Posted May 16, 2008 -- Chris “Ludacris” Bridges was welcomed back to his alma mater, Banneker High School in south Atlanta for a ceremony revealing his likeness on a mural in the school’s gym now named for the rapper, “Christopher Bridges Gym of Dreams.” “I’ve always wanted a street named after me, but this is better,” Luda told the Associated Press. “When people say, ‘Never forget where you come from,’ this is what they mean. I’m just trying to use my celebrity status to help the kids understand that they can make it.” He and fellow ATL-ien R&B singer Monica planted two trees in front of the school, symbolizing fresh starts and staying on track. “I know a lot of us come from hard times, but it's extremely important that you use your street knowledge and book knowledge to get to where you need to be,” he told the crowd of about 2,000.
Hip-hop icon Rev Run made another historic move last night (May 15) performing at a sold out Madison Square Gardens in NYC. The show also featured Kid Rock and Rock n Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynrd. It was the first time the Run-DMC co-founder performed the venue since 1988. “Here it is 2008, 20 years later. I can’t believe that God has allowed me to perform at The Garden once again,” he told AllHipHop.com. “…This is a big deal for me. The Garden was the first place I screamed ‘Whose house?’ and they all screamed ‘Run's house!’” The catch phrase later became a hit single and the theme song for Run’s VH-1 aptly titled reality show “Run’s House.” Word is, Run is planning on further solidifying his TV status with a scripted comedy sitcom for TBS. His brother Russell Simmons is billed as one of the executive producers.
In other show news, Ice-T will pay tribute to another OG at the Jun. 18 world premiere of the multimedia stage show version of Langston Hughes’ “Ask Your Mama: Twelve Moods for Jazz.” The actor/gangster rapper will be reciting poetry from the 1961 classic while being accompanied by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and images captured by famed Harlem Renaissance photographers Gordon Parks, Jacob Lawrence, and Romare Bearden. “It is a great honor,” Ice-T said. This will be the first time the Grammy-winner performs with a live symphony orchestra.
Usher was recently in the UK pre-promoting his forthcoming Here I Stand expected next month featuring Jay-Z, Young Jeezy, Lil' Wayne, and Beyonce. The R&B singer told BBC radio that he’s been through a lot since his diamond-selling Confessions and he’s ready to get it off his chest. He’s been performing in “Chicago” on Broadway, spending time with his New Look Foundation, started a label, got married and had a child. “A lot has changed, but, you know, music for me is a matter of expression, time, and just being comfortable, so in about – over about a year-and-a-half of recording allowed me to really tell the story that I felt was necessary for this day in time as well as for where I am in my life and a what I want to talk about was a lot those personal experiences, man.”
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