Ludacris Raises $30K For Charity During LudaDay Celebrity Basketball Game

[NelsonG]

By Maurice Bobb

Last week, in a viral video from the London set of the new movie, "Fast & Furious 6," Ludacris promised that his 7th annual LudaDay Weekend, which spanned from August 30 to September 3 would be bigger and better than all of its previous years in existence—and it was. During halftime of the main event, the Celebrity Basketball Game, Luda thanked all of those involved with the weekend of events and made one significant announcement about funds raised.

“First of all I want to thank everybody for buying tickets to this game,” Luda said before a capacity crowd at Morehouse’s Forbes Arena. “We raised over $30,000 for Ludacris foundations and that goes right back in the hood and goes back to the city of Atlanta that’s been supporting me since day one.”

For those keeping score, last year LudaDay netted $10,000 for his selected charities that include the Frank Ski Kids Foundation, Inc., Keshia Knight Pulliam’s Kamp Kizzy, Antoine “Big Boi” Patton’s Big Kidz Foundation, Josh Powell’s 21 Reasons Foundation, Get Schooled.org, Do Something, Ryan Cameron Foundation, and the Boys & Girls Club of Atlanta, so that’s three times bigger and better. But the real icing on the cake, besides a new custom watch gifted to the Grammy-winning MC from event sponsor Hublot, was when Atlanta City Council President Ceasar Mitchell took center court and officially declared September 2nd "LUDA DAY" in the ATL.

Luda kept things focused on his charities while being presented with his “LudaDay” proclamation, but took to Twitter to express his real feelings:

“BREAKING NEWS! THE CITY OF ATLANTA JUST MADE SEPT 2ND OFFICIALLY "LUDA DAY"! THAT IS THE BEST BDAY PRESENT I'VE EVER RECEIVED.”

Ludacris was born Christopher Bridges on September 11th and while his weekend of charity, which included DJ & Media Appreciation Day, Luda & Friends College Campus Takeover at Clark Atlanta Campus and a LudaDay Party at Frank Ski’s, was a huge success, he’ll have to chew on the bitter taste of defeat for an early birthday present as Kevin Hart’s Team Hart defeated Team Luda 103-100.

After his team took the win, Hart took to Twitter to taunt Luda:

“I need all of my followers to ask @Ludacris who won the B Ball game, I will give u a hint....the winners last name rhymes with FART. I kicked @Ludacris ass today #TeamHart #LudasTeamStinks #ImAWinner .......I'm taking my team to Disney World!!!!”

Despite taking a loss, Luda was more than grateful that his celebrity friends, which included NBA players Lou Williams, Kenyon Martin, Jarrect Jack, Josh Powell, Shannon Brown and John Wall and other celebs like USA gold medalist Justin Gatlin, Cash Out, Pusha T, Mase and Floyd Mayweather, came out to support the cause and provide entertainment for his beloved city. Other celebs in the crowd included Larenz Tate, Keri Hilson, Lance Gross, Monica, LeToya Luckett, Keshia Knight Pulliam and Rasheeda from "Love & Hip Hop Atlanta."

“All of the celebrities here today could have been anywhere in the world,” Luda said. “But they chose to be right here and give back to the hood.”

[url=http://rapfix.mtv.com/2012/09/04/ludacris-raises-30k-during-ludaday-celebrity-basketball-game/]View the full article[/url]