Ludacris Reflects on Taking a $20,000 Risk with His Debut Album

Published: June 24, 2025

Rapper Ludacris recently opened up about the risk he took with his debut album, Incognegro, which he released independently 25 years ago.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Ludacris revealed that he spent $20,000 of his own money on the album, which was a significant risk at the time. "Just not knowing how the world would receive it and taking the biggest risk by just putting music out there," he said.

Ludacris' risk ultimately paid off, as the album caught the attention of Def Jam, which signed him in 2000. The label reworked and re-released Incognegro under the title Back for the First Time, which included hits like "What's Your Fantasy?", "Southern Hospitality", and "Phat Rabbit".

The rapper credits his willingness to take risks as a key factor in his success. "Those are the type of risks that have the reward that I've been able to live off of the fruits of the label," he said.

In addition to his music, Ludacris has also been involved in other projects, including the Fast and the Furious franchise. He recently attended a Waymo x Uber event in Atlanta, where he spoke about the importance of "just trusting the process".

Read more about Ludacris' journey and his thoughts on staying true to himself in this exclusive interview.

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