Look To The Stars News: Ludacris

New Years Eve Stars Stand Up To Cancer

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) is proud to announce a new public service announcement (PSA) featuring the stellar ensemble cast of the holiday romantic comedy NEW YEAR’S EVE from director Garry Marshall (Pretty Woman, Valentine’s Day), that will appear in national and regional publications during the month of December.

The new SU2C print PSA campaign asks the public to join the cast of New Year’s Eve—which boasts some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Jon Bon Jovi, Abigail Breslin, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel, Zac Efron, Hector Elizondo, Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher, Seth Meyers, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Til Schweiger, Hilary Swank and Sofia Vergara — to help change the odds and stand up in the fight against cancer.

The PSA’s theme, “It’s Up2 All of Us to Stand Up To Cancer,” underscores SU2C’s core mantra: each and every one of us can make a difference in the fight against cancer. One in two men and one in three women in the U.S. will be diagnosed in their lifetimes, and this campaign calls on everyone to stand together to change those devastating odds.

Grammy Nominees Album To Benefit Charity

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:30:00 +0000

The Recording Academy’s GRAMMY Recordings and Universal Republic Records have joined forces to release the 2012 GRAMMY Nominees album on Jan. 24, 2012.

The 18th edition of the best-selling series will showcase many of this year’s GRAMMY-nominated artists and songs. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the album will help support the year-round efforts of the Grammy Foundation and MusiCares — two charitable organizations of The Recording Academy.

For the first time, fans can have the opportunity to attend the GRAMMY Awards by pre-ordering the album starting Nov. 30. To enter, log on to www.grammy.com/2012grammycd to pre-order the 2012 GRAMMY Nominees album where music fans can win a trip for two to the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012 in Los Angeles.

Daughtry To Tour For The Troops

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Multi-platinum rock band Daughtry will bring their energetic live show and rock n roll anthems to American service members and their families overseas this holiday season, when they headline Tour for the Troops 2011, presented by the Air Force Reserve.

The band, whose music creates a gleaming showcase for Chris Daughtry’s powerful, emotionally resonant voice, will entertain U.S. military personnel at Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Incirlik Air Base, Turkey; Naval Station Rota in Spain, and a number of deployed locations in Southwest Asia from Nov. 30 to Dec. 10. Joining them will be comedian Gabriel Iglesias, along with the Band of the Air Force Reserve.

Cyndi Lauper Honored By National Runaway Switchboard

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:15:00 +0000

Cyndi Lauper and her True Colors Fund were presented with the 2011 “Spirit of Youth” award from the National Runaway Switchboard (NRS) last week, recognizing their work and dedication for helping to keep America’s runaway, homeless and at-risk youth safe and off the streets.

The ceremony took place at NRS’ annual “Spirit of Youth” benefit at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago.

Last year, Lauper flipped the switch to turn the Empire State Building green for National Runaway Prevention Month (NRPM). She also recorded a public service announcement promoting NRS’ services. Additionally, Lauper has been supporting the end of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning (GLBTQ) homelessness through her True Colors Fund.

Diddy Dirty Money Rocks Young Charity Volunteers

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:30:00 +0000

Diddy Dirty Money and Eliza Doolittle were two of the acts to hit the stage in London this week to reward more than 11,000 charity volunteers.

Having more than quadrupled its volunteer base in less than three years, Orange RockCorps treated its volunteers to a phenomenal one-off live concert featuring an incredible line-up, in exchange for donating just four hours of their time to charity work.

“We are happy to support Orange RockCorps,” said P. Diddy before the show on Tuesday, July 12. “Rewarding people for their hard work in the community is a great chance to connect with great people, doing great things to enrich the lives of others. DDM is really looking forward to the Wembley show”

Photos: Celebrities Join Real Men Don't Buy Girls Campaign

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:30:00 +0000

As reported earlier this week by LookToTheStars.org, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher have been joined by a host of their celebrity friends for a new initiative to fight child sex slavery.

“Child sex slavery is a difficult issue to think about, which makes it all the more important that we do,” remarked Ashton Kutcher. “Real Men do not ever buy children for sex. Period.”

Added Demi Moore: “People don’t realize child sex slavery is a serious problem in the United States. Young girls are victimized in the commercial sex industry every day. No 13-year-old girl chooses to be exploited for sex. Real Men love, care, and protect girls. Real Men don’t buy girls.”

Ludacris Launches Epic Book Drive For Charity

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

“Fast Five” star Ludacris is helping launch an effort serving the students in the Recovery District of New Orleans.

Global bookstore Better World Books and teen not-for-profit DoSomething.org are launching an “Epic Book Drive” initiative, which will empower young people nationwide to run community book drives to re-stock libraries in New Orleans’ Recovery School District. Better World Books will provide free shipping to all groups organizing drives and will schedule a pick-up for any group that collects over 150 full cartons of books.

