It was all about Ludacris for the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night (Sept. 4), as the team honored the local hero with a bobblehead night and ceremonial first pitch. After the first 15,000 fans at Truist Park received the bobblehead – which features the Grammy winner in jeans, a throwback jersey with Hank Aaron’s number 44 and a microphone in hand – the real show began when Luda took the mound.
After being carried onto the field by mascot Blooper, the “Roll Out” rapper received a roar of applause when fans realized he had come dressed as his larger-than-life character from the 2004 video for “Get Back.” No, his massive prosthetic arms, oversized shoes and watch were not a strange side effect of his recent plunge into the waters of a glacial pool.
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In fact, it was an homage to the Spike Jonze-directed video in which a mega-muscular Luda confronts an all-too-familiar fan in a bathroom, knocking him down with his giant hands before hitting the streets with his Hulk look. With the baseball attached by Velcro to his large gloves, Luda impressively hit a ball right down the middle.
In video of the big moment, Luda appears to be having a blast stomping around in his vintage “Get Back” gear and custom No. 11 jersey. A post from the Braves celebrating his long history with the team includes previous pregame concerts, Luda posing with a glittering 2021 Braves World Series ring and championship trophy, and other happy moments with the team over the years.
The team also shared the dishes served at the stadium on Wednesday night, which were inspired by the menu at the rapper’s restaurant, Chicken and Beer.
Check out videos and photos from Luda’s first pitch below.
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