ENCORE: Get into the Christmas Spirit with Keke and Ludacris

Summary

Baby, This is Keke Palmer Episode: ENCORE: Get into the Christmas Spirit with Keke and Ludacris Release Date: December 31, 2024

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Introduction

In this special holiday edition of "Baby, This is Keke Palmer," host Keke Palmer welcomes Grammy-winning rapper and actor Ludacris for an intimate and heartfelt conversation. Joined by her mother, Sharon Palmer, Keke delves into cherished Christmas traditions, the joys and challenges of parenting, and reflections on personal growth and career milestones.

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Christmas Traditions and Memories

Celebrating Togetherness

Keke Palmer [00:05]: "Tis the season. Listeners, it's me, Keke Palmer, lover of all things Christmas..."

Ludacris brings a lively spirit to the conversation, sharing his wife’s adeptness at handling holiday preparations while he supports by managing finances, ensuring the festive spirit thrives in their household.

Favorite Christmas Movies

Keke and Sharon reminisce about their favorite holiday films, with Sharon expressing her love for "Die Hard" [02:39] and Keke highlighting "Adiva's Christmas Carol" [04:29]. They discuss unique experiences like watching "Home Alone" at a unique venue called Fork and Film, where themed food accompanies the movie viewing.

Sharon Palmer [02:39]: "I love Die Hard. It has Christmas themes."

Keke Palmer [04:29]: "Home Alone is always a really good classic..."

Creating New Traditions

Both Keke and Sharon emphasize the importance of creating meaningful traditions. Keke shares her excitement about her first Christmas with her son Leo, planning to incorporate custom ornaments featuring his baby pictures—a keepsake for years to come [09:31].

Keke Palmer [09:31]: "We had all his baby pictures in these little frames that we could put on the tree..."

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Parenting Insights

Balancing Responsibilities

The conversation shifts to the nuances of parenting, highlighting the profound impact children have on personal growth. Keke reflects on how becoming a mother has deepened her understanding of love and self-worth.

Keke Palmer [18:14]: "Like, I have to be the best me I can be for him..."

Sharon shares her experience of raising multiple children, emphasizing the joy and challenges it brings, and the importance of unity and mutual respect among siblings.

Sharon Palmer [21:59]: "When I see all of you get together and you're having a good time... that's something that..."

First Christmas Experiences

Keke and Sharon exchange stories about their first Christmases with their children, discussing activities like visiting Christmas lights displays and the excitement children bring to the holiday season.

Ludacris [36:08]: "I'm counting down the days and I'm excited to spread all the Christmas cheer..."

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Career Reflections and Growth

Maintaining Success Across Generations

Ludacris shares his journey of evolving within the entertainment industry, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and staying true to oneself. He credits influences like Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes for inspiring his multifaceted approach to music and acting.

Ludacris [42:20]: "You can't be afraid to evolve and to change with times..."

Balancing Multiple Roles

Keke praises Ludacris’s ability to balance his roles as a rapper, actor, and entrepreneur, noting his dedication to expanding his brand beyond music.

Keke Palmer [43:38]: "Nobody is like, that's just Ludico coming to the track..."

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Looking Forward to 2024

Personal and Professional Aspirations

Both hosts reflect on their expectations for the upcoming year. Sharon contemplates moving back to California for a better work-rest balance [26:04], while Keke expresses her desire to prioritize self-care without guilt, aiming to better manage her responsibilities as a mother and professional [28:14].

Keke Palmer [28:14]: "I'm hoping to really give myself the things that maybe I've looked for from others..."

Ludacris’s Plans

Ludacris reveals his intent to return to music after an eight-year hiatus, alongside continuing his acting career with the "Fast and Furious" franchise and exploring new creative avenues like animation and voice acting.

Ludacris [57:50]: "I'm definitely putting out some music in 2024. 100%."

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Advice on Building an Iconic Brand

Embracing Change and Taking Risks

When asked about maintaining success across generations, Ludacris advises aspiring artists to embrace evolution, step out of their comfort zones, and follow their hearts without fear of criticism.

Ludacris [50:24]: "You cannot be afraid to evolve and to change with times..."

He underscores the importance of authenticity and versatility, drawing inspiration from his experiences in radio and his early days in the rap industry.

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Interactive Game Segment: "Sorry to This Man"

To add a playful twist to the episode, Keke and Ludacris engage in a Christmas song guessing game. Ludacris challenges his guest to identify popular holiday tunes based solely on the first second of each song.

Notable Moments:

• Ludacris successfully identifies "Jingle Bell Rock" [58:54].
• Struggles with "Last Christmas" by Wham [59:48] and "Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt [60:34].
• Keke praises Ludacris's enthusiasm despite the challenges [58:38].

Keke Palmer [60:36]: "He got it right for the first one. I'm gonna let you have it."

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Closing Reflections

Keke wraps up the episode with warm holiday wishes, expressing gratitude to listeners and sharing her excitement for the season. She highlights the importance of cherishing moments with loved ones and embracing the unique spirit each child brings to the holidays.

Ludacris [61:35]: "Won't be the last. You’re the best..."

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Conclusion

This episode of "Baby, This is Keke Palmer" beautifully blends heartfelt discussions on family and Christmas traditions with insightful reflections on career growth and personal aspirations. Keke Palmer and Ludacris create an engaging and relatable atmosphere, offering listeners both warmth and inspiration as they navigate the holiday season and look forward to the new year.

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Notable Quotes:

• Keke Palmer [04:29]: "Home Alone is always a really good classic..."
• Sharon Palmer [02:39]: "I love Die Hard. It has Christmas themes."
• Ludacris [50:24]: "You cannot be afraid to evolve and to change with times..."
• Keke Palmer [28:14]: "I'm hoping to really give myself the things that maybe I've looked for from others..."
• Ludacris [57:50]: "I'm definitely putting out some music in 2024. 100%."

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Credits:

• Host: Keke Palmer
• Special Guest: Ludacris
• Production: Executive Produced by Keke Palmer, Post Producer Lucas Seagal
• Theme Song: Written and performed by Keke Palmer
• Producers: Max Wyeth and Sharon Palmer
• Senior Producer (Wondery): Emily Feld
• Executive Producers (Wondery): Dave Easton and Marshall Louie

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For more episodes, visit the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to the Wondery YouTube channel to watch full episodes and stay updated with all the latest content from "Baby, This is Keke Palmer."

Transcript

[Keke Palmer]

Tis the season. Listeners, it's me, Keke Palmer, lover of all things Christmas. It truly is my favorite time of the year. So of course we had to put together a special holiday episode for you with an equally special guest. Today I'm joined by my friend, actor and Grammy award winning rapper Ludacris. He shares his favorite holiday traditions, serenades us with a few Christmas songs, and he shares the most valuable thing he learned in 2023. Coming to you, coming to me. You know how he always does that? Now let's get into the Christmas spirit together because, baby, this is Kiki Palmer. No matter what we doing in the car, just chilling, pop on Amazon music, sit back and listen. Life, love, sex, science, covering it all, especially the bad. Cause money always evolved. No matter what it is, we going to make it make sense. Nothing else to do but kick it with the homies and K. So grab you a drink and a snack you enjoy and get into the vibe that only you know it's your baby, this is, this is Kiki, baby. This is Kiki Palma. Yeah.

[Ludacris]

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[Matthew Sher]

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[Keke Palmer]

All right. Sharon. Diane.

[Sharon Palmer]

Oh, my God.

[Keke Palmer]

Palmer.

[Sharon Palmer]

Oh, goodness gracious.

[Keke Palmer]

What are your plans for the holiday? Even though I already know.

[Sharon Palmer]

Well, I do plan on going on a family trip, so I'm excited about that.

[Keke Palmer]

To an undisclosed location.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah, no, yeah, exactly. And just resting, you know, the older I get, I just look forward to just resting, trying to watch Christmas movies. I love Christmas movies.

[Keke Palmer]

Me too.

[Sharon Palmer]

Just. Just chilling and watching the kids have fun, you know.

[Keke Palmer]

What's your favorite Christmas movie?

[Sharon Palmer]

Oh, my favorite Christmas. I love this Christmas. Oh, I love this Christmas.

[Keke Palmer]

That's like a more modern movie.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I mean, but all time, like, favorite. Well, I don't know if it's the Christmas movie, but I love Die Hard. It has Christmas themes.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, well, you really love Bruce Willis. My mom has loved Bruce Willis all my life. Like, seriously, all my life.

