By Maurice Bobb
As promised, Ludacris delivered the fourth installment for #IDGAFFridays Friday (May 10) titled, “Speak Into the Mic.” The Mike WiLL Made It-produced track, which will appear on his upcoming mixtape DTP Presents: I Don’t Give a F--k, draws inspiration from N.W.A. era odes to fellatio, serving up a studio microphone as euphemism for, well, his sexual “instrument.”
With lines like “Check one, two, speak into the microphone, tell that b-tch to speak into the microphone” and “Now work it, work it, ’cause practice make perfect,” Luda uses the most pedestrian forms of lyrical wordplay to request “lip service” from an unidentified female partner, even offering up a record deal to said female as if she’s somehow being rewarded for using the “mic” for its intended purpose.
Metaphorically speaking, the song leaves much to be desired. It’s devoid of the true wit, delivery and punch-lines fans have grown accustomed to in the Atlanta-bred rapper born Christopher Brian Bridges’ earlier work, like 2001’s "Area Codes." Sonically speaking, the "Southern Hospitality" MC’s flow never quite syncs with Mike Will’s production, providing for intense levels of incongruity.
Luda has refocused his energies on rapping of late with dogged determination, but he has yet to land a substantial song that resonates with his longtime fans or any potential new audience. Only time will tell if he’ll strike gold again. Luckily, though, he has acting to fall back on, with a star turn in his latest film, "Fast & Furious 6," which hits theaters May 24.