Ludacris – ‘#IDGAF’ Mixtape Review

The acronym of Luda’s latest mixtape, #IDGAF, sums up the release pretty accurately. From the beginning of the tape, it’s apparent that Ludacris indeed does not give a fuck, particularly when it comes to making any changes to his club-anthem approach to making music of late. Earlier Ludacris albums sprinkled in more personal, sober and narrative-driven records, though these moments have become scarce in recent years, and on #IDGAF they’re simply nonexistent. But despite adhering to this limited model, Ludacris can still be engaging, due to his technical skillset on the mic and his signature blend of humor, vulgarity and charisma.

From the drunk and hypnotic “If I Ain’t F’d Up” to the frenetic, Chris Brown-featuring twerk song “Dancin Dirty,” #IDGAF’s sees Luda in his comfort zone, stomping through the loud, speaker-thumping production of proven hitmakers Mike Will Made It, DJ Mustard and Bangladesh, among others. And while he does so naturally, none of the mixtape’s 10 tracks have real potential to serve as a legitimate comeback hit for the now 35-year-old rapper. Regardless, Luda’s natural charm alongside features from the likes of Young Jeezy, French Montana and Mac Miller keep the project afloat.

Despite the fact that each song has essentially the same goal in mind, the difference in production styles prevent #IDGAF from ever becoming too monotonous, and if it’s not taken too seriously, it’s actually an enjoyable release. Ultimately, it’s best if the listener take to this project in the same mindset in which they’d go into seeing Ludacris’ other release from last Friday, ‘Fast and Furious 6’.—@wavydavewilliam