Ludacris has released his first children’s book, Daddy and Me and the Rhyme to Be, which was inspired by his eldest daughter Karma, 20, who aspired to be a rapper like her father.
“Daddy and Me and the Rhyme to Be” was released on Jun. 7 by Scholastic Inc.
“When Karma was six years old, she joined me in the studio and asked if she could make music, too. I remember giving her the classic but true advice, ‘Write what you know,’ ” Ludacris said.
Being first born, Karma has imprinted lifelong father-daughter lessons on her dad, leading him to create his Netflix show, Karma’s World, to share with other families.
“This is the basis of both the show and the book — a story for families that addresses what real kids go through,” Ludacris told PEOPLE about the Karma franchise.
“I want each of my daughters to live out their own dreams, and at that time in her life, it was fun to hear that Karma had an interest in following in my footsteps,” he said.
Karma’s World first premiered in 2021; the animated kid-friendly show follows a middle schooler named Karma, who loves to rap and navigates through middle school encounters.
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The colorful picture book animated by Parker Nia-Gordon and written by Ludacris and head writer halcyon Person follows Karma as she prepares a rap for her dad’s birthday — and realizes she needs his help to create a rhyme.
The actor-rapper shared that Karma’s rap-writing times with him in the studio inspired the colored rhyming lines in the book for parents to read along with their children.
“We would go back and forth to create rhyming patterns that both of us liked,” he remembers. “The book is a reminder to my daughters that they always have their daddy by their side to help,” he said.
“I also hope that when they connect to Karma’s music, it inspires them to find their own form of self-expression,” he writes. “I want people who read the book and watch the show to know that it’s OK to make mistakes and that there are tools available to help us all through difficult situations,” Ludacris said.
The Illinois native has created stories about young Black girls’ experiences and is incredibly proud of the responses it has received since season one.
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“The response to the first two seasons of Karma’s World was overwhelmingly positive and it reaffirmed our purpose — that there is power in representation,” Ludacris said.
Ludacris says that all four of his daughters continue to impact his creativity, self-growth and business ventures.
“I have absolutely loved being the father to four incredible girls,” he wrote in an email to PEOPLE. “They have taught me so much and changed me for the better. It’s my daughters who inspired me to create this show for kids to spread a message of confidence, creativity and empowerment.
“The best part of being a girl dad is that every day is something different and each daughter has unique needs, so I am learning and adjusting every day just as much as they are,” he added.
Ludacris has four daughters- Chance, 11 months and Cadence, 7, with his wife Eudoxie and Cai, 8, and Karma, 20, from a previous relationship.