“Our partnership with DoSomething.org and the New Orleans’ Recovery School District is a perfect fit for us. Our mission is to support literacy initiatives worldwide and our operations are large enough to handle a national program of this scale. We look forward to seeing students all over the country band together and make this book drive as EPIC as the name implies,” says Chris Johnson, Vice President of Better World Books.

Ludacris Honored At Developing Options Charity Event

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Rapper Ludacris was honored at a special charity event in Los Angeles last weekend, July 18.

Held at the LA Live Club Nokia, the event benefited Developing Options, a charity that is committed to the future of urban communities in the US through adult and youth center programs, youth sports, gang education and much more. The concert – headlined by Ludacris – benefited the organization’s Diabetes Awareness program.

“We just raised A LOT of $ for diabetes tonight,” wrote Ludacris on Twitter. “Thank [sic] everyone who came out tonight at Nokia Live in L.A. to support a very worthy cause.”

Jane Fonda And Ludacris Help Keep Atlanta Fit

Wed, 05 May 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Actress Jane Fonda is 72-years-young and proved it as she hosted the first annual World Fitness Day.

“I’ve had a hip and knee replacement” said Fonda “and I am interested in bringing boomers and seniors like me into the exercise world because I know it will enhance their lives.”

The queen of sweat took over the Georgia Dome last Saturday to lead a workout which benefited Fonda’s charity, the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (GCAPP), which she founded in 1995.

Bono Leads Celebrity PSA For (RED) Charity

Sun, 02 May 2010 15:00:00 +0000

(RED) has announced the launch of The Lazarus Effect Campaign, a multi-platform campaign across TV, online and print, including an HBO documentary airing on May 24, that will help raise awareness of the transformative effect of antiretroviral medicine for those living with HIV in Africa.

Launching April 29 on HBO, the awareness campaign will roll out across various TV and online networks in the coming weeks. The campaign equates the relative value of 40 cents by comparing trivial items worth 40 cents e.g. a stick of gum, a smear of lipstick — to the value of one day’s worth of life transforming antiretroviral medication.

The campaign, directed by renowned photographer Brigitte Lacombe, features Bono, Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Julianne Moore, Naomi Watts, Claire Danes, Alek Wek, Iman, John Turturro, Toni Collette, Hugh Jackman, Orlando Bloom, Lucy Liu, Gabourey Sidibe, Kerry Washington, Bryan Cranston, LeAnn Rimes, Jane Lynch, Michelle Rodriguez, Gwen Stefani, Hayden Christensen, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Don Cheadle, Ludacris, Common, Benicio del Toro, Dakota Fanning, Christy Turlington and the Jonas Brothers.

Ludacris Encourages Census Participation

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Rapper Ludacris is the latest star to encourage people to take part in the 2010 US census.

“I look at our communities now and I see many empty lots, closed clinics, dilapidated schools and an overall breakdown of social services for the poor and elderly,” he said. “Today is a day for change. I plan to knock on doors in various neighborhoods around this country to try and dispel any myths about the census. It’s important that we all stand up and be counted so we can help create potential financial opportunities for our dying communities.”

The musician will visit Dallas, New Orleans, New York, Washington DC and Atlanta as part of his campiagn next month.

Football Star Invites Celebrities To Charity Golf Tournament

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:30:00 +0000

A huge number of sports stars, actors and singers – including Rodney Peete – are to hit the greens near Dallas on May 15 for the inaugural Emmitt Smith Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament to benefit the Pat and Emmitt Smith Charities – an organization that creates educational experiences and enrichment opportunities for underserved children.

Stars invited to play include Don Cheadle, Kenny G, Wayne Gretzky, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Greg Kinnear, George Lopez, Ludacris, Chris Rock and many more.

Emmitt Smith is a Hall of Fame Footballer who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals. To find out more about the charity and the tournament, click here.

Celebrities Donate Items To Artists For Peace And Justice Charity Auction

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Artists for Peace and Justice – the Haitian earthquake charity supported by a host of stars – has partnered with popular online auction site charitybuzz.com for a special celebrity awards-themed auction that launched on February 24.

The auction will feature exclusive one-of-a kind items donated by internationally known artists. One hundred percent of the funds raised will be directed to the initiatives of APJ, a charitable organization founded by award winning writer/director Paul Haggis and friends that is committed to improving the lives of children in the impoverished and devastated nation of Haiti. APJ’s immediate goal is to build schools to serve the poorest areas of Haiti, providing an education, hot meals, clean drinking water and regular medical treatments to the children living in the slums.

