While Hip Hop has been slowly dying over the last decade, smart rappers like Ludacris were busy successfully crossing over to pop music. Ludacris’s status as a successful crossover artist was evidenced by his appearance on the most staid award show, The CMT Country Music Awards. The Hip Hop heads may think Luda has sold them out, but this is about survival in a depressed economy. Luda has kids to feed.

Ludacris joined Jason Aldean onstage for a rap/country fusion of “Dirt Road Anthem” to close out the CMT Awards last night in Nashville, TN. After the show, Luda rubbed elbows with Justin Bieber (who picked up an award), Gary Busey (“Celebrity Apprentice”), actor John Hamlin and rapper Kid Rock, among others.

Photos: Wireimage/Getty