Ludacris Goes Back To The Streets On '1.21 Gigawatts' Mixtape

[NelsonG]

By Rob Markman

Ludacris is back for the first time; again! Things have changed since the rapper dropped his official debut album Back for the First Time in 2000. He has gone on to release seven albums earning multiple platinum plaques and Luda went on to invade Hollywood starring in a number of films including 2004’s Crash, 2005’s Hustle & Flow and this year’s high-speed action flick Fast Five.

His latest mixtape, 1.21 Gigawatts: Back to the First Time, provides a reminder for those who may have forgotten about his lyrical prowess. "The sound of the tape is strictly taking it back to the streets, strictly taking it back to the essence," Luda told Mixtape Daily. "You know I been gone for two years, so I'm trying to flood the Internets with music, I'm trying to flood everybody. All the fans for the past 10 years that's been supporting me: This is for you."

The tape, which will be released Tuesday on mixtape site DatPiff, may boast a number of notable features like Rick Ross, Wiz Khalifa, Meek Mill, Big K.R.I.T. and 2Chainz, but Luda gets in superstar mode, spitting the same witty, rapid-fire flows that made him famous.

The bouncy "Mother----er Can You Buy That" samples the 1973 Blaxploitation classic "The Mack" and features Luda delivering some of his most boastful lines. "Ready, set, go, oh I'm so outrageous/ Your money is tied up, bitch, my money is the dominatrix," he spits in true Luda fashion.
"On Fire," though much slower, finds 'Cris spewing just as much heat. "Look, I make my own decisions, learn from my own mistakes/ My enemies, they want beef but don't know what's at stake," he delivers.

Over the course of 12 tracks, Ludacris makes it clear that despite any of his extracurricular activities, there is no other MC on the mic who can do quite what he does. Doubters need to look no further than the chest-pounding "Say It to My Face" or the get-high ode "What You Smoking On."

Think Luda went Hollywood? Think again. "[I'm] taking it back to the beginning, taking it back to the essence," Luda said of 1.21 Gigawatts. "It's gritty, it's grimy, it's hard core."

Joints to Check For


» "I'm On Fire" - "It's featuring Big K.R.I.T. My verse is on there, it's just letting you know about the life I live and where I feel I'm at in this game. It is produced by the one and only Mike Will. You gotta check it out; it's one of my favorite songs on the mixtape."

» "Mother----er Can You Buy That" - "Of course, still witty Ludacris, still having fun. Fast flow, people love when I do that, and this right here is produced by Drugs. Self-explanatory."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

[url=http://rapfix.mtv.com/2011/11/15/ludacris-goes-back-to-the-streets-on-121-gigawatts-mixtape/]View the full article[/url]