The list of items going under the hammer includes:

Harrison Ford Flies To Haiti For Charity

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Harrison Ford is the latest star to put his pilot skills to work for Haiti.

Following John Travolta and Ludacris’ mercy missions to fly supplies to the country following the earthquake on January 12, Ford has now used his own Cessna to fly in volunteers and and medical supplies for Operation Smile.

“This is not about me, it is just about doing what I can to help Operation Smile and the people of Haiti,” said the Indiana Jones star.

Stars Record Videos For Peace And Justice In Haiti

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Some of Hollywood’s most prominent celebrities have recorded a series of PSAs to encourage people to dip into their hearts and pockets and help Haiti.

Artists for Peace and Justice has recorded the PSAs with a multitude of famous faces, including Daniel Craig, Gerard Butler, Pierce Brosnan, Paul Haggis, Olivia Wilde, Penelope Cruz, Maria Bello, Ludacris, Marcia Cross, Jimmy Jean-Louis and others.

Haiti had been a country already in crisis with little clean drinking water, food, adequate housing or medical help. Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ) has been working together with Father Rick Frechette in the slums of Port au Prince since early 2009 to raise funds to create sustainable support. Now that mission is stronger than ever.

Ludacris Performs For United Way Charity

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt hosted a star-studded charity party in his native country during the weekend for United Way.

The 9.58 SuperParty was held at the Richmond Estate in St Ann and featured Ludacris, The Dream, Marcia Grifiths and a host of local performers. Sports stars such as sprinter Wallace Spearmon also attended.

United Way is an international charity that gathers money, goods and volunteer services from all types of donors to distribute to the strongest local projects and charitable organizations. It works closely with companies, foundations and government to help craft their philanthropic strategies for the health of both donors and the communities being served.

Akon Raises Konfidence For Thanksgiving

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Last week, Look to the Stars reported that Atlanta recordings stars Akon and Ludacris united their charitable organizations’ annual Thanksgiving community programs and called upon friends and colleagues to extend a helping hand to those that are less fortunate this holiday season.

The Konfidence Foundation’s 2nd Annual Turkey Giveaway program and The Ludacris Foundation’s LudaCares Thanksgiving program teamed up to give back by donating 2,000 holiday turkeys to help metro Atlanta flood survivors and low-income families in need. Each family received a fresh holiday turkey, along with two side items – sweet potatoes and collard greens.

On Tuesday, November 24th, Akon and Ludacris joined their foundations and sponsors to distribute 2,000 holiday food packages to residents from Cobb, Douglas, and Pauling Counties, many of whom were impacted by the Atlanta floods. This private charity event was held at South Cobb High School and the recipient families were pre-selected by 20 partnering community-based organizations including: Cobb Schools Foundation, United Way, Cobb Disaster Recovery, and Christian Aid Mission Partnership (C.A.M.P.), among others.

Ludacris And Friends Hand Out Thanksgiving Turkeys

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Ludacris, Akon, Big Boi and a host of hip hop stars handed out turkeys to flood affected families in Atlanta this week as a special Thanksgiving treat.

Over 1000 Thanksgiving turkeys, greens, and sweet potatoes were handed out to metro Atlanta families who were impacted by the flooding in early October. In addition, The Ludacris Foundation, supported by Chef Ashley and Straits restaurant , prepared 40 cooked meals for Cobb County homeless and senior citizens.

The Thanksgiving turkey giveaway is a part of the Foundation’s LudaCares Initiative. The LudaCares program provides families with nutritious food during the Thanksgiving holiday. Each Thanksgiving the Ludacris Foundation chooses a different community to bring the program. Previous Atlanta area communities for LudaCares Thanksgiving include, Bankhead, College Park, DeKalb County, Hollywood Homes, Morrow GA, Gwinnett County, Marietta, Cobb County, Roswell, Southwest Atlanta, Fulton County, Jonesboro, Clayton County.

Ludacris Calls For Community Philanthropy

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Multi-platinum-selling artist and actor Ludacris (real name Chris Bridges) will make a call for individuals to take an active role in community philanthropy at a National Press Club luncheon on Friday, October 23, 2009.

The entertainer created the Ludacris Foundation in 2001 to increase leadership through education, healthy lifestyles and community engagement. The luncheon precedes the Foundation’s annual Benefit Dinner, to be held for the first time in the nation’s capital on October 24 at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center.

Kanye West Takes To Stage At Charity Event

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:30:00 +0000

The Common Ground Foundation held its second annual “Common & Friends” concert at the famed Hollywood Palladium on Saturday night. The show raised funds for the foundation, created by Grammy-Award winning hip-hop artist and actor, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, best known as Common.