[Sharon Palmer]

My mom.

[Keke Palmer]

What is it about Bruce Willis? Sharon?

[Sharon Palmer]

The first time I saw Bruce Willis.

[Keke Palmer]

Not the first time I laid eyes on Bruce.

[Sharon Palmer]

The first time ever I saw your face was in a TV show called Moonlighting. And I just thought he was so funny in his TV show. It was as hilarious, the stuff he was saying. And then it was just like he was just saying so many things and it was funny. It was quick. It was very quick punchlines. And I just thought, wow, this is a really fresh talent. You know what I mean? So that's where I first liked him. But then when I saw Die Hard, all of the Die Hards, but mainly the first Die Hard. And then obviously, everyone knows the storyline. He's going to see his wife. He and his wife are kind of on the rocks and he's flying, I think, from Chicago to la. And it's Christmas theme. The whole first opening scene. It lets you know it's Christmas. And I think Die Hard is just a great movie.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my gosh. I have actually. Don't no one kill me. I've never seen Die Hard.

[Sharon Palmer]

You've never seen Die Hard? Oh, my gosh. Okay. Well, you need to see. We should watch it tonight.

[Keke Palmer]

Okay. We can watch it all.

[Sharon Palmer]

We should watch it tonight. It's a really. It's. It's a Christmas theme, but obviously it's a action movie.

[Keke Palmer]

What's like the famous lines from there? What's like a famous. He doesn't he say something?

[Sharon Palmer]

He says, yippee ki yay.

[Keke Palmer]

Yippee ki yay, motherfucker. Yeah. I mean, yeah. He's an iconic actor. Bruce Willis prayers up for him. I know he was struggling with some stuff this year.

[Sharon Palmer]

To him and his family.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah. Blessings to him and his family. Okay. My favorite is Adiva's Christmas Carol. It's nothing but Scrooge, but with my girl Vanessa's. Vanessa Williams.

[Sharon Palmer]

It was good.

[Keke Palmer]

It was such a good one. You know, we had. Let's hear those sleigh bells ringing into. She just jazzed everything up, you know, I really just loved that. I like the, like, music, the modern music with it.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Keke Palmer]

So definitely a big fan of Adidas. Christmas carol. Home Alone is always a good one. I just went to go see that. Had a friend's date. We went to this really cool place called Fork and Film. I literally, if anybody is in New York or California and is trying to look for a good little vibe, Fork and Film is the place because they literally show movies, really? And they feed you the food that's in the movie. Oh, yes. So we went to see who eat.

[Sharon Palmer]

Pizza in the movie. Then they serve you pizza.

[Keke Palmer]

We had shrimp. We had the sundae. Like, we had literally all the things. They even had it. Like, I think the food place was named, like, Nero's Pizza. Like, they literally made little individual little box of the Nero's Pizza that he was eating in there.

[Sharon Palmer]

Wow.

[Keke Palmer]

It was just really cool.

[Sharon Palmer]

How many people are there in the room with you?

[Keke Palmer]

About like 20.

[Sharon Palmer]

Okay. That's a nice number to control. Yeah.

[Keke Palmer]

So we watched the movie and then we had the food, and they had, like, specialized cocktails. We had the M and M cookies. In the end, it was really, really cool. Girl, we had so much fun. So Home Alone is always a really good classic. And then, I'm gonna be honest with you. Nobody is a better Santa Claus than Tim Alle.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah, that was a good one.

[Keke Palmer]

Him, Helen, he is so good. I love him in those movies.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah. What about your cartoon? What is your favorite cartoon? Christmas cartoon. I know as a kid it was Santa Claus is Coming to Town for me.

[Keke Palmer]

I've never been into cartoons like that. You know that, Mom.

[Sharon Palmer]

There's not even a Christmas cartoon or episode of Proud Family or none of that. I don't know why.

[Keke Palmer]

I've just never loved cartoons like that. I just always wanted a real piece. People more.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah, you like people.

[Keke Palmer]

But I do love. You know, I always love Stay Away from my Cookies. You know, Jingle all the Way.

[Sharon Palmer]

Oh, yeah.

[Keke Palmer]

With. Oh, my God.

[Sharon Palmer]

S. No, which one was that one?

[Keke Palmer]

Sure.

[Sharon Palmer]

What was the one with Sim.

[Keke Palmer]

Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was talking to the actor. It's the comedian. Rest in peace, Paul Hartman.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah.

[Keke Palmer]

Phil Hartman. My apologies.

[Sharon Palmer]

Okay. Yeah, but wasn't that the same movie? Wasn't Sinbad in that movie?

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah, he actually was in that movie, actually. You're right, Mom.

[Sharon Palmer]

They were fighting over the toy. Yeah, that's a good.

[Keke Palmer]

But I just love Phil Hartman in that scene where. Cause you know the movie, like, Arnold Schwarzenegger, he's like that dad that just is always working all the time. And the wife is, like, tired of it. So Phil Hartman, like, is that neighbor that's like low key trying to sleep with his wife. And low key is sleeping with all the wives in the neighborhood.

[Sharon Palmer]

And then he's like, all are enamored with him. Cause he's supposed to be this great single father.

[Keke Palmer]

Exactly. And so then he goes to the house and he's helping her with the cookies. And he's like, oh, these cookies. And he's like, stay Away from my wife, cookies, you know, all of such things. I remember that I actually really. My dream is to be the father. Not the actual. Not the father, but to be.

[Sharon Palmer]

I know what you mean.

[Keke Palmer]

The father role, but the mom in those kinds of roles.

[Sharon Palmer]

Right? Let the mom be the lead and.

[Keke Palmer]

Also show the working mom. And, like, you know, I just love that. Those roles, like, when I think about Jingle all the Way, or I think about Tim Allen, Santa Claus, you know, the whole, like, mom is working all the time, and it's like, you know, and that's kind of like me, like, you know what I'm saying? Like, I've always been, like, you know, working and, you know, getting my. You know, so I just think there's so many moms also that can relate to being in that position and trying to be home for the holidays for you, you know, Timmy, I just think it would be so cool to do a movie.

[Sharon Palmer]

We ought to write that then.

[Keke Palmer]

Let's go, girl. That's like a dream for me. Or like, honey, I shrunk the kids. I would love to be the scientist dad.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yes.

[Keke Palmer]

But I'm the mom, and I'm like, oh, Johnny, I shrunk the kids.

[Sharon Palmer]

Like, I just would love to be.

[Keke Palmer]

The, like, scientist mom.

[Sharon Palmer]

That's great.

[Keke Palmer]

You know, so that's like a dream for me. Like, I love those movies. Okay, Leo.

[Sharon Palmer]

Okay.

[Keke Palmer]

It's his first Christmas, mom, what are you thinking about that Leotis first Christmas girl.

[Sharon Palmer]

Oh, I just think he would love the tree he love.

[Keke Palmer]

I think we gotta let him put.

[Sharon Palmer]

The star up there. Yeah, I think he would just. He likes music. He loves music.

[Keke Palmer]

Loves music.

[Sharon Palmer]

He loves colors. You know, his little coloring thing that lights up. I just think the. And he likes simple things he do. Like, he's the type of kid you put all these toys in a water bottle. He goes after the water bottle.

[Keke Palmer]

Absolutely.

[Sharon Palmer]

So, yeah, I just. Just. I want to just see his face with. We should take him to see, like, Christmas lights.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah, that's what Nora was saying. She was like, they're doing Christmas lights, I think, on Friday or something. And she said he would light up.

[Sharon Palmer]

I can see him now doing his little hands like this. He do this when he get excited.

[Keke Palmer]

He would just love it so, so much. He's the best ever. Yeah, I'm very excited for him to have this first Christmas. I'm excited to just spend it with him. I mean, I know he might not remember his first Christmas, but I'm gonna take tons of pictures. And then, like, I told you, that Friend of mine created those ornaments.

[Sharon Palmer]

They were so cool.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my gosh. It was his custom made ornaments. We had all his baby pictures in these little frames that we could put on the tree. But the cool thing about it is that it was like a keepsake, you know what I'm saying? Because I can do it every single year. Absolutely.

[Sharon Palmer]

He could be 18 years old. You still have those ornaments of him when he was nine months.

[Keke Palmer]

You know what I mean? And he can put it on his tree and do it for him, give.

[Sharon Palmer]

It to his kids. That's right.

[Keke Palmer]

I just think that's just so great.

