25 Years After “What’s Your Fantasy,” Ludacris Still Has Nothing But Time

Most kids’ first watches involve some form of cartoon character or superhero. Not Ludacris’. Even as a child, he already had drip, rocking a yellow-gold timepiece. “My dad bought me a Movado watch when I was young. I was probably 6 or 7 years old,” the “What’s Your Fantasy” rapper tells Bustle of the gift that spurred his lifelong interest. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to hold onto it. “I don’t [have it anymore],” he says. “I wish I did. It got lost in the shuffle of life somehow.”

Like the legend he is, more than four decades later, the multi-platinum artist recreated the watch with Movado — a brand he’s been endorsing for two years — and infused it with his own legacy, especially as he celebrates his 25th anniversary in the music industry this year.

Never having dreamed of being able to design his own timepiece, Ludacris says, “This is a full-circle moment for me,” adding, “It wasn’t something that came to my mind, but then when the opportunity presented itself, I was like, ‘Damn, this is actually really cool.’”

On Oct. 14, Ludacris (né Christopher Brian Bridges) released two limited-edition watches for the label. Designed as custom collector’s pieces, with only 250 units per style, each watch is etched with his signature and a nod to his past. Both styles, one in yellow gold and another in a red-and-black combo, feature a graphic dial based on the sound signature from his 2003 track “Stand Up,” his first song to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Apart from the two styles, Ludacris and Movado also designed two separate pieces, which retail for $50,000 each. One is now part of the artist’s personal collection, which he’s been wearing a lot, and the second will be auctioned off later this year to raise funds for The Ludacris Foundation, an organization founded in 2001 that inspires youth through education.

Below, Ludacris chats about his watch collection, the moment in his career he wishes he could freeze, and why he thinks wearing watches is attractive.

Describe your fantasy watch.

It’s the 25th anniversary celebration watch. That’s the Movado Fantasy Watch. We designed it together.

I love that it has the sound signature from “Stand Up.” That’s amazing.

Man, it was almost like being in the studio. You pick the design, the colors, and all the aspect ratios. Everything down to the coils, nuts, bolts, and all the things that make a watch timeless. It was a very interactive process.

The design was all music-driven. You got the equalization from “Stand Up,” inspired by my 25th anniversary. The MVP, the yellow-gold one, was reminiscent of my first watch and taking it back to that moment. For the Welcome to Atlanta Watch, we thought about the Atlanta skyline, looked at the Falcons’ colors, and certain things that represent Atlanta, where I began my career.

You’re celebrating 25 years in the industry. Is there a moment in your life or in your career that you wish you could have frozen in time?

When I got my star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023. That was really big for me because it’s just celebrating all the accolades. When I received it, my whole family was there and a lot of friends. It was such a great moment.

Our readers are big Fast & Furious fans. Who do you think has the best watch game among your co-stars?

You would think that Vin Diesel and The Rock are big watch guys, but I’d probably say Jason Statham is more of a watch collector than Vin, The Rock, Tyrese Gibson, myself, and a bunch of other people.

Are there any watch trends that you particularly love right now?

I just love that whatever watch you choose can say a lot about your personality. A lot about how you fit certain events, which watch you would choose to wear to those events. Some are sportier watches, some you’re supposed to wear on a plane, with a suit, or at the office. It’s a fashion piece, and it’s an accessory. It’s a beautiful thing.

There’s an interesting phenomenon in pop culture right now where Hollywood’s leading men are found sexier by viewers because of their “slutty little accessories.” For instance, in the show The Summer I Turned Pretty, one of the characters wears a “slutty little watch” that viewers love. What do you think makes wearing a watch so sexy?

What makes it sexy is what you wear it with. You could be in a pool or an ocean, you can have a simple chain on and a certain watch, and that can make something sexy. What you choose to wear with your swim trunks and your other jewelry, or no jewelry at all. You know what I’m saying? It’s just what you choose to wear it with, when, and where.

It’s all about how comfortable you are with it. As they say with clothes, “The man wears the watch; the watch doesn’t wear the man.”

You said your dad gave you your first watch. Was he a big watch person?

I wouldn’t say he was a big watch person, but he definitely appreciated certain things. He worked hard and was able to reward himself and his son. I’m an only child, and watches are a family heirloom, so that makes it even better because you pass it down. I could pass it down if I had it. I have all daughters, so I’m not able to pass it down to a son.

They still might want some of your stuff.

Oh, they want all of my stuff. But it’s hard to choose between all four daughters as opposed to one son.

If you had to gift your daughters a watch for the holidays, what are you looking for?

We have the Bold Quest collection that fits a little bit of everybody. The price point is affordable in terms of being able to be prestigious but also fashionable and timeless. Timeless is really the word.

Are there any other pieces in your collection that are family heirlooms?

Not right now, but this 25th anniversary watch is definitely going to be a family heirloom because it’s specific to me. It’s the first time I’ve ever done this, so how can it not be? There are no other watches to talk about when you’re making your own.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.