NEWS
A recent Ludacris show was halted by fire marshals after 30 minutes of performance.
The rapper and Fast Five actor performed a greatest-hits set at a private house party in Miami, Florida as part of magazine Nylon‘s Art Basel Miami Art Week 2024.
Page Six reported that, after 30 minutes, a fire marshal appeared onstage to stop the performance – however, a Nylon spokesperson told the news outlet that Ludacris was eventually allowed to finish his performance, and that he had originally been booked for 30 minutes.
“Ludacris hit the stage on time at 11pm and was having so much fun that he extended his performance to over 45 minutes,” the spokesperson told Page Six, “and the party went on until well after midnight, with partygoers enjoying everything the e.l.f. sponsored bash had to offer.”
Ludacris’ involvement in the event extended beyond an artist booking – the rapper told Page Six that he has “just started collecting art” after venturing into real estate. Page Six also reported that Camila Cabello and Janelle Monae were present at the event.
In August, Ludacris alarmed fans when he shared a video clip of himself drinking glacier water. He would later say that the water was “so good it tastes like God made it”.
In June, after his concert in Milwaukee was cancelled due to weather concerns, Ludacris performed a free show for fans in a city bar: “My show in Milwaukee got cancelled last night due to rain and thunderstorms, but I DEFINITELY wasn’t leaving the city without touching the people”, he wrote in an Instagram caption.
Earlier this year, he revealed that he plans on releasing new music this year, eight years after his last full length LP ‘Ludaversal’. Speaking to BET, Ludacris said: “Yeah, some music projects will be coming out [in 2024]. I don’t wanna fake, I don’t wanna stutter-step. It’s definitely some music coming next year, but I don’t know if it’s like an EP or an LP. We’re going to figure it out.”
In January, Ludacris announced that he was working with BET+ to develop a TV comedy-drama series based on his early musical career. The script is being written by Golden Globe-winner Noah Gardenswartz, who previously worked on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and will also serve as an executive producer. Ludacris himself will also executive produce the series, as well as taking on the role of music supervisor.
The rapper has spent the last few years focussing on his acting career, which includes his role as Tej Parker, in the Fast & Furious franchise. Earlier this year, Andre 3000 revealed he had auditioned for the role but lost out to Ludacris, though he insisted he was “not at all” angry about it. “I wasn’t ready,” he told US talk show host Stephen Colbert. “I remember that audition. I was so nervous, man. I wouldn’t have hired me.”
Last year, Timbaland reflected on his role in Ludacris’s early career, stating that he was “the one who found Ludacris.” He continued: “Because Ludacris was working in the radio station and I was like, ‘Hey, ain’t nobody sign you? What’s going on here?’ [He was like], ‘Nah man.’”
NEWS
A$AP Rocky has revealed that it took years of persistence before Tim Burton agreed to create the cover artwork for his upcoming album, Don’t Be Dumb. The rapper reflected on how the unlikely collaboration finally came together during a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday.
Going into detail about the process, Rocky confessed that he “basically had to stalk and harass him for a few years” before things clicked. He explained, “I reached out and told him I would love to hang out, play him some vibes and just connect. I ended up going to Malibu while he was on a break, and he was feeling it. I played him an early version of the album and he really liked it. That’s when I asked, ‘Do you think you might want to do the illustration for this?’ He was open to it, but then suddenly he had Wednesday and Beetlejuice 2 going on. I realized this was going to take a lot longer than I thought.”
A$AP Rocky went on to describe a moment that really stuck with him during that visit. “While I was there, I noticed a sketch sitting on the table and asked if he drew it,” he said. “He told me that every morning he and his daughter work on drawings together. He starts one, then she comes in and finishes it or changes it. It’s something they practice daily. I saw it as their bond, and to me, that felt priceless.”
On Tuesday, A$AP Rocky also released a double music video for his tracks “WHISKEY” and “BLACK DEMARCO.” Tim Burton appears in the visual and contributed multiple illustrations that tie into the project.
Alongside the release of the “WHISKEY” and “BLACK DEMARCO” video, Rocky officially unveiled the Don’t Be Dumb World Tour. The run will include 42 dates across North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom, with shows scheduled throughout 2026.