[Sharon Palmer]

Excellent gift.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah. That was Raj. Our sweet Raj. What's your favorite part of Christmas when you were a kid, Mom?

[Sharon Palmer]

Oh, it has to be the surprise.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, yeah.

[Sharon Palmer]

You know, you. You know, my mother would always say, make your list for Santa and put the. Put the things you really want at the top of the list, you know, so we would do that. And my mother was good. I mean, at the time, I was thinking it was Santa, but we were.

[Keke Palmer]

Of course it was Santa. You mean he was in contact with your mother? Yeah.

[Sharon Palmer]

Okay. Oh, yeah, okay.

[Keke Palmer]

Of course it was Santa. Sharon, she knows.

[Sharon Palmer]

She's. You know, and my mother was good. Like, she would go four gifts deep, you know, like, if we had a list of 10, we got at least the top four.

[Keke Palmer]

Aw.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah. So, no, my Christmases were great. I don't have any bad Christmases.

[Keke Palmer]

What was one of the gifts? You might have to age yourself a little bit. What was one of the main gifts you wanted that you got?

[Sharon Palmer]

I think a gift that I got that I just was enamored with was a transistor radio, not a girl.

[Keke Palmer]

What is that?

[Sharon Palmer]

You don't know what a transistor radio is? Okay. Transistor radio was a radio that runs on batteries.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, wow.

[Sharon Palmer]

So it's like a little. Like, they had them.

[Keke Palmer]

That was a big deal for y'all.

[Sharon Palmer]

That was huge. Cause you could take it to the beach and you could.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, what?

[Sharon Palmer]

It was like our version of, I.

[Keke Palmer]

Guess, you know, a iPad Nano. You know, what is it? What do they call it? Ipod Nano.

[Ludacris]

Yeah.

[Sharon Palmer]

And it just ran on a battery, and then you. They had different sizes, like, you know, the boombox. It was a. Yeah. And then. But my mother and father brought me a little white one with a cute little pink little handle. And, like, you could take the handle and put it on your wrist so you could walk and be swinging your little music. It was kind of cute. And then I had headphones.

[Keke Palmer]

Girl, wow. Your parents cat a little Monty sharing?

[Sharon Palmer]

Well, I mean, I. You know, I was.

[Keke Palmer]

You were stuck in the suburbs.

[Sharon Palmer]

I'm what they call old folks, child. You know, I was like the last of seven kids, and my mother.

[Keke Palmer]

You're the babies. So you got a lot of good stuff.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah. My mother was like, 38. My dad was 42. My mother tells the story of. Well, we were on our way to get rid of you guys. What? But this is what she said. I was on my way to get. Cause I was too old to have kids. And so your dad and I were on our way to the clinic, and then I looked over and saw something to eat. And he said, well, let's go get something to eat. And after we ate, we were like, well, let's just go back home and have these babies.

[Keke Palmer]

I love that food saved your life. What food saved my life?

[Sharon Palmer]

It was Kentucky Fried Chicken.

[Keke Palmer]

Thank goodness for Kentucky Fried Chicken.

[Sharon Palmer]

I'm the Kentucky Fried Chicken. Kentucky saved my life. Kentucky fractured.

[Keke Palmer]

Thank goodness they stopped.

[Sharon Palmer]

Thank God for the trip. I wouldn't be here exactly. No. And so anyway, the transistor radio was just. I was so enamored. Cause I remember I was about maybe seven or eight, and I remember just staring at it. Aw. Like, how does this work? I was trying to figure out how the voices were coming out of it. From out of it. Are there little people inside?

[Keke Palmer]

Remember when I used to tell that to you? I would say, so when did I remember? I told my mom one time when I got. I was about five or six years old, I said, so when did the world get color? And she was like, huh? And I said, well, it was black and white. When did it decide to have color? And she was like, no, that's the TV that's making things black and white.

[Sharon Palmer]

Exactly.

[Keke Palmer]

I thought that it was. They filmed that the world had. It was so crazy. It's so.

[Sharon Palmer]

You were always a curious child. You were very enamored. You were very curious about the sun.

[Keke Palmer]

I really did.

[Sharon Palmer]

And I had to answer so many damn questions about the sun, I thought I was gonna have to study the sun. You like? It's not really yellow, but they say it's yellow. Why do they say the sun is yellow, Ma? The sun is hot, but it's not so hot. Why can't we touch the sun, Mama? I'm like, if this girl asked me, simone, what was your fascination about the sun?

[Keke Palmer]

Because I just felt like the answers were never real enough. And until this day, I still don't. I still don't know what's going.

[Sharon Palmer]

I still have this curiosity about this.

[Keke Palmer]

You still have this curiosity about all what's going on around us in the cosmos and everything else.

[Sharon Palmer]

Okay.

[Keke Palmer]

It's all quite a lot.

[Sharon Palmer]

Now. I can tell you a Christmas gift that I got that I did not. I hated. I absolutely love dolls.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah, I hated dolls.

[Sharon Palmer]

I would pull their heads off.

[Keke Palmer]

But I did love that doll that y'all had that. That y'all let me do. The one you remember. They used to have the doll where you. You could fake feed the baby.

[Sharon Palmer]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Keke Palmer]

I love when y'all got me that feed baby doll.

[Sharon Palmer]

Oh, my goodness. And you guys love the Easy Bake Ovens.

[Keke Palmer]

Love the Easy Bake Oven.

[Sharon Palmer]

Loved it.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my goodness.

[Sharon Palmer]

I remember I brought.

[Keke Palmer]

I made the cookie and ate half of it on the way to see Grandma.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yes.

[Keke Palmer]

I was like, ooh, girl, you gave.

[Sharon Palmer]

Her the other half.

[Keke Palmer]

I ate all this on the way.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah. I just wasn't into dolls. I don't know.

[Keke Palmer]

I never was too into dolls. Loreal loved them. But I remember my first. I can remember not necessarily my first Christmas, but the first Christmas that I can remember. I remember it being. I was probably maybe like four or five years old, and we was in the Robin's house, and it was just Loreal and I. Obviously, the twins weren't born yet, you know, and we wake up and I just remember we had those. You remember those purple tubs y'all used to have?

[Sharon Palmer]

Yes. And it was full of toys.

[Keke Palmer]

And they were full of toys. Like, you guys didn't wrap anything this year in particular. We tried, but I remember coming out there and it was just a big old tub of toys. That is my first. Like, when I remember. When I think about Christmas, I think about running out there and seeing that tub of all of those toys.

[Sharon Palmer]

Trust me, anytime we didn't rap stuff, it was a point of contention between Larry and I. Larry would be like, we have to rap. And I was like, I'm just so tired. Look, just let him come out.

[Keke Palmer]

What do you mean? You mean Santa? No, you mean Santa was.

[Sharon Palmer]

You mean that Santa, lazy ass, was lazy sometimes and he was tired and he would come and drop it off and Santa would say, I don't feel like rapping it this. And I would go, hey, I'm good with.

[Keke Palmer]

Once he got to the hood, he was tired.

[Sharon Palmer]

He was tired. And Larry was like, my kids have to have it. He was such a good dad.

[Keke Palmer]

He's a great dad.

[Sharon Palmer]

I was kind of like a little crazy, mom, but he was.

[Keke Palmer]

He was actually a good dad. He's a great dad. You're a great mom, too. Okay, let's get to the good part. New Year's resolutions. All right, man, tell me what this year taught you. You know, tell me. Actually. Let's break it up and make it good and juicy.

[Sharon Palmer]

All right.

[Keke Palmer]

If you can Remember coming into 2023, what were your thoughts? You know, what were you looking forward to in this year? And then what did the year ultimately teach you?

[Sharon Palmer]

Well, we were getting ready for a new baby, so I was excited about Leo. We were getting ready, planning a baby shower.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah.

[Sharon Palmer]

And so that was great. You know, we were, you know, new life coming. Did we know it was going. We knew it was gonna be a boy.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah, we did.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah. So I was happy about having my second grandchild and son. Yeah, I knew what you mean. Yeah, but he's like my child. Yeah, you got it.

[Keke Palmer]

No, but you was just. I know.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah.

[Keke Palmer]

Grandchild. Yeah, I know. You mean, though.

[Sharon Palmer]

So anyway, that. So that was probably what I was thinking at the top of the new year and just welcome in new life and being excited about that. Yeah.

[Keke Palmer]

Okay. And what did the year teach you? What did you learn? You know, if anything, family is everything. Yeah.

