Chris Bridges, better known as the rapper Ludacris (@Ludacris) is an actor ( Crash, 2 Fast 2 Furious, salesman (Ludacris Soul Headphones, Conjure Cognac), and philanthropist (The Ludacris Foundation). While all these accolades are impressive, Ludacris is a father first.
In a partnership with his 10 year- old daughter Karma, Ludacris has created “http://www.karmasworld.com”>Karmasworld.com, an educational website that utilizes hip-hop to teach elementary students math, english and etiquette. Luda spoke with theGrio to discuss Karmasworld, the vision he has for it, and what he sees in his daughter’s future.
What’s the story behind Karmasworld?
When Karma was younger she used to come down and visit me, when it was kid friendly, in my recording studio and she’s used to try and mimic me in the booth. As she got older, I noticed how she was beginning to develop her own style and cadence.
She was trying to be like her dad.
Yeah, I wanted to help her get out her dreams as being an entertainer. I want whatever music she releases to reflect what’s going on in her world. The content has to reflect what she knows. What better than school?
Why would parents want to log on to Karmasworld?
I think there have been educational toys and programs before Karmasworld but none that utilizes music the way we do. A lot of kids right now only listen to what their parents put on the radio, which is not always the best. Karmasworld provides an opportunity for parents and children to enjoy music together.
How was the creative process when constructing parent friendly rap songs?
The process in constructing content was fun and a learning experience. We were able to divide the content by age groups. We’re not just touching on math, or geography, but we’re giving kids life lessons, such as table manners and saying please and thank you .
Your daughter Karma is a CEO at the age of 10. What future lessons do you think being a business owner will teach her?
She’s the CEO and I’m her vice president. And this is her own product. As a parent there is no greater reward than to teach your children. As a young black girl especially this is a great opportunity to work on being financially stable and to use her brand to allow further opportunities. What Karma can do with it is up to her, but truly the sky is limit.
What’s the vision that you see for Karma’s World?
There’s no limitation to where this can go. I want a Karmasworld theme park. Disney won’t be anything once people see where we’re going to take this. We’re laying down a movement where education can be valued.
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