Monday, March 22, 2004 | 8:17 a.m.
It wasn't all that long ago, but those days are clearly in the past. Atlanta duo OutKast provided firm evidence of that in January, becoming the first hip-hop act to capture the Grammys' coveted album of the year award.
On Saturday night another prominent Atlanta MC, Ludacris, brought his high-energy act to the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, to the delight of a jam-packed crowd of 1,800.
And, as if determined to prove there are no geographic limitations to the genre, Ludacris had his diverse Disturbing Tha Peace record label crew in tow.
Representing the Midwest: Chicago's Shawnna -- who added a female perspective to several of Ludacris' numbers -- and St. Louis' Chingy, one of three opening acts on the three-hour bill.
And hailing from the South: Georgia native I-20 -- an up-and-comer on Ludacris' in-house label -- and Mississippian David Banner, another of the show's support acts.
Banner heated up the crowd with a lively set, wading through the throng barechested to rhyme from the mixing board for one song.
Momentum sagged a bit during a hit-and-miss performance by Chingy, whose debut album "Jackpot" has been a fixture in the upper reaches of the Billboard 200 since its July release.
The rail-thin Chingy often draws comparisons to fellow St. Louis rapper Nelly, but actually sounds more similar to Snoop Dogg with a lazy, drawling delivery.
Hits "Right Thurr" and "Holidae Inn" -- the latter presented group-style with Ludacris and company -- provided fans with fun sing-along opportunities, but the rest of Chingy's poppy set was largely forgettable.
Of course, most of the crowd showed up to see Ludacris, and the 26-year-old former radio DJ did little to disappoint.
Backed by the beats of DJ Jay Cee, Ludacris (real name: Chris Bridges) rhymed smoothly yet forcefully, projecting his voice above a typically bass-heavy mix with considerable ease.
With his famous Afro hairdo braided in cornrows, the headliner waved a white towel as he worked through tracks from all three albums, including October's chart-busting disc "Chicken-N-Beer."
Among the highlights: early singles "Southern Hospitality" and "What's Your Fantasy" (the latter augmented by lightning-fast rhymes from Shawnna) and recent No. 1 "Stand Up," the catchiest song in Ludacris' catalog.
Ludacris also did a little quick research before he hit the stage.
"If you're representing the 702, make some noise," he shouted before diving into 2001's "Area Codes."
While he made no mention of his recent spat with Fox News Network commentator Bill O'Reilly (apart from a lyrical retort during "Blow it Out"), Ludacris arrived onstage decked out in clothing emblazoned the words "(expletive) Bill O'Reilly."
Though O'Reilly's decision to single out the mostly light-hearted Ludacris for using profanity on his records was inexplicable, it is worth noting that the rapper's reliance on vulgarity did grow rather tiresome on Saturday night.
In doses, explicit lyrics can be either funny or provocative, but they lose their effect when strung together by the dozens. One example: the song "Move B ****h," which came off as an exercise in lazy songwriting.
Those who get offended by such profanity more than likely stayed home. It's doubtful Ludacris minded, with plenty of fans left over to sell out his shows on both coasts and most points in between.
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