Artist
Stefanie Gray
Abstract
In the song “Area Codes”, rapper Ludacris brags about the area codes in which he knows women, whom he refers to as “hoes”. In the “Ludacris Ho Map”, the area codes mentioned in this song are plotted on a map of the United States, visualizing trends in the rapper’s preferred locations for female companionship.
Statement
“I’ll jump off the G4, we can meet outside / So control your hormones and keep your drawers on / ’Til I close the door and I’m jumping your bones / 3-1-2’s, 3-1-3’s (oh), 2-1-5’s, 8-0-three’s (oh) / Read your horoscope and eat some horderves (sic) / Ten on pump one, these hoes is self serve / 7-5-7, 4-1-0’s, my cell phone just overloads.” [1]
I’m a female and a feminist. I dislike the usage of the word ‘ho’. However, as both a geography major and Gangsta rap aficionado, I find this song hilarious, and had to map it. I made this map at 4 a.m. one night and it became a brief internet sensation thanks to StrangeMaps.wordpress.com. I wrote this stuff about it, too:
• Ludacris heavily favors East Coast hoes to the West, save for those in Seattle, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Las Vegas.
• Ludacris travels frequently along the Boswash corridor.
• There is a “ho belt” nearly equivalent to the “Bible Belt”.
• Ludacris has hoes in the entire state of Maryland.
• Ludacris has a large ho-zone in rural Nebraska. He might favor girls who farm.
• Ludacris’ ideal ‘ho-highway’ would be I-95.
• Ludacris has hoes in the Midway and Wake Islands. Only scientists are allowed to inhabit the Midway Islands, and only military personnel may inhabit the Wake Islands. Draw your own conclusion.
Biography
Stefanie Gray is a 20 year old senior at Hunter College in New York City, majoring in Geography. Despite her attempts to be the classiest of redheads, her youth spent on the scary side of Fort Lauderdale has given her a special appreciation for funny hip-hop.