Guess what. Chris “Ludacris” Bridges wants to go to Yale. Even better: I managed to get my hands on his application for admission after being one of the lucky few to attend his Master’s Tea in Branford yesterday. And I only had to wake up at 7 a.m. and wait in line for 20 minutes to get a ticket. Jealous? You should be. But the good news is that I’ve decided to share it with you here.
Even though the applicant pool this year was more competitive than ever, I think Luda has a pretty good shot. Throughout the hour-long talk, Master Smith was practically showering the rap star with gifts and praise, even offering to help him get a book deal. It was like that episode of “Gossip Girl” where Serena visits Yale and is given all but sexual favors to come here.
And with admission decisions coming out next week, who better than us Yalies to judge whether the rapper deserves to grace us with his presence next year?
Application For Admission
Legal Name: Bridges, Christopher
Preferred Name, if not first name (choose only one): Ludacris
Birthdate: 9/11/1977
High School: Oak Park and River Forest High School (Illinois) and Banneker High School (Georgia). I moved to Georgia with my father after my parents divorced because, you know, a kid always wants to be with his dad. That, and I had heard so much about the music scene in Atlanta. I used to hang out at the mall there hoping I would get discovered.
Please elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences:
I started working at an Atlanta Hip Hop station while I was in high school. I began as an intern on the early show, waking up at five every morning, and eventually worked my way up to DJing under the name “Chris Lova Lova.” I learned a ton at the job: hard work, making connections, and that when someone calls and they sound sexy as hell on the phone — they’re not. Something like that happened to my buddy, though. Not to me.
Why do you want to go to Yale? The prestige and the history. And I really love intelligent minds and being around intelligent people. I mean, it’s as exciting for me to be here and see all of the students as it is for them to see me. I think I have a lot to offer to the community as well: I spent my day talking to kids in New Haven about avoiding violence at all costs. That’s important. Plus, I own a private plane. We could fly to Cambridge the next time the Game is there.
Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you: After I had been working at the radio station for a while, I was tired of waiting for my big break. People always say that you have to knock on doors until you get an opportunity, but I wanted to just make one for myself. So I got all of my savings together and put out a record independently and it sold. I just believed in my self so much. I think you have to be scared to fail if you want to succeed. But taking the risk was so worth it: Now I’m living out my dream.
Have you ever been found responsible for a disciplinary violation at an education institution you have attended from 9th grade forward? If so, please explain: Nah. I mean, sometimes I drive a little recklessly. I’m my most creative when I’m in transit so I always write in my car. Not safe, I know. And sometimes when I’m collaborating like with Snoop Dogg or Missy Elliot, we’ll go to the moon to get into the creative process. But on the other hand, I think I’m the only rapper who never sold any drugs in my life. Plus my dad taught me to never hit a woman, unlike Chris Brown. I don’t know all the facts about that situation, but it looks to me like Chris has some self-reflecting to do.
What are your goals for the future? To win an Oscar, and to find the artist who will sell more records than I will.