[Sharon Palmer]

Their family is everything. And, you know, you're going to have ups and downs and all kinds of stuff, but if you just have faith and love and family, you can conquer anything.

[Keke Palmer]

Yes. So coming into 2023 for me, obviously, same kind of vibe. I was really excited and just thinking about, you know, what is my life going to be like with this new baby? What is this baby going to bring to my life? How is my family going to expand? You know, what? Just. What, What. What am I going to turn into? You know what I mean? And then I think what I learned about this year was that, boy, are children really special, and they really can give you a power and a strength that you just didn't know you had.

[Sharon Palmer]

Absolutely.

[Keke Palmer]

Like, and, like, you know, I always grew, like, I grew up in the church and everything like that, but some of those things that I heard growing up or that you read or you think about, you know, God's love for Jesus and Jesus loves love for God, and all of that becomes that much more appare when it's reflected in your love for your child.

[Sharon Palmer]

That's right.

[Keke Palmer]

You know what I mean? And I remember just thinking I was at home one night, and I was just like, you know, my goodness, like, you know, life sometimes can be really, really, really hard. Like, you could just feel like, you know, I mean, I've gone through many moments in my life where, ugh, you know, why did I sign this Earth contract? You know what I mean? Where it's just like, what made me decide to come down here. Right. But when you have a child.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Keke Palmer]

It does something where it's like, you actually. Like, it's not even I'll die for you, it's I'll live for you.

[Sharon Palmer]

Right.

[Keke Palmer]

You know, I'll live. I'll be a version of myself I never knew I could be for you. Because it's worth it if it makes sense in some way.

[Sharon Palmer]

No, that makes absolute sense. You know, my mother used to say, when you don't have kids and you're a single person, once you eat a meal, your whole family has eaten.

[Keke Palmer]

Right.

[Sharon Palmer]

So it's like, oh, I ate this sandwich, my whole family has eaten. When you have a child now, before you eat, you have to think about what they're going to eat. You know what I mean?

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah.

[Sharon Palmer]

And so your whole life is dictated around what it is they can eat.

[Keke Palmer]

And the relief of it that it's not really about you. I think there's some type of strength that comes from giving to somebody else that, you know, really deserves it.

[Sharon Palmer]

Right.

[Keke Palmer]

And that really is worth it. And that really could stand to, you know, the world is saying, but I'm giving everything I can to this little person because I think that they'll. They can be the joy for even one person. Cause they're the joy for me.

[Sharon Palmer]

Exactly. Now let me ask you this. Now that you're, you know, you're getting into. He's about to be one, you know, you're getting to that, and you're. He's sleeping a little. You know what? How does that feel? Like, being that mother and having to get up in the middle of the night and breastfeeding and doing all that. And now he's sleeping. And what. How did that feel when you. When he first slept for you?

[Keke Palmer]

It felt good. It felt good. I felt happy. Just that he was relaxed. You know what I mean? But I do.

[Sharon Palmer]

I did.

[Keke Palmer]

I don't know. It's still a. It's still an unsettling. I think that it. That happens with just having a kid in the world. I don't think I'll ever really be the same, you know, in terms of, like, I remember how I was before I had a kid, and it was like I could just go out and have fun. Like, even if I know that you're watching, if I know he's in good care. I still don't really feel the same. You know what I mean? I don't know if that'll ever change or what that is, but it's like, even if I know he's sleeping, he's good, and he's sleeping through the night, there's still a thing of just, like.

[Sharon Palmer]

I don't know, you're responsible for another life.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah, that's a lot.

[Sharon Palmer]

That's a lot. If you take time to really think about it, you know, you're responsible.

[Keke Palmer]

It's an insanity. Kind of.

[Sharon Palmer]

It is. You know, and, like, as a mother now. Now I have four kids, and so, you know, when I look at all you guys, you're doing well or whatever like that. I just. That's really. When I do feel like I've done stuff as a mother.

[Keke Palmer]

Does it feel good for you at least to know that we have each other? Yes. Cause I think if. I think when I have more kids, maybe that can ease out a little bit, you know, just to know, like, you know, right now it's just Leo, you know, And I want him to have siblings. I want. You know, I just. I want. I mean, I'm so happy that, you know, my son and us, we live together and he has his cousins and stuff like that, but it's just good to know that he's not alone. Lonesome. Exactly.

[Sharon Palmer]

I think for me as a mother, when I see all of you all get together and you're having a good time and you respect each other, you can joke with each other, you can have fun with each other, then that just makes me feel like I've accomplished something as a parent. Because my family, we couldn't do that. We couldn't take jokes.

[Keke Palmer]

You know what I mean?

[Sharon Palmer]

Like, if my brother said something to me that I didn't, like, I didn't talk to him for two years, you.

[Keke Palmer]

Know, like, you guys really could hold a grudge.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah.

[Keke Palmer]

She whiz.

[Sharon Palmer]

She roller coaster. It was crazy. It was kind of crazy.

[Keke Palmer]

She roller curse. Dad was real extra. I'll never forget, one time, me and Laura are arguing, and next thing you know, we see dad. Like, this is the door. And we see dad stop. He's like, side of the door, he's like, stop. Y'all are sisters. Y'all can't be arguing like this.

[Sharon Palmer]

Y'all are sisters.

[Keke Palmer]

And we're like, how long have you been standing here? Like, what is this about? Like, he was serious about us being close. Like, soon as that happened, we were, like, hugging each Other, like, we're. Like, we're so sorry that we caused you such distraught.

[Sharon Palmer]

Exactly. But it is a lot about how you were raised. And that's how he was raised. And he was raised at the brother over the. You know, the brother. They were all. It was nine of them. And so the brother that was the oldest, he was responsible. So Keith was responsible for Lamont and Larry, and Ronald was responsible for Reggie and whatever the order was. And they really believed that, stood by it.

[Keke Palmer]

I love that.

[Sharon Palmer]

I love that.

[Keke Palmer]

I mean, I just love all the traditions of all of our family. You know, when I think about the holidays, I think about us going to see Grandma Palmer and then us seeing Grandma Davis and us bringing her stuff by bringing her food, bringing them food. Us having a big dinner at Grandma Palmer's or us having a little dinner at the church. I'll never forget all the things that we would do at church and how, my God, Mama Nona would give me my little outfit every night after that long service. I hated how long the church service was, but I always liked the treat.

[Sharon Palmer]

Like the little gift.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, yes. Love the treats afterward. And going home and do you remember milking cookies?

[Sharon Palmer]

You probably don't remember, but when you were in the Christmas play and you're.

[Keke Palmer]

Gonna tell the story.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah. So she's doing. We were doing the Christmas play, and they dressed her up like Mary, the cutest little Mary you ever want to see. And she had the little. Little veil on, and she's walking down her. And the little, little boy, Joseph. And they get before the three kings, and the baby Jesus is in the basket, and everybody's, oh, she's so cute. And as they're saying the little lines from the play, and she's up there, Mary, no, she didn't bend down and hit the baby. She hit the baby Jesus not once, but twice because she wanted to see, was it a real baby.

[Keke Palmer]

This story has haunted me all my life. And I actually said that to y'all. Like when you guys asked me, that's what I said.

[Sharon Palmer]

You were about 4 years old. You hit it, and then you look back at us, and then you hit it again. And then I said, why'd you hit the baby Jesus about I want to see. Was it a real baby? And everybody in the church was like, oh, she is something. That Kiki is something. She is something else. Y'all got something on y'all hands.

[Keke Palmer]

Why would I hit the baby Jesus? The fake baby Jesus. That's insanity.

[Sharon Palmer]

And not only hit it, but look back and smile. Like you knew that shit was funny and then you did it again. It was great timing and everything. I'm like, this girl here is hilarious.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh my goodness. Okay, so now 2024 it is, you know, approaching us.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yes.

[Keke Palmer]

What is on the rise for you for 2024? What are your thoughts? What are you thinking about what this New Year's gonna bring you?

[Sharon Palmer]

Well, I'm actually thinking about moving back to California.

[Keke Palmer]

Yes. That's huge.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah. I've been loved. Yeah. But you know, I love California represents work for me. I know that's what it represents. As soon as I get off of lax, it's a meeting, it's a zoom, it's something. And then when I go back to Chicago, that represents rest for me. You know, I'm in a nice little hamlet town and I'm vibing out. And so I like the worlds that I've, you know, by the grace of God, that has been created for me, you know, so I like going back to Illinois in a quiet suburbs.

