Ludacris Has Beef With Oprah

[bigted]

I'm surprised that he didn't acknowledge Will as a rapper who went on "Oprah", especially since he produced "Party Starter", oh well, lol, anyway here's the article:

http://www.playahata.com/

Ludacris says he gave Oprah another Crash Moment but he was censored.

New York, (Playahata.com) -Although still a babe in the world of rap, Ludacris has grown. “This record is the life report of my life for past year,” he says. “It’s me learning everyday, being more educated and becoming a better rapper and entertainer. Now that Disturbing the Peace has hit the street I feel like we have really arrived but I hope the best is yet to come. But Luda admits being on The Oprah show was a big, big moment for him even if Oprah dissed him or at least tried to. Prior to Luda, Only three rappers had ever appeared on Oprah show. Kanye West to discuss his car accident, Puff and LL Cool J for Clothing and overall stardom and then himself as part of the cast of Crash.

The rapper /actor appeared on HO7 97 on December 15TH Speaking with Ainge Martinez. (Excerpts and edits below)

Ainge Martinez: I was watching Oprah and I saw you. I noticed Oprah was giving everybody “love” and then she came to you Ludacris and she said she has a problem with your lyrics but that you did a good in the film also but she treated you like you were 5 years old man.What was that all about?

Ludacris: That’s true, I felt the same way she played me out but I came back at her strong in defense of hip hop on many things but Oprah’s people censored everything I said. “I had so many comments in my defense. In all honesty Oprah never wanted me on the show. I called my agency and was like why am I not able to come. I am on there as an actor, Chris Bridges. This can’t be about my lyrics. I am not sure if it was a hate rap thing or hate my lyrics. I had to fight to get onto Oprah. They called me the night before the show and said ok, although it was 2 months before where everybody else knew.”

Oprah later pulled me into a side room, closed the door and lied to me saying that the late approval was cause I was told I could only have a few people but I was like “c’mon you are OPRAH, nobody gives you orders”. She apologized and told me this was the case; I was in the hot seat but I handled her.

Unfortunately they edited me to punk me on TV, they censored a lot, like when I talked about my 150,000 Katrina contribution, they even censored that. My next album I am going to talk about it. On my next album In 2006 this will be dealt with in a positive manner . I told her we are young and we are experiencing problems and making mistakes in hip hop we are evolving.

She said in the past she had skinheads on her show but some people felt like they simply having them onthey were still be given a positive platform. I think she was comparing giving rappers a platform to giving skinheads a platform. I won’t disrespect Oprah but on my next album I will air it out.

Editors note: The timing of the Ludacris testimony is interesting since a recent conspiracy theory website has gained popularity and it claimed that Oprah was part of a conspiratorial powerful Black Group that was into censorship.

http://www.hot97.com/multimedia/interviewP...artist=Ludacris

[mfuqua23]

Maybe that Chappelle thing isnt far off?

[Hero1]

well done to oprah :bat:

[Vipa]

Treating a grown man like a 5 year old, and completely ignoring him and putting him down because you don't like his lyrics? come on now.

Ludacris is a educated man too. He gave a lot back to the community, graduated from college, tries to help those in need, and to me, comes off as a real nice, positive dude to his fans.. Dudes done a lot. Let's not disresopect him because you can't take a little cursing...

[Hero1]

If Oprah doesn't agree with the image he portrays or his music why should she have him on her show?

[Vipa]

Exactly...She shouldn't HAVE to have him..But he was there. So she shouldn't show him disrespect. It's not his fualt he was asked to be there, and that Oprah did nothing about it.

[cristigolo]

oprah is overrated anyway

[ash trey]

I dont like the fact that Oprah got Ludacris on her show to disrespect him. I dont care for some of Ludas music but it is obvious that he knows hip-Hop, he has worked with Will,Nas,Doug.E.Fresh and gave props to JJFP and Slick Rick. BTW isnt it weird that Will isnt mentioned in the article at all.

[3cookies]

I love Oprah, no doubt! ... Ludacris has madd talent & flow,... but can clean work on lyrics abit more...

but what can i say??? :shrug:

I wanna see the edited copy of the show!!! lol

peace,

cookie

[Frenetic]

Ludacris is pretty good. Better than alot of rappers in the mainstream. He just feels more honest and sincere than like 50 cent or Em.

I read an interview with him that was really interesting, him talking about hiphop, about growing up where he did, about politics, censorship, about the black community and more. He's really smart actually. I'll see if i can find it.

Oprah is... ehm.... okay. She got her good sides, she's done alot of good. But it also feels like she's too weak now. She ain't in touch with the people anymore. Yeah, she got them teary ass shows with homeless and poor people. But her critisiscm and opinions just feels so sugarcoated and... censored.

[JumpinJack AJ]

I think it's messed up that Oprah edited what waz said, but that's what post-production is about. I have a few friends who work for various TV and cable productions. I've worked behind the scenes and i've done stuff like local commericals. It's amazing how much stuff gets taped compared 2 what ends up on TV. So it may not have even been intentional.

