his model wife Eudoxie Mbouguiengue and three other daughters from previous relationships.
For more gossip on Ludacris, stay tuned with The Shade Room!