[Keke Palmer]

You like being bi? Coastal.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yes, because. Because LA is work and Illinois is rest. You know what I mean?

[Keke Palmer]

I feel the same way you.

[Sharon Palmer]

But everybody's in la.

[Keke Palmer]

Well, that's the thing that's happening with us is that we're a family that likes to stick together.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yes.

[Keke Palmer]

You know, it's very much giving soul food.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yes.

[Keke Palmer]

It's like we want to be around each other. So, you know, if, if we're in Chicago, we want to have a place for us to all be. If we're in California, we want to have a place for us to all be, you know, if we. Wherever we're at. So that's the thing that we're faced with. And like you said, it really is a bl for us to even be able to do that or even have that conversation.

[Sharon Palmer]

But I also want that for you, you know, I want, you know, I know you love New York, you know, love New York. I know you love it. And the reason why you love it is because you can be more freer there and people are chill. The industry is not everything there, you.

[Keke Palmer]

Know, they have so many other other.

[Sharon Palmer]

Industries that are bigger. Real estate and the Wall street and all modeling, all kinds of stuff. So I know that you want to do it, but I, you know, I always am praying that you can find your own little corner where you can separate work from regular life, you know, and I'm always reading stuff and I read that Harrison Ford lives in Montana. Montana somewhere. And you know, and there's so many entertainers that are moving to New Mexico.

[Keke Palmer]

Well, you're talking about 2024. 2024, that, for me, is, you know, it's the same storyline I've been telling myself for years, which is. Is, you know, I've always been really responsible, you know, my career and the blessings that it's been able to do for us and turn into our family business, it's been awesome. But it is a lot of pressure. But I'm. It's the skill that I've most sharpened, you know, to be punctual on time, to put, you know, know how to handle my responsibilities with work and show up and, you know, juggle all these different things. And it's very natural to me. But the thing that I'm hoping to do in 2024 is to really learn how to not just totally validate myself and what I can do in terms of service for others is to really learn how to do and be of service to myself solely without feeling guilt about it. So 2024, to your point, I would love to be able to just, like, be a little bit more selfish, you know, be a little bit more, you know, capable of managing that workload a little bit better. Now it's the same, you know, I feel like this is. Like these are the same repeated things. But, you know, 2024, I'm hoping to really give myself the things that maybe I've looked for from others.

[Sharon Palmer]

But you know what this is? This is self growth. Anytime you're able to self reflect and to speak about it like you're speaking about it, it's going to happen because you're speaking it into existence. And it's growth. It really is growth.

[Keke Palmer]

I feel like I want that same thing, you know, I feel like, you know, I've talked about it over and over and over again, but, you know, I'm trying to be patient with myself, you know, and that's why when everybody asked me an interview, you know, what is the work life balance for you? I'm always honest. Look, it's. It's an ever, you know, growing thing, and I'm working hard to try and figure it out. But one thing's for certain, and one thing's for sure is that Leo has taught me how to love myself so much greater because in order to be the best I can be for him, I have to be the best me I can be.

[Sharon Palmer]

That's right.

[Keke Palmer]

So he's been the greatest blessing in my life.

[Sharon Palmer]

Amen to that.

[Keke Palmer]

All right. Well, mom, this conversation, you know, it really got me even more jazzed for Christmas. You already know that I'm counting down the days and I'm excited to spread all the Christmas cheer with my guests.

[Sharon Palmer]

Ludacris awesome.

[Ludacris]

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[Keke Palmer]

Baby. This is. This is Kiki. I could not be more excited about my guest today. He is an icon of our generation. From his rap music dating back to the to his iconic role on the Fast and Furious series, he's had countless top hits, okay. Won a whole bunch of awards and as of this year, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Well deserved if you ask me. Plus, he recently starred in Disney's new Christmas movie, Dashing through the Snow. Please welcome to the show, the one, the only, Ludacris.

[Ludacris]

Yes. What up?

[Keke Palmer]

What's up?

[Ludacris]

I'm so glad we finally got a chance to do this. We've been, you know, our schedule's both been crazy, so finally the stars align themselves and we are so happy.

[Keke Palmer]

And it's so funny. Cause before we get into the holiday spirit, it's so funny. I don't know if you've ever seen the memes all over the Internet where it's Mary J. Blige sitting next to me in the Runaway Love video and they talking about some why was that girl going through all that stuff and Mary was just screaming in her face.

[Ludacris]

Yeah, no, listen, I 100% have seen those. And it's crazy because a lot of people do not realize that that's where we first met each other. And this was, you know, how many years ago it was. You know, I'm like. But the memories and how long our history is, is it goes all the way back to that Runaway Love video. And thank you.

[Keke Palmer]

They don't know.

[Ludacris]

I couldn't thank you enough for that.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my gosh. I can't thank you enough for that. And the connection that I've had to you, to Shaka since then. I mean, you guys have had me under your wing since then. I think I was, what, 12 years old when I did that and y' always stayed in touch, you know, hooked me up whenever, however, and just always have my back. So I definitely love you always. You know that.

[Ludacris]

Nah, we love you back. And we could not be more proud of you and your evolution in this game, man. Touching all aspects of the entertainment industry. And I can't wait to see where you take it from here.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my gosh. Well, I have great people like you to look to. And now, I mean, this is all about the holiday spirit, you know, I love Christmas. I know you just had the Christmas movie come out, so I just thought you'd be a perfect guest for this episode. And also, you know, you've been a parent for a while, so you can also get me ready to experience being a parent for the first time this Christmas spirit. So what are your holiday plans, man?

[Ludacris]

Listen, my wife does all of the. She does every holiday. Great. But in terms of, you know, decorating and make sure the spirit is all throughout the household and cookies are made and food is, you know, on the table and trees and. And presents and stockings and pies and everything, you could think of Christmas music playing, the mood set with all of the lighting. I could go on and on. But she's really good at holidays, and I'm just good at giving her money to make sure that the holidays are taken care of. So there you have it.

[Keke Palmer]

I know that's right. So what kind of traditions do you do? Cause obviously you're American, you grew up in America, but Udadsi is African. So what kind of different qualities does she bring to it? And what kind of stuff from how you grew up do you bring to it? It.

[Ludacris]

You know what's crazy, I. I kind of just grew up. There were some Christmases where I didn't get anything. So I'm just so appreciative. Yeah. I mean, you know, so growing up sometimes. Yeah. Our parents may not have been able to afford things at times. So for me, I'm happy with whatever she does. But you're right, she does kind of combine some of the westernized things since she's been living here so much, and mostly the food of the culture from Gabon, where she's from and try to combine both of those things together for all of these different holiday spirits. So it's African music playing. We've been listening to Afrobeats since way before it got really popular in the United States. So she's ahead of the game. But I would just say, in terms of family traditions, we just plan on being with each other, loving each other. Time is precious. I have all girls, so it's extremely important for me to love on these girls and continue to show them what a man is supposed to be in their lives so that I can be that first example. And I know we. That's a whole other podcast. We could talk for days about that.

[Keke Palmer]

Okay.

[Ludacris]

But hopefully I answered your question. You know, I think. I think it's just about loving on each other.

[Keke Palmer]

So do you guys do the. I know some people are different with Christmas. Like, they'll open up the presents either the. Like the midnight, the night of. Or they'll wait to waking up the next day. Are y'all. Which one of y'all. Are y'all the. Or are y'all the next day, go to sleep, wake up type family?

[Ludacris]

I've always had the tradition where you can open up one present at midnight, and then you get to open the rest on actual Christmas Day. So, yeah, you can pick which one. It's usually the smallest gift or the one that's, you know, not the best gift. And you hand it to them and say they can all open one present. And that gets them even more excited.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah, exactly. Cause they're like, ooh, ooh, ooh. So wait a minute. Do your. Are your kids into the Santa Claus vibe? Are they not into the Santa Claus vibe? Like, what is the. What's the tea on that? Because you got a couple different ages.

[Ludacris]

Yeah, they're 100% in the Santa Claus vibe. And it's dope, you know, shameless plug that you just mentioned dashing through the snow with me and Lil Rail. Because you don't see many mystical, magical black Santa Clauses in film. And it's important that we were able to do that on Disney and now on Hulu, as a matter of fact, that you can watch this movie because it represents a black Santa, and they're able to see this movie throughout the lens of, you know, their own skin. And it's a beautiful thing. So they're loving Santa even more now is basically what I was trying to get at.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah. And I can't wait to show it to my son. I'm very excited to get into the holiday spirit and show him, that movie. That's gonna be dope. Okay, so what can you get me into in terms of being a parent for the first time for the holidays? Like, what did you remember the first Christmas that you had with your daughter? What are some of the most exciting things that you had or that I can look forward to that you experienced?

