Bangladesh Calls Out Ludacris: The $2,000 Payment for a 2x Platinum Hit
The hip-hop world just got hit with some serious
smoke. Super-producer Bangladesh, the man behind beats like "A Milli"
and "6 Foot 7 Foot" for Lil Wayne, is speaking out about what he got
paid for producing Ludacris' breakout hit "What's Your Fantasy." And
let's just say the numbers got him feeling some type of way.
The $2,000 Beat That Blew Up: Bangladesh
Calls Out Ludacris for What's Your Fantasy
The Situation
According to reports, Bangladesh recently went off
about his early work with Ludacris, claiming he was only paid $2,000 for
producing "What's Your Fantasy" back in the day . For a track
that would go on to become 2 times platinum and help launch Ludacris into the
mainstream, that number got people talking.
The producer, whose real name is Shondrae Lee
Crawford, didn't hold back when discussing the collaboration. He straight up
called Ludacris selfish during the situation, accusing the Atlanta rapper of
not doing right by him on the deal .
The Track's Legacy
"What's Your Fantasy" dropped back in 2000
as Ludacris' debut single, featuring Shawnna on the hook . The song was originally
on Ludacris' independent album "Incognegro" before getting picked up
by Def Jam for his major label debut "Back For The First Time" .
The track climbed to #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and
#10 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart . In 2022, the RIAA officially
certified it 2 times platinum, meaning it moved over 2 million units between
sales and streams . VH1 even ranked it #58 on their 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs
list back in 2008 .
Bangladesh's Track Record
This ain't the first time Bangladesh has spoken up
about money in the music business. The producer, born in Seattle and raised in
Des Moines, Iowa, has worked with everybody from Beyoncé ("Diva,"
"Video Phone") to Rihanna ("Cockiness") to Nicki Minaj
("Did It On'em") . He's been nominated for two Grammys,
including Album of the Year for both Tha Carter III and I Am... Sasha
Fierce .
Back in 2010, he actually sued Lil Wayne over unpaid royalties from "A Milli," though they settled things in 2012 . More recently in 2023, he finally got paid for his work on Kelis' "Bossy" after 17 years of fighting for his publishing .
The Conversation Continues
The news about Bangladesh's comments started circulating big on March 15, 2026, with The Art Of Dialogue sharing a clip of him going off on Ludacris . The video, posted on Ray Daniels Presents' YouTube channel, shows Bangladesh calling out the rapper for the $2,000 payment on a track that helped put both of them on the map.
For context, "What's Your Fantasy" wasn't just some random album cut. It was the single that introduced Ludacris to the world, the song that got people paying attention to that raspy voice and wild wordplay out of Atlanta. And now, 26 years later, the producer behind that beat is letting the world know he feels like he got shortchanged.
Bangladesh's comments have sparked up conversations
all over again about how producers get treated in the music industry,
especially when they're just starting out and don't have the leverage to demand
more. A $2,000 flat fee for a 2x platinum record? The math ain't mathin' for a
lot of folks watching this unfold.