The concert featured live performances from Common, The Roots, Nas, De La Soul, Ludacris, Queen Latifah, Kanye West, Mos Def, Talib Kweli and Heavy D, while Freddy Rodriguez, Garth Trinidad, Rasual Butler, Toccara Jones, Serena Williams, Amber Rose, Erica Hubbard, Alyssa Milano, Eva Amurri and Ian Ziering were all in attendance to support the Common Ground Foundation.

“I am very grateful and thankful to all who attended and supported the 2nd annual Common Ground Foundation event. To all the gifted artists that participated – I thank you for giving your time, energy, and creativity,” said Common. “To all the sponsors, thank you for your ongoing commitment to the progress of the future of our youth. God bless… Love.”

Ludacris Gives Away Cars To The Needy

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Rapper Ludacris and his Ludacris Foundation gave away 20 used vehicles to several deserving Metro Atlanta area residents during his LudaDay weekend last week.

The rapper wanted those people struggling to make ends meet to write a 300 word essay on his website, and over 4,000 people took up the challenge. The winning essays included those from the homeless and even a Sudanese refugee: “That’s one of those stories that really had me like, man, I thought I had faced some adversities in life. But I’ve not faced adversities at all compared to what he’s been through. I cannot imagine going through what he’s gone through and still be that strong.”

A video of the event can be viewed here

Ludacris To Reunite With Tommy Lee For Charity

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Motley Crue drummer and former husband of Pamela Anderson, Tommy Lee, and rapper Ludacris will reunite this Saturday, August 29, for a special culinary charity event.

The event will be held at Ludacris’ restaurant, Straits, in Atlanta for a fund-raiser benefiting his Ludacris Foundation. The Foundation was created to inspire youth to take responsibility for their future, build stronger families and foster community economic development in the community. The Ludacris Foundation is committed to helping youth help themselves.

There will even be an after-party for the event, which will take place from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. after Lee’s final encore with Motley Crue at the Aarons Amphitheater at Lakewood.

Ludacris Joins Common For Charity Hip Hop Concert

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:30:00 +0000

The Common Ground Foundation has announced the second annual “Common & Friends” concert to be held at the famed Hollywood Palladium on September 26, 2009.

The show will raise funds for the foundation, created by actor and hip-hop artist, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, best known as Common. Tickets are available through Live Nation, and the show will feature live performances from Common, Ludacris, Nas, The Roots, De La Soul and many special guests. Tickets are $100 for general admission and $200 for VIP Balcony seating. All proceeds will benefit the Common Ground Foundation.

“For the second year in a row Common and the biggest artists in hip-hop will come out and lend their support for the Common Ground Foundation,” said Executive Director, Jodie Blum. “With proceeds from this amazing event, we are able to raise much needed funds to empower youth in the United States.”

Room 23 Opens The Lives Of Celebrities For Human Rights

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:30:00 +0000

A new book featuring photos of over 100 celebrities will raise money for a human rights project.

Room 23 is the brainchild of entrepreneur and philanthropist Diana Jenkins and depicts a year in the life of a Beverly Hills penthouse suite. Stars to take part in the project and allow themselves to be intimately revealed include George Clooney, Cindy Crawford, Elton John, Dennis Hopper, Larry King, Heidi Klum, Kid Rock, Lindsay Lohan, Ludacris, Moby, Hayden Panettiere, Christian Slater, Sharon Stone and many more.

The book – to be released in 120 countries on September 8 – will benefit the Sanela Diana Jenkins International Human Rights Project, a non-profit entity at the UCLA School of Law that brings war criminals to justice through legal resources and technology. Established by Bosnian-born Diana Jenkins, the project aims at developing groundbreaking approaches to advancing human rights and to training the next generation of human rights lawyers and advocates.

Stars For A Cause To Raise Charity Funds Tonight

Thu, 28 May 2009 15:30:00 +0000

A selection of items designed and decorated by some of Entertainment’s biggest stars will go under the hammer at Bonhams and Butterfields Auction House in Los Angeles tonight, May 28.

The Stars For A Cause Auction features a wide range of rare and collectable items, such as posters signed by Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Glenn Close, Susan Sarandon, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anna Paquin, David Duchovny, Rumer Willis, Jonas Brothers, P. Diddy, America Ferrera, Hayden Panettiere, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, Anne Hathaway, Steve Carell, Emma Thompson, Marisa Tomei, Dustin Hoffman, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Tina Fey, Steven Spielberg and many more.

There are also shoes from William Shatner and Ludacris, and bags adorned with kisses from Al Roker, Nancy O’Dell, Nicollette Sheridan, Marcia Cross, Hugh Laurie, Phillip Seymore Hoffman, Geena Davis, Eva Longoria, Felicity Huffman, Teri Hatcher, Reese Witherspoon, Kelly Clarkson, Green Day, Keira Knightley, Paula Abdul, John Legend and many more.