[Back For The First Time Ludacris Rar
Julieann Rohde
Incognegro apparently sold a respectable fifty thousand units, and when you consider that most of those discs were sold out of the trunk of Luda's car, it's even more impressive. Houston-based rapper Scarface, whose rap name is Brad Jordan, had inked a deal with Def Jam Records to have a subsidiary based in the south, and he creatively called it Def Jam South. Luda Bridges ended up being its first signee, and his major label debut Back For The First Time dropped a few months later. For the most part, it's the exact same album as Incognegro, but Luda utilized the opportunity to drop some of the filler tracks and record some new stuff with his new-found more famous friends.
1. U GOT A PROBLEM?
Thankfully, the ridiculous intro was dropped for the major label release. "U Got A Problem?" is essentially the same song as before, minus the sound bite that repeats "You got a problem with it, come see me", which ostensibly gave the song its title.
2. GAME GOT SWITCHED
Same song as on Incognegro.
3. 1ST & 10 (FEAT INFAMOUS 2-0 & LIL FATE)
Same song as on Incognegro.
4. WHAT'S YOUR FANTASY (FEAT SHAWNA)
Same song as on Incognegro.
5. COME ON OVER (SKIT)
...
6. HOOD STUCK
Same song as on Regulate...G Funk Era. (Gotcha!)
7. GET OFF ME (FEAT PASTOR TROY)
Same godawful song as from Incognegro.
8. MOUTHING OFF (FEAT 4-IZE)
See track number seven.
9. STICK 'EM UP (FEAT UGK)
This isn't that good of a song to warrant inclusion on the major label release, but I'm usually a supporter of anything that exposed UGK to a wider audience. The beat is pretty weak, and both Pimp C (R.I.P.) and 'Cris sound bored as shit, but Bun B, who for my money was always the best rapper in UGK anyway, steps in and helps put the track up on the high shelf.
10. HO (SKIT)
...
11. HO
See: "..."
12. TICKETS SOLD OUT (SKIT)
...
13. CATCH UP (FEAT INFAMOUS 2-0 & LIL FATE)
From the same album that track number two appeared on originally.
14. SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
Luda's first collaboration with the then-production giants The Neptunes, if I'm not mistaken. When it dropped as the second single, it quickly established Luda as the type of artist that could easily make music for both the club audience and the "I can't get in the club so I'll stand outside in the parking lot with my drink and try not to look like I'm freezing my ass off" audience. This song still sounds pretty good today, but you have to remember that I'm a fan of the early Neptunes work, so this shouldn't be much of a surprise.
15. WHAT'S YOUR FANTASY (REMIX) (FEAT TRINA, SHAWNA, & FOXY BROWN)
An all-female version of Luda's song, in which the three ladies all rhyme about fucking, which may work for you, especially if you're the type that busy imagining Trina in bed on all fours while her verse plays. (By the way, in regard to the visual imagery, you're welcome. No, it's perfectly fine; you can pay me back later.) Shawna kind of surprised me with her verse, especially since all she did on the original song was perform on the chorus, so since she can actually rhyme words together, she gets a pass. Foxy Brown, whose inclusion I had always questioned given her non-career, sticks with the dirty talk that got her the Def Jam deal in the first place, but she describes a sex act that is physically impossible: she basically demands that you eat her pussy while she sits on your dick. Um, huh? Ultimately, this isn't a good song at all, but more of a curiosity piece for new listeners to Ludacris and/or horny fourteen year old boys. The first time I had ever heard of this remix was on the radio (a miracle in and of itself, considering the subject matter: every third word had to be censored in some fashion), and I remember there being a fourth verse performed by Ludacris himself (he doesn't appear on this version, save for on the hook), which ended with a line sort of like "...and then I smoke a cigarette". Has anyone ever heard that version, or is Max just crazy? Anyone? Bueller?
16. PHAT RABBIT (FEAT TIMBALAND)
The exact same song that appeared on Timbaland's Tim's Bio: Life From Da Bassment. Included mainly because it technically was Luda's first appearance on a mainstream album, but it's still not very good.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Incognegro and its evil twin Back For The First Time serve as an above-average debut for a Southern rapper that has his flow down, but just needs to fine-tune his ear for beats. Luda comes out of the gate as a fully-functional artist ready to work, and proved it later by appearing on remixes to everyone's songs, a business practice that he still follows to this day. If there were more rappers out there from the South with his work ethic (and, oh yeah, talent), then I wouldn't complain so much about the South whenever it pops up in a write-up.
BUY OR BURN? Incognegro is readily available for purchase online, but since it's basically the same album as Back For The First Time, I would recommend that you pick up the Def Jam debut. Just like the Warren G album, it's entertaining to listen to, but you won't walk away from it with any life lessons. For that, you'll want to pick up Lloyd Banks's The Hunger For More.
BEST TRACKS: "Rock And A Hard Place"; "Southern Hospitality"; "U Got A Problem?"; "Mouthing Off"
-Max
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It may have been Memorial Day weekend but it must have felt like Christmas for Ludacris, whose movie Fast and the Furious 6 and mixtape 1.21 Gigawatts: Back to the First Time both opened at No. 1.
The appropriately titled 1.21 Gigawatts: Back to the First Time finds Luda revisiting that hard-hitting ATL bass-happy sound with which he first entered the game, while also unleashing an unrelenting barrage of one-liners for which he's become well known (in every area code).
The "Act a Fool" rapper came out swinging on the intro, boasting,"They say real recognize real and I'm as real as they come, don't ever doubt me/You ain't never seen, read or heard no fake shit about me," with that signature cadence that straddles the line between brash and comedic.
On "Rich & Flexin'" Luda teams up with Waka Flocka, and it's exactly what you'd expect to hear when these two down-South heavyweights get together. Then on the Drugs-produced "Muthaf---a Can U Buy That," he shows off his rapid-fire flow, no missteps.
"Bada Boom" is another high note, showcasing Luda's incomparable ability to Ginsu-chop syllables over this subdued trunk-rattler produced by Wonder. "See, I'm your past, I'm your future, and your present/So watch your f---in' mouth when you speak about a legend. 16 times platinum, 6 number 1 peaks/so I could give a f--k what you sold in your first week," he raps.
Luda even brings out the best in 2 Chainz, who contributed one of the hotter verses of his career on "I Ain't the One" and Meek Mill adds some Philly swag to the Juicy J-produced "Say It to My Face." Meek's fellow Maybach Music rapper/Miami repper Rick Ross also put his stamp on BTTFT with "Do Sumthin Strange."
Overall, the tape is proof that when it comes to a legend like Ludacris, the only real competition is himself. Despite an all-star list of features, Luda never got outshined lyrically. And, like the Fast and the Furious franchise, this raucous rhyme-slinger only gets better with each go round.
We're bringing Whiskey Myers back home to Tyler, TX for the first time since '15. We've also got Ludacris and some of the best East Texas restaurants for you too. And remember your General Admission ticket gets you all the food you can handle included in the price.
Last October for the inaugural Rose City Music Festival over 7,000 live music fans found their way to Downtown Tyler for a full day of amazing local eats and an unforgettable night of live entertainment, headlined by country-rocker Koe Wetzel and GRAMMY award winning rapper Nelly.
Last year we welcomed over 15 of the best restaurants Tyler has to offer. This year we're looking to grow that number. Would you like to showcase your East Texas restaurant at Rose City Music Festival? If you own a local restaurant that's looking to participate please email tsme...@townsquaremedia.com.
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