Ludacris Gets Heat Over "The Ride" Film About Fostering White Supremacist

BY Erika Marie 21.2K Views
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The Ride, Ludacris White Supremacy, John Buultjens, Amazon, Movie
In the movie, which is based on a true story, an interracial couple fosters a troubled and violent teen who was raised as a White supremacist.

The plot of a film starring Ludacris has rubbed a few people the wrong way. This week, the trailer for The Ride was released, and the uplifting film starring the rapper is reportedly about the real-life story of John Buultjens, a star in the BMX circuit. The synopsis gives us a rundown of what to expect: John McCord (Shane Graham) is a troubled youth with a White supremacist upbringing who gets into trouble over a "racially-charged" incident and ends up in juvenile detention. An interracial couple, Eldridge (Ludacris) and Mariana Buultjens (Sasha Alexander) decide that they want to help a young person in need, so they take John into their home as their foster child. Their time together changes John's perspective and he sheds his racist ways. They bond over extreme sports and the rest is history.

The heart-warming film received backlash after critics weren't happy to see that there would be a movie that shows how Black people needed to, literally, welcome racism into their homes in order to change bigoted views. Others accused the rapper-actor of "making a feel good movie about W=white supremacy," but there were some who have watched the Amazon flick and applauded Luda's efforts. Check out the trailer for The Ride and a few responses below.

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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.