[Ludacris]

You know, I, I think that if you were not a hundred percent in the holiday spirit mood, and you probably were, but in terms of being a parent, whatever you had growing up as memories that you're gonna cherish for a lifetime, you're gonna want to recreate those for your child. And so it becomes even more meaningful to have the tree or to decorate or to have the house smelling like, you know, good cooked food for the holidays and to, to just get in that spirit because you know that it's a sense of family, it's a sense of home, and it's a sense of memories that they're going to have attached to their parents for the rest of their lives. So all I would say is that go full throttle for the holidays because your kid is going to remember it and he's going to cherish it. And it's a love feeling the same way we grow up. When he talked about soul food and how it hits your soul, it's the same way with holidays. I would just say cherish every moment. And time goes by very fast, so you got to cherish every single moment regardless of if it's the holidays or not.

[Keke Palmer]

I love that. I love that kids do make everything more special and they do put you in the, in the, in the space of feeling. Like, let me really go 10 toes downs for this because I want to, I want you to see it in a way that even if I don't see it, I want you to see it through those, through those eyes because it's just so much more special that way.

[Ludacris]

Yeah.

[Keke Palmer]

So. So what is your favorite Christmas memory?

[Ludacris]

You know, I hate to continue to be the dead horse bear, but my favorite Christmas. No, no, I'm saying it's like, it's a reverse type of thing because when I said that there was a Christmas that I didn't receive anything or actually a couple Christmases, that is my best memory because it just taught me again, not to take anything for granted. It to just be thankful for what you do have and not all like the expectations, you know what I'm saying? You can't always expect things. And it really just made me want to make sure that that never happened in my life again. So in terms of something that you could take as a negative and turn it into a positive, I would say that was probably the Christmas I cherished the most because it is the most memorable because I was heartbroken.

[Keke Palmer]

I really feel you on that because, I mean, I remember I had something similar that when my family and I first moved, you know, from Chicago to California, they were trying to help me do my dreams and stuff like that. You know, we didn't have a lot of stuff. So I remember this one particular Christmas where we didn't. We didn't have anything. Like, we went to the store, like the 99 cent store, and bought a bunch. Bunch of gifts and stuff like that, like little toys and stuff that we could afford, but we couldn't, like, really have a tree or anything. And I remember my dad being like, well, if you mix flour and water together, y'all can make your own tree. Y'all can kind of put it together with paper. So we kind of like made our own glue and, you know, But I remember. But that's, like, even now, what I'm telling you, you. It was a fond memory. Even though it wasn't a lot, it was something to it.

[Sharon Palmer]

Right.

[Keke Palmer]

It's something that it told me or gave me, impacted me. And just. I remember my family being really happy just doing that, even though it was kind of like, you know, we didn't have a lot. So it's interesting. It had it.

[Ludacris]

And what you're saying is it doesn't always have to be about materialistic things. It makes you and forces you to cherish the people that are close to you even more and be thankful for life as opposed to always expecting something materialistic. So that's why I say it. And I'm glad that you shared that story because it just reinforces what I'm basically trying to tell people.

[Keke Palmer]

Yeah. Do you have a favorite Christmas movie or a few? I know sometimes people are like, I ain't got one. I ain't got one.

[Ludacris]

No, I do have a few, but my favorite is probably National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chaser.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my gosh. Well, that one. You're funny. You like the joke. Jokes.

[Ludacris]

I'm. I'm silly. I'm funny. I love to laugh. That right there, I could watch over and over again. It's just hilarious to me. So if. If nobody's seen that movie, trust me, you gotta watch that. You will laugh. 100.

[Keke Palmer]

Well, now I want to make a quick right turn because you just talking about you're silly and everything like that. And it just made me think about all your whimsical music videos that I grew up watching as a kid. I just need to know, like, when you came into the rap game and you brought that new energy and flavor to it, what were you thinking? Like, did you care about, like, being taken seriously? Did you think it was going to be seen as too much of a joke? Like, how did you waver the balance between showing that eccentric and kind of comedic attitude, but still saying stuff like, move, get out the way. Like, how did you balance that?

[Ludacris]

Because, you know, I'm like every human being. I'm very multifaceted. And I feel like a lot of rappers only want to show kind of one side of themselves. For me, I grew up on comedians like, like, you know, Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor and now, like, Dave Chappelle. And when I say grew up on this is what I just gravitated towards. I just love to laugh. So. Oh. To answer your question, I was just being myself and I was able to accentuate that, and I was able to, you know, put it in my creative videos. And it was an extension of the songs that I already had. And I felt like that was missing in hip hop, so I wasn't afraid to be myself. And definitely honorable mention to people like Busta Rhymes and to Missy, who kind of paved the way for making things happen like that, because I was inspired by their videos as well.

[Keke Palmer]

I love that, that, you know, in typical Virgo fashion, we gonna always give props and show love. Because Busy Rhymes and Missy Elliott definitely were also those multifaceted type of rappers. Not just giving us that one note type of vibe, but giving us some type of eccentric, you know, just whimsical, you know, in kind of kitschy energy, very theatrical, which I love and appreciate. And then I've got to always ask you this. I want. I wanted to always ask you this too, because I know you. You did. You were a DJ or you hosted a show, like a radio show before you were rapping or you were doing at the same time.

[Ludacris]

Yeah, I was an air personality. I never was it. When people say dj, they think of people that's like cutting and scratching and then, you know, on the turntables or playing the music at a party. That was never me. I just was the spokesperson or was the person on air. But I did that. Yeah. Before I got. It was actually a means to an end. So I worked at this radio station fresh out of high school because I knew all the producers and all the artists were coming up to the station. I wanted to give them my music to try and get put on as a rapper. So it was really kind of a plan that I had, and it ended up working out. But to answer your question, Yes, I was 100% at a radio station in Atlanta before I became famous as Ludacris.

[Keke Palmer]

I'm curious as to how that developed your sound, because whenever I think about Ludacris, I'm always thinking about way back to, like, how did you start doing that?

[Sharon Palmer]

You know what I'm talking about?

[Keke Palmer]

You know how you'll do that? You'll be like. And he coming in and back, and you go like, I don't know how you do that. It's like you'll be doing it low, and then your voice just project. Like, how did you come up with doing that?

[Ludacris]

That's. It's really a good question, because I would say that that was already a part of who I was. And you kind of developed your style if you've been doing it for so long. I started rapping when I was, like, nine. But towards your point, when I worked at this radio station, I think that kind of teaches you where you're able to practice enunciation and you're out. You're able to. To project your voice, because whenever you get on that mic at a radio station, you talking to thousands and tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of people, sometimes millions. And so, that being said, I think it just kind of. It accentuated my gift even more, of being able to pronounce and to do crazy things with my voice.

[Keke Palmer]

I just love that that is the signature you. When I'm thinking about you, like, nobody is like, that's just Ludico coming to track and eating the back in the whack.

[Ludacris]

Yeah.

[Keke Palmer]

I just love it so much. Speaking of you and your crazy entrances, I mean, the Saints Falcons game, this ties into everything we're talking about. Like, you just always are coming left field with something. When you told them you wanted to do that, were they like, now, Luda, what the hell? Or were they already down and ready?

[Ludacris]

Like, so they were ready because I believe their mascot, the Falcon, has done something similar. But no one has ever performed and repelled from the ceiling at the same time. So you know me. I'm like, I'm the thrill seeker. I'm this adrenaline junkie. I'm like, absolutely. I 100% want to do that. It'll be the first thing. It'll kind of like. It's off my bucket list. I'll Be able to write that off the bucket list. And it was absolutely amazing. Everything that my name entails, as long as you can throw Ludacris in there, then I'm perfectly fine with any criticism that may come my way, because I'm perfectly fine with being Ludacris. Yes.

[Keke Palmer]

And it was a great way to, I mean, just show love for hip hop's 50th anniversary. I mean, I think that was a great way to bring that in.

[Ludacris]

Oh, 100%, it was. We were definitely celebrating 50 years of hip hop. And in that being the Falcons game, they brought over 100 Atlanta artists. I'm talking about everybody that paved the way for myself. People that came before me, people that came after me. It was a great, great day. Everyone, you know, getting reacquainted with each other, giving each other love. And that's something that Atlanta artists have been doing since the beginning of time. I remember certain artists from different places always talking about how people from Atlanta are working together, and that's probably why we so dominant in the music industry and because they're strength in numbers. So seeing that day come together was amazing. I absolutely loved it.

