'Theater' finds Luda long on style

In the years since Ludacris’s last record, 2006’s Release Therapy, the man has done almost everything except rap.

He has guest-starred on “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” and “The Simpsons,” starred in a couple of movies and created a charity. But no singles were anywhere to be found.

Unlike genre titan Lil’ Wayne, Luda has kept his musical output to a minimum and his screen time to a maximum. It’s the not first time a rapper has had aspirations of acting success, but it’s rare for a rapper to make the career jump and keep their cred in the music world. Case in point: Ice-T and Ice Cube.  

Filled with aggressive beats and Ludacris’ trademark southern drawl, Theater of Mind is brimming with witty word play. The album’s lead single and video “Everybody Hates Chris” has a great hook with the line “Fuck you Luda” and a guest spot by Chris Rock.
While it’s nothing new, the execution makes the album a fun listen.

Like most rap albums these days, Theater of Mind has a ton of guest artists: Lil’ Wayne, Jay-Z, Nas, The Game, Jamie Foxx, Chris Rock, T.I. and T-Pain all appear here. You could easily be fooled into thinking Theater of Mind was a movie by looking at the personnel.

Like the movies he’s been making his name with, the album is long on style and short on anything else. Its humor comes from the fact that Ludacris is totally self-aware about his role in the music biz.

He’s an entertainer. He sums it up with a great line from “Wish You Would”: “Of course they hatin’ cause they still ridin’ tha murda train / Re-name the yacht, put the plane in my daughter’s name / Now that’s karma so call me Daddy Warbucks / If you got money, I got mo’ bucks.”

He knows what he is, and he doesn’t care. His flows are laced with humor, ridiculous amounts of ego-boosting and a great taste for word play.

If you’re looking for something to impress your friends with, this ain’t it. If you want a good time and don’t want to think about it, stop by Ludacris' Theater of Mind.