But when it comes 2 Ludacris, i think his lyrics are crap. His voice and most of his music is just annoying 2 me. I've even seen him live and it nearly put me sleep. This may be my opinion...but Ludacris sucks. And Oprah sounds like she waz taking my side. So she can diss his music all she wants in my book.

[bigted]

Oprah sounds like an old, conservative, Uncle Tom now, she's selling out and can't relate to the hip-hop youth, true Luda doesn't represent it the best but he's still hip-hop and nobody that represents hip-hop should be ridiculed like that, btw he must have talent if Will asked him to write him the hook and produce "Party Starter" for him, which is one of the best tracks on "Lost and Found", lol, stop being such a hater to the new school mcs AJ, if you don't like anything out now that's your opinion but to say they got no talent is disrespectful, why don't you get a record deal and beat them in a battle if you feel that way? They all worked hard to get where they had to just like FP, LL, Run-Dmc, and any of the ol' school mcs that you love, I bet you'd love his flow though if he were a squeaky clean rapper, lol, you just don't like the content that's all, hey that's your opinion again just don't say he don't have no talent, everyone with record deal has talent, some more than others, but a lot more than any amateurs like us who ain't signed like I said in that thread about Freeway collabing with LL, btw didn't LL do a song with Luda too? The only ones who wouldn't have talent in the music industry would be the ones who get record deals if it's a celebrity making an album when they have no practice for music.... Luda worked hard though to make it in the game, he made mixtapes and sold them out of his truck, he'd start his own radio station in Atlanta, he put in work, we could all hate on 50 but he also worked hard to make it in the game he was making mixtapes for years as well, it's just the content about him we don't like either, mcs just need direction that's all, if FP could befriend them, they could turn around their content most definately.....

Quite a bit of mcs in the rap game respect Luda's talents, young or old mcs, I think FP alone respecting it is enough, a lot of people in hip-hop defended him when Bill O'Reilly criticised him including the KRS-ONE's and Russell Simmons' of the game and I'm sure they'll do the same again if it becomes a big issue, if Oprah ain't got nothin' nice to say "Don't Say Nothin", she's looking out of touch by doing that, if she sat down and talked to him instead of yelling at him like a baby she'd be able to understand why he raps the way he does, she's supposed to be an example of a strong black woman but she's lookin' weak but doin' the same thing conservative white men would do, well I guess they're the ones payin' her, lol. Even if she's throwing a whole bunch money to charity it won't show any merit if she don't show care to people, that's the most important thing, Ludacris is human like anyone else, I might not like some of his songs but I'm not gonna go in his face and ridicule him....

It's just like when Richard Pryor made dirty jokes, those jokes were his reality, he just tells it the way it is and that's what a lot of explicit rappers do, sure Luda ain't as talented as Ice Cube but he's good enough to be able to have an audience relate to what he's talking about.... In my opinion there should be room in this world for both Will Smith's clean jokes and Ludacris' explicit jokes, just like there was room for both Richard Pryor's explicit cometdy and Bill Cosby's clean comedy.... You want people to not call Will bubblegum and respect him but how could you expect that if you call Ludacris trashy and don't respect him? They don't have to listen to Will and you don't have to listen to Luda but dissin' them blindly won't solve anything.... Whether you like it or not, Luda could outperform a lot of mcs too, he's probably the most energetic performer since Busta, if you thought he was so wack, why didn't you try jumpin' on stage and outperforming him then? You were probably the only one there that wasn't cheering....

Edited December 26, 2005 by bigted

[JumpinJack AJ]

I don't care if FP or anyone else likes Ludacris. I just don't think he's talented. I could never call his lyrics Hip-Hop...or even good. His music simply isn't good. It dosen't even remotely stimulate my mind. Yes, i do prefer positive Hip-Hop without the cussing...but that doesn't mean my taste is limited 2 that. I love Eminem's 1st album. It waz explict and it waz smart. The beats were dope. Ludacris' beats are trash 2 me and i've never liked his voice or lyrics. It's just my opinion....nothing 2 stress 2 much. But i can't take him 2 seriously about getting all upset with Oprah. He talkes about money and ho's in his lyrics...so why is he complaining is Oprah attacks his music. It's not like he has a good reason 2 defend his music. It's just not respectable. Oprah isn't exactly hood...so i'm not gonna care if she tears him down. She dose more 4 people then Ludacris will ever do.

[bigted]

Well most people think that Will just raps about money and sex since "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" is his most famous song right? Even Nick Cannon was holding a pimp cup and had half naked chicks in one of his videos right? :wiggle: Not all Luda's songs are like his singles, some have subject matter in them too.... I definately think Luda's a better mc than Eminem too, even though I don't like either but if they were both the last 2 rappers on earth, I'd choose Luda, at least he don't rap about killing his mother..... Oprah don't really have any street cred either, probably mostly older white people watch her show so why even put rappers on there anyway? They don't appeal to that audience....

Edited December 27, 2005 by bigted

[Hymn Strings]

If Ludacris keeps making the corporate-manufactured lyrics and degrading singles, he should expect a little backlash no matter how positive he is outside his music. Oprah needs not treat him like dirt though. Ludacris does have a lot of charisma as an MC, I'll give him that. Them lyrics though...they could use a makeover or two! It's getting a little old.