Ludacris Moufs Off

Ludacris' life was forever changed with last year's 2.7-million-selling Back for the First Time, and the Atlanta rapper is ready to celebrate with the follow-up album, Word of Mouf, due out November 6th. But Ludacris isn't about to forget the long struggle that got him here. The track "Cold Outside," he says, was written with that idea in mind.

"No matter how much money I ever get," says Ludacris, "I'm going to want to provide for my family and never have to go back to really struggling. You don't ever want to go outside, you don't ever want to be left in the cold. You want to be safe."

Recorded at studios in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles during breaks from touring, the album also features Timbaland, Mystikal and Nate Dogg. The tracks include the rowdy "Move Bitch" and the uptempo "Saturday," with party lyrics that Ludacris compares to Ice Cube's classic "It Was a Good Day."

"It's about what people do on their best days, whether it's getting their car washed, smoking weed, going to a club and wildin' out, drinking alcohol, chillin' with their friends and families," says the rapper, who also has a small role in the upcoming film The Wash, starring Dr. Dre and Eminem. "My work is like my vacation, so in a way every day is like Saturday."

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Song Stories

“Youth Knows No Pain”

Lykke Li | 2011

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

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