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As the man of the

hour steadily nodded his head along with the press members in attendance, Ludacris’

fourth album, The Red Light District, was premiered for the ears of a

lucky few last night (Oct. 20).

“Luda had

a lot of fun making this record,” Ludacris’ manager Chaka Zulu announced

before pressing the Play button. “This was the first time that he really

got to relax while making an album.”

This level of enjoyment

is obvious throughout The Red Light District, a title which is meant

to anoint Luda’s hometown of Atlanta as the U.S. parallel to Amsterdam’s

carefree haven.

Heavy on inspired

collaborations, his typically vibrant wordplay, and speaker-damaging production,

The Red Light District is sure to be another smash for multi-tasking

rapper.

“Get Back,”

the first single, recaptures the intensity of Ludacris’ past hit “Move

Bitch,” with kinetic beat work courtesy of KLC of the Medicine Men. Lil

Jon contributes moody electric guitars on the alcohol and weed ode “Too

Much,” while Timbaland blesses Luda with tribal percussion and avant-garde

bounce on “Potion.”

New producer Voodoo

nearly steals the show with his haunting Teena Marie sampling on “Child

of the Night,” where Ludacris engages in candid self reflection, spitting,

“I admit to being trumped by too many distractions, and I’ve been

forced to pay for my childish actions.”

DJ Green Lantern

turns the Austin Powers theme music into a rowdy soundtrack for Ludacris to

fire off cocky boasts on “Number One Spot,” with Luda even throwing

a swift jab at rival Bill O’Reilly.

High-profile guest

appearances are bountiful on The Red Light District, with artists like

DJ Quik and DMX joining the festivities. Sleepy Brown provides the hook for

the vibrant “Blueberry Yum Yum,” Ludacris’ experimental exercise

in off-kilter singing.

The album’s

crown jewel, however, comes in the form of the old-school inspired “Virgo,”

featuring Nas and Doug E. Fresh, complete with a vintage Fresh beatbox backdrop.

With additions

from Mannie Fresh and The Neptunes currently being finalized, The Red Light

District should easily make Ludacris fans happy when it’s released

on December 7.