Grammy award winning rapper and actor Ludacris [click to read] has one-upped the now defunct “Cash For Clunkers” program by giving away 20 cars to needy Atlanta area residents. He began a contest via his Ludacris Foundation which encouraged people to write essays about how they were unable to buy or maintain their current cars in order to find jobs and get to and from work.
“People are getting laid off, and now are looking for jobs,”Ludacris told HuffingtonPost.com. “To be efficient, you need some transportation of your own to get there. That’s why I wanted to give back to those who need it.”
Of the nearly 4,000 contestants who submitted 300-word essays, 20 people won a new car which also included free gas for 30 days. Luda partnered with a nearby suburban Atlanta dealership, and winners were only responsible for tax, tags, insurance and registration.
“Giving back to our communities is not new to us, it is true to who we are,” said Ludacris Foundation president, Roberta Shields, in a prepared statement. “Through the Ludacris Foundation, we are able to broaden our reach.”
In other Ludacris-related news, the action film Gamer, which stars Luda, Gerard Butler and Michael C. Hall, was the fourth-highest grossing film this weekend. The movie brought in $9 million, ranking it behind The Final Destination, All About Steve and Inglorious Basterds.
