news archive

February 28, 2003 - The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Ludacris recently ate at the Wave Restaurant at the W Hotel, while fellow rapper Busta Rhymes was seen joking at the eatery's bar several days later.

February 18, 2003 - Ludacris was on hand at the NASCAR Winston Cup Daytona 500 on Sunday (February 16) at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Check out pictures from WireImage.com.

February 16, 2003 - Ludacris performed at the House of Blues in Chicago the other night. Check out pictures from the gig at here.

February 16, 2003 - Jeff Vrabel of the Chicago Sun-Times reviewed the Ludacris show at House of Blues on Tuesday night. Vrabel said, "Though it's true that what Ludacris brings is essentially hip-hop ear candy, it's ear candy with edge, bite and potency. Onstage with his crew in Disturbing Tha Peace, Ludacris rocketed through a brief but fiery hourlong set, firing off jams in traditionally abbreviated form but never easing up on the club vibe." Read more.

February 16, 2003 - Jim Abbott of the Orlando Sentinel spoke with Ludacris about the controversy regarding Pepsi and Bill O'Reilly, and why he's maintained a low profile about it. "I wasn't real vocal for a while because I didn't want to yap and bicker," he says. "This was bigger than me, so I went and got Russell. But I definitely feel like there was a double-standard." But he won't be coaxed into taking shots at the Osbournes. "I wouldn't want anybody singling me out on anything. I'm not a hater, so I'm not going to do that. I wouldn't want to mess up his opportunity." Read more.

February 14, 2003 - forever-madd writes "Last night on Fox's 'The Bill O'Reilly Show,' representatives for Pepsi implied that they would not be donating money to Ludacris' foundation, as they verbally agreed to earlier this week to avert a boycott of their company. Hip-Hop Action Network President Minister Ben Muhammad spoke with AllHipHop.com about the situation. Read more."

February 14, 2003 - 'The O'Reilly Factor' focused on Russell Simmons threatening a boycott of Pepsi boycott unless it pays millions to the Ludacris Foundation and hires the rapper back. Obviously, Bill O'Reilly isn't keen on the idea, and he debated it with Dennis Kneale, managing editor of Forbes magazine, and Terrie Williams, the founder of the Stay Strong Foundation and the Terrie Williams Agency. Williams worked for Ludacris last summer in the middle of the controversy. Check out a transcript here.

February 10, 2003 - Paul Moreland, 4K News Editor, has an open letter to Fox News Channel talk show host Bill O'Reilly, who seems to be overlooking the double-standard that Pepsi displayed by canning Ludacris after his boycott call, and hiring Ozzy Osbourne. Moreland tells O'Reilly: "C’mon stop the bullsh**, you got a dude that simulated decapitations on stage while performing, alongside a dude that bites bat heads off on stage and you reserve this kind of language for Luda; a 'dangerous' man whose message is 'Look, be an outlaw. Take narcotics. Abuse people. Punch people. Hurt people.' Slow the fu** down partner, clearly you’re barking up the wrong tree, I think I got the candidate for your next circus, the motherfu**ing Osbournes, and until you find some nuts to cut the double standard bullsh**, then SHUT THE FU** UP!" Read more.

February 10, 2003 - Eve, Jurassic 5, The Roots, Ludacris, MC Doug E. Fresh, Ja Rule, and Biz Markie attended Jordan Presents LOVE: In Concert in Atlanta at the AmericasMart on Friday (February 7) in Atlanta, Georgia. Check out pictures from GettyImages.

February 6, 2003 - Reuters reports Russell Simmons on Wednesday called on the hip-hop community to start a boycott next week against PepsiCo Inc., citing that the company applies a double standard by placing foul-mouthed rocker Ozzy Osbourne in a Super Bowl commercial only months after yanking rapper Ludacris for his vulgar language. "The 'Campaign for Respect' will be officially launched a week from today," Simmons said in statement following a press conference in New York on Wednesday. "We're asking all artists and supporters of hip-hop culture to refrain from supporting Pepsi and PepsiCo products," he said. Simmons said the action follows six months of unsuccessful attempts to negotiate a settlement of the dispute. Read more.

February 4, 2003 - AllHipHop.com reports Russell Simmons and his Hip-Hop Summit Network plan to make announcements and detail the plans of a hip hop boycott against Pepsi and other companies that exploit hip-hop music. "We are going to show Pepsi and cooperate America just how powerful we are," Simmons said. A boiling point may have been when Pepsi used the Osbournes after dumping Ludacris -- and how that seems to be a double standard. Read more.

January 25, 2003 - Ludacris is featured in Entertainment Weekly's Forecast 2003 feature. The rapper will make his debut as a trash-talkin' pet gerbil in the R-rated cartoon 'Lil' Pimp'. Luda described the flick saying, "I't skind of like 'South Park', but taken a step further." Film creators Peter Gilstrap and Mark Brooks have high praise for the rapper. "He has a really funny, lighthearted voice within his songs," says Brooks. Gilstrap added, "He's such a presence that he controls the screen. There's a touch of Fred Sanford in there."

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