[Keke Palmer]

How does it feel to be a part of that? I mean, I know, you know, right? But, like, just when you're reminded, you know, you're experiencing that, or even just when I was watching you when you were on tour with Janet, I mean, Janet is like. I mean, that's just all insane. When you look and you see everything that you've accomplished, you know, does it. Have you been able to really ever sit back and process it, or what do you think of it?

[Ludacris]

It's crazy, because there are certain days where I'm kind of forced to stay still and truly think about the things that have happened. Like when I just received the Hollywood star, that was one of those moments for me where I had to stop in my tracks. There were people that came to celebrate me, that were very instrumental in my career, people I worked with from the past, the present, and the future. And so there are times, like when I won the Grammy for best album, humbly speaking. And, you know, it just made me realize how hard I had to work in order to accomplish that goal. So I would say every couple years or so, there's something that happens in my life that forces me to reflect on all of the hard work.

[Keke Palmer]

Baby, this is Ike palma. Yeah.

[Ludacris]

At 24, I lost my narrative, or rather, it was stolen from me. And the Monica Lewinsky, the. That my friends and family knew was usurped by false narratives, callous jokes, and politics. I would define reclaiming as to take back what was yours. Something you possess is lost or stolen, and ultimately you triumph in finding it again. So I think listeners can expect me to be chatting with folks both recognizable and unrecognizable names about the way that people have navigated roads to try and my hope is that people will finish an episode of Reclaiming and feel like they filled their tank up, they connected with the people that I'm talking to and leave with maybe some nuggets that help them feel a little more hopeful. Follow Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. Listen to episodes everywhere on February 18th.

[Diddy]

What's up everybody? It's Jason Kelce and I'm here with my slightly famous little brother Travis, AKA Big Yeti Kid. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we're here to bring you a next level entertainment experience with our show New Heights.

[Ludacris]

Where the lumbaby reigns supreme.

[Diddy]

We're covering all the hardest hitting topics in order of importance. UFO sightings, the ideal PB&J combo, and Trav becoming a big time acting star. Big time is a big stretch. We've got can't miss a list interviews though. That's right. And of course, next level, access to life inside the NFL and in the booth. Just because I retired doesn't mean I'm out of the game.

[Ludacris]

Yeah, I mean the old dad shoes suggest otherwise, but those are the I'm out the game shoes right there.

[Diddy]

Listen and watch New Heights wherever you get your podcasts. And if you want to listen to us first without any interruptions and get Bonus content, join One3Plus in the Wondry app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

[Keke Palmer]

And I think a lot of people would love to hear. I want to ask you this question because you've also maintain your success through multiple generations. What is something that, I mean, music is so different now, right? The way people are accessing music and how people are trying to establish their brand and what it means to be a brand. I remember Coy Larae had put a tweet out not too long ago. She was like, what does it mean to be like? Like how do you get iconic status? Is it like, you know, how many records you sold? Is it like, you know, and for me when I was thinking about that, I was like, I think it's people that stand the test of time. I think it's somebody that when I think about somebody that's an icon, it's somebody that's been able to maintain and continue to create. So I want to ask you, for anybody that is listening or want to know how to, you know, tap into establishing themselves in a way that someone like you has, what are some of the, like, top three things that they would need to do?

[Ludacris]

Man, I don't even. I don't even need to give you top three. Something that's just on my heart as you ask that question to come out out for me. And I can't speak for everybody, but I feel like you cannot be afraid to evolve and to change with times, and not only change with times or whatever it is you're currently doing, but you can't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone if you want to explore other areas of entertainment. And even if it doesn't work out at first, doesn't mean that you're a failure in it. So what has worked for me, me is always being very cautious. But something where I feel like, okay, I'm gonna step out on this, and you might be a little fearful because as human beings, we all have our, you know, inhibitions and things that will kind of make us freeze and stop in our tracks. But I always just say, to hell with it and just go that extra step and just do it anyway and see and see what happens. So I feel like I'm a risk taker, like an extreme risk taker, no matter what the circumstances, because I follow my heart. And I feel like if more people did that, then they would be able to kind of transition into different things a lot more. But a lot of people are afraid of change, and they're afraid to step outside the box that people know them for is the best way that I can try and say it.

[Sharon Palmer]

Yeah.

[Keke Palmer]

And I feel like what you're speaking to also is that you're like, a true artist from being ludicrous to also being Chris Bridges. And so I'm curious at the. Because I remember when it was like, you know, it was ludicrous, and it was like Ludacris doing some different stuff. He doing the Runaway Love, and he ain't Crash, and now he doing this. And, like, things are changing where us as the audience and people that are fans of yours, saw you taking those next steps to really, like, be a staple in the industry. What was going through your mind? Like, what were you thinking as that was happening? Was it a thought of like, man, I don't want to always just rap, or I don't want to just be a rapper, or I have other visions, like, what was going through your mind, that helped you to kind of, like, make those strategic steps that maybe weren't even strategic in the moment. I don't know.

[Ludacris]

Nah, like, it's a great question. And I can tell you, as an example, which is Karma's world, which you're actually a person who voices one of the characters.

[Keke Palmer]

Yes, Karma's world.

[Ludacris]

Yeah. I love doing things that are completely outside of the box of what people expect me to do. And so if I have four daughters and I see my life going in the direction of loving, obviously, I've always loved to be a father, but investing even more into them, then I want to be the change that I want to see in the world. So I'm going to develop this. This cartoon and this animation, and I'm going to make it positive, and I'm going to do it for my daughters. Regardless of whoever thinks Ludacris is this hardcore rapper or. Or got criticized for talking about certain things, this is also a part of me. So I'm a step out. No matter what anyone says, this is just what I'm going to do because I'm going to do it because I'm also a parent. So hopefully that's a good example to you of why I make certain decisions that I'm doing. I can only do things that are dear to my heart, and I put my all into certain things. And at the time, it may be completely outside of the realm of whatever someone is. Is championing me for is basically what I'm saying.

[Keke Palmer]

I love that it sounds like you're just folding your life experiences and what's true to your heart into your craft in any way that you can. And I think, yeah, I think that's. That's true alchemizing. That's what artists do. And I mean, I'll never forget Little Erica is 11 years old. She said he's trying to figure why the water's so cold. So she popped X to get rid of all the pain. I mean, so you already did that. You get what I'm saying? Like, with that song, like, when you did that song, man, that really changed how. I mean, you really impacted the culture for real, you know what I'm saying? Where those lyrics. That's why I'll never forget y'all was like, so, you know, she's gonna. You're gonna do this scene, and, you know, the girl's going through X, Y, and Z. So just, you know, listen to the song and do it. You know, do what you feel. Y'all said action and started Playing that song, I was like 12 years, I started bawling because I felt those lyrics so strong. So I just feel like you definitely have done that.

[Ludacris]

That's really deep. And that that song was a movement. Like we, we had something called the, the Runaway Hotline and got so many kids that either had already ran away or thinking about running away, got them help before, you know, anything bad happened. And the last thing I wanted to say towards that was I also do these things because I want to be an inspiration for people that want to be a multi hyphenate and don't want to be put in a box and do one thing. And so, you know, I just want to show people that it's possible that you can start out as a rapper, you can be a, you know, an actor, you can become a producer, you can do all it, philanthropist, like all of these different things, you can be a creator. And so if I can step outside of my comfort zone and not be afraid for change, then I'm sure that will inspire other people to do the same.

[Keke Palmer]

I love that. I love that. And so obviously we're talking about the holiday. Dashing through the snow is out. But you know, when I think about the Christmas, I think about also the year's ending. So I want you to tell me like, what has this year meant to you? You know what I mean? Like what if you could put in a few words, what has this year meant? What has it brought to you? And then what are you forward to the next year bringing to you? What is your expectations for 2024?

[Ludacris]

You know, it's funny, you. It's funny, you said it. You just said the word of what I think 2023 sold up. You said the word expectations. Now this is going to be a little bittersweet, so I hope you're ready for it.

[Keke Palmer]

I'm ready.

