What's Your Fantasy

Album: Back For The First Time (2000)
Charted: 19 21
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Here, Ludacris asks a lady about her sexual fantasies, hoping he can fulfill them. He has lots of suggestions:

    In the Georgia Dome on the 50 yard line
    On the beach with black sand
    On the top of his Escalade

    Rappers (and rockers for that matter) have long boasted of their bedroom prowess, but Ludacris does it here with rapid-fire, clever wordplay that makes it more entertaining than dirty. You could almost let your kids listen to it.

    Another distinction: He's interested in her fantasy, not just his own gratification. That's not something you'd hear from, say, 2 Live Crew.
  • "What's Your Fantasy" was Ludacris' first single. It first appeared on his debut album, Incognegro, released in 1999 on his own label, Disturbing Tha Peace. Ludacris was well known around Atlanta, where he was DJ Chris Lova Lova on the hip-hop station Hot 97.5, so the album got some regional attention and earned him a deal with Def Jam Records, which made him the first signing to their Def Jam South division.

    Def Jam released his album Back For The First Time in 2000, which included many of the songs from Incognegro, including "What's Your Fantasy." They commissioned a video and gave it a strong promotional push that got Ludacris off and running. After a tour with Outkast, he became nationally known, and by 2004 he was one of the most popular rappers in the game.
  • Ludacris' producer on this track was Shondrae Crawford, who goes by Bangladesh. He put together the beat and is credited as a co-writer along with Luda. He went on to produce for Beyoncé ("Diva"), Lil Wayne ("A Milli") and many others.
  • The female rapper on this track is Shawnna, who was signed to Ludacris' Disturbing Tha Peace label. She released her own album, Worth Tha Weight, in 2004, but is best known for her collaborations with Luda. She also appears on his track "Stand Up." Shawnna's biggest hit on her own is "Gettin' Some" from 2006.
  • Bangladesh told MTV about producing this track. "That was the last record we recorded for his independent album," he said. "I [originally] made the beat without the high hat. I made that for an intro for a whole 'nother beat. He liked the intro. He was like, 'I should make that.' He played it one time on the radio. I was cutting hair; I was a barber at the time. 'What's Your Fantasy' was #1 throughout the day. People I was cutting didn't even know I made the beat."
  • The lines:

    You wanna make a brother beg for it
    Give me TLC 'cause you know I be too proud


    Are a reference to "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg" by TLC, another big-name act out of Atlanta.
  • In 2015, Ludacris performed a chilled-out acoustic version of "What's Your Fantasy" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, backed by the show's house band, The Roots. He was on the show to promote his album Ludaversal and movie Furious 7.
  • This was used in the 2001 movie How High, starring Redman and Method Man, and appears on the soundtrack.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many Songs

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.

Zakk Wylde

Zakk WyldeSongwriter Interviews

When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.

Art Alexakis of Everclear

Art Alexakis of EverclearSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer of Everclear, Art is also their primary songwriter.

John Lee Hooker

John Lee HookerSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for Bruce Pollock's 1984 conversation with the esteemed bluesman. Hooker talks about transforming a Tony Bennett classic and why you don't have to be sad and lonely to write the blues.

Tim McIlrath of Rise Against

Tim McIlrath of Rise AgainstSongwriter Interviews

Rise Against frontman Tim McIlrath explains the meanings behind some of their biggest songs and names the sci-fi books that have influenced him.

80s Video Director Jay Dubin

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.