It’s STL Rapper D-Ludy’s time to shine – at least at his major label: Atlantic/Asylum.
This quarter, the label is making the Kinloch-raised, Hazelwood East-educated rapper a priority, according to Ludy’s Grind Up Records camp.
But Ludy and crew have been casting the spotlight on themselves since (and before) he inked his major deal in July ’07.
Around January of last year, they put out the instant hit, “Thang Right Thurr,” produced by Laudie and Sag. About six months later, they dropped “Sick Wit It,” another jam, produced by Laudie.
St. Louis clubs, cars and radios know these two songs well, but most of the rest of the country hasn’t copped a dose of them yet. And neither song has a video.
One can only imagine how quickly Ludy’s going to blow up when the rest of the hip-hop nation gets to rock to “Thang Right Thurr” and “Sick Wit It,” supported by videos.
Let’s just say he’ll be the million-dollar-man. “Million Dollar Man” is the name of his next single, and it’s the one that’s going to get major grind from Atlantic/Asylum.
Ludy doesn’t have any doubt that the rest of the country will feel him.
“If you can make a hit in St. Louis you can make a hit anywhere,” Ludy said in a recent interview at the American.
The rest of the country won’t have to wait long – we’re already in the first quarter and, according to his camp, Ludy is rolling with Nelly on his yet to be announced tour.
Ludy has a lot of respect for Nelly.
“Everybody saw a St. Louis rapper sell 9 million, and it started in hip-hop,” Ludy said of Nelly.
“Now, it’s about keeping that drive alive,” he said.
However, D-Ludy understands that things don’t happen overnight. You can’t make a quality song and then expect the money to start rolling in, he says. And don’t be so quick to floss. Instead perfect your craft, get some integrity about yourself and be real.
“When you in the game 10 years strong – that’s when you’re phenomenal,” says Ludy.
Longevity is one of his goals, along with good music and simply continuing to do his best.
He notes that one of his favorite spitters, Jay-Z, didn’t go platinum until his third album.
Ludy also points out how Jay-Z isn’t scared to tell his real story. And neither is Ludy.
His father spent time in prison. His family owned a strip mall that sold for than more than a million dollars, but Ludy wondered where all the money went.
“All people talk about is the goods – what about the bads,” Ludy asks.
The good and bad of Ludy musically and personally is that while his first two songs are club songs where he flirts with women, he says he’s really a good guy and doesn’t get caught up in having a lot of women.
In fact, he says, every good man needs a standup woman.
And from the looks of it, it doesn’t hurt for her to be sick with it and not minding shaking that thing right thurr.
If Ludy wasn’t coming up with lyrics like that for a living, he might be building and/or selling property.
After graduating Hazelwood East, where his sister is a senior cheerleader, he went to Rankin Technical College and studied carpentry. Not to mention that he used to work on houses in the city with his uncle.
He’s been a fan of hip-hop since age 7, though he didn’t take it seriously until he was a senior in high school.
That’s when he started messing with Producer Remy in Jennings with no mic or mic stand, but they spent nights recording, coming up with songs.
“When it’s like, you appreciate your grind more,” said the Grind Up Records rapper.