[Ludacris]

It took me this long on earth to finally come to the conclusion that I have to accept people for who they are. And I think every celebrity can. Every celebrity and every human being can relate to what I'm saying. Oh yeah, that word expectations. Like we have higher expectations for some people than they have for themselves. And so you'll get hurt each and every single time. And I want so much more for certain people than they want for themselves. And I would fight and fight and try to give people opportunity and give them a hand up as opposed to a hand out. That's what I thought. I thought I was giving them a hand up, but they only took it as a handout. So that being Said I have no expectations of people. I want them to surprise me, and I accept people for exactly who they are, and they show me who they are, period.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, my gosh, that's so true. I feel the same way. And I do think it's a little bit of a Virgo thing because we really. We are so, like, you know, I got you. I got you. And sometimes that I got you bites us in the ass. And it's like. It's better.

[Ludacris]

It bites us on the ass all the time. What do you mean, literally?

[Keke Palmer]

Cause people literally don't want us to have them because they actually need to fall so they can learn. And it's very hard to literally accept the fact that, yeah, you know, my expectations for somebody is not the reality of who they are. Like, I know who they could be, and if I could just jump in their body real quick, I could figure it out. But that's not. That's not the case. So that is one that I'm still trying to figure out. So I'm glad to hear that. You know, I ain't alone with that one.

[Ludacris]

You are not. You are not alone at all. I'm glad that you realize that. You are so not alone. So, yeah. Yeah, I'm with you.

[Keke Palmer]

Okay. And then 2024. What are you looking forward to for 2024? What's on the rise, man?

[Ludacris]

I gotta. I haven't put out music in, like, eight years, I want to say, so. You know, part of that is because this Fast and Furious franchise got us sold up. They keep coming out before we started in two, and now we at 10 and in space.

[Keke Palmer]

And, like, that is so, like, Fast and Furious is ridiculous, dude. But we keep coming back. Back for more.

[Ludacris]

Yeah, it is. So, yeah, I want to put out. I'm definitely putting out some music in 2024. 100%.

[Keke Palmer]

I'm ready for the. Come on. I'm so ready for that.

[Ludacris]

I love it. I love it.

[Keke Palmer]

Okay, so I've obviously had a blast talking to you, and I feel the Christmas spirit in the air. But before you go, we're going to play a game, okay? Today we're going to play Sorry to this man. Okay. I'll play popular Christmas songs, and you have to guess the name of the song. But the catch is you only get to hear the first second of the song. Okay? And if you don't know the name of the song, you have to say sorry to this man. Okay? Now, I did this last year, and it was really hard, so I'm wishing you luck.

[Ludacris]

So I'm terrible at Christmas songs, but we'll see.

[Keke Palmer]

Okay, here we go. First one up.

[Ludacris]

Rocking around the Christmas tree.

[Keke Palmer]

That is not. Got the song. Sorry to this, man.

[Ludacris]

That's what they say in the song. Rocking around the Christmas tree is.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, Jingle bell rock. Ah, but that is it, though. So actually you got that because that is because they rocking around the Christmas and it says the jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock. So you're right. You just sang the first part. You got it. I'm gonna let you had it.

[Ludacris]

Give me a half a point. Give me a half.

[Keke Palmer]

Half a point for that. Okay. The second one is this. This.

[Ludacris]

I don't want a lot for Christmas.

[Keke Palmer]

Oh, wow.

[Ludacris]

Mariah Carey.

[Keke Palmer]

He's actually really good. All I Want for Christmas by Mariah Carey.

[Sharon Palmer]

Wait a minute.

[Keke Palmer]

A.

[Sharon Palmer]

Wait a minute.

[Keke Palmer]

Okay, next one.

[Ludacris]

Another half a point. I do. I have no idea what the hell that is. I'm trying. My brain is like.

[Keke Palmer]

I also didn't know that one either, but it's Last Christmas by Wham. Sorry to this day.

[Ludacris]

Okay. Nah, I didn't know that. I knew it was old school. I knew it was old school 70s, but I had no idea what song that was.

[Keke Palmer]

Also, when you got up so close to the camera, all I could see is your one baby daughter. Why do your kids look exact like, literally. I know Udati is mad because they literally have your exact face. It's insane.

[Ludacris]

They look strong jeans.

[Keke Palmer]

Strong jeans, man. They look exactly like you. Okay, here's the fourth one.

[Ludacris]

Hey, I know that. I know that.

[Keke Palmer]

Play it one more time for him. Guys.

[Ludacris]

I. I know this song is killing me. And it was in a movie. I. Damn. I'mma have to forfeit. I don't.

[Keke Palmer]

Santa baby by Earth the kid. Sorry to this, man.

[Ludacris]

Okay. No, I wouldn't. I wouldn't. Two out of four. Two out of four ain't bad.

[Keke Palmer]

Yes. And this is the last one. I'm ending on this one because you gotta know this one.

[Ludacris]

Okay. Shake a hand, bang on a miss.

[Keke Palmer]

I'm gonna get to know you better. Yes. First of all, the WI fi between us is exceptional because there was no delays with that singing. We were right on time.

[Ludacris]

Yeah. There you go. Merry little Christmas, everybody.

[Keke Palmer]

Merry little Christmas. You the best, man. You the best. And I just want y'all to know I know Atlanta claim him, but he is really from Illinois. Okay? It's Midwest in this mother born.

[Ludacris]

I was born in Champaign, Illinois. Love to both, man. Like all of Illinois. All of Georgia, man. Thank you for this opportunity. I'm glad we finally got a chance to make it happen. Won't be the last.

[Keke Palmer]

No, it won't. You're the best. Love you down.

[Ludacris]

All right. Love you. Tell Mom I said what up.

[Keke Palmer]

I sure will.

[Ludacris]

All right. Peace.

[Keke Palmer]

I really am feeling the Christmas spirit, y'all. I'm off to make some hot chocolate, decorate the tree, and watch a diva's Christmas carol for the hundredth time. It never gets old. I wanna wish all of our listeners a very merry Christmas and a happy holiday. I'm just so grateful for all of you guys. As a wise woman once said, all of want for Christmas is you. And I mean you, listeners. That's all for now. You know it's your girl. Baby, this is. This is Kiki. Baby, this is Kiki Palmer. Yeah, enjoy. Baby this is Keke Palmer on the Wondery app, wherever you get your podcasts and now on YouTube where you can watch full episodes. Subscribe to the wondery channel on YouTube and don't miss any episodes. You can listen to Baby this is Keke Palmer early and ad free on Wondery. Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts. Baby this is Keke Palmer is hosted and executive produced by me, Keke Palmer. Lucas Seagal is our post producer. Music supervisor is Scott Velasquez. Our original theme song was written and performed by me, Keke Palmer for Team Keke. My producers are Max Wyeth and Sharon Palmer. For Wondery, Emily Feld is my senior producer. Executive producers are Dave Easton and Marshall Louie.

[Matthew Sher]

In the depths of an Atlanta forest, a clash between activists and authorities ends in traged. But the official narrative doesn't add up. I'm Matthew Scher, and on my new podcast, We Came to the Forest, we peel back the layers of secrecy surrounding a deadly confrontation that shook a community to its core. Through exclusive recordings and never before released eyewitness accounts, we expose the hidden truths behind a shootout that left one activist dead and countless lives forever changed. As we dig deeper, we uncover a web of conflicting testimonies and missing evidence. From the idealistic dreams of young environmentalists to the complex motivations of local officials, this story challenges our understanding of justice, activism, and the lengths people will go to protect what they believe in. Follow We Came to the Forest on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of We Came to the Forest early and ad free right now by joining Wondery. He was hip hop's biggest mogul, the man who redefined fame, fortune, and the music industry.

[Keke Palmer]

The first male rapper to be honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Sean Diddy Combs.

[Matthew Sher]

Diddy built an empire and lived a life most people only dream about.

[Ludacris]

Everybody know ain't no party like a Diddy party. So, yeah, that's yourself.

[Matthew Sher]

But just as quickly as his empire rose, it came crashing down.

[Ludacris]

Today I'm announcing the unsealing of a three count indictment charging Sean Combs with racketeering, conspiracy, sex trafficking, interstate transportation for prostitution. I was up. I hit rock bottom. But I made no excuses.

[Keke Palmer]

I'm disgusted.

[Ludacris]

I'm so sorry.

[Diddy]

Until you're wearing an orange jumpsuit, it's not real. Now it's real.

[Matthew Sher]

From his meteoric rise to his shocking fall from grace from law and crime, this is the rise and fall of Diddy. Listen to the rise and fall of Diddy. Exclusively with Wondery.