Ludacris juggles recording and acting (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Rapper Ludacris is set to releasehis sixth album, "Theater of the Mind," in September, a projecthe terms appropriately "theatrical."

He has been working on the Def Jam Records set whileshooting "Max Payne," the big screen adaptation of the popularRockstar video game.

Calling the album a collection of his experiences up tothis point, Ludacris told that "Theater" will befilm-worthy. Though he hasn't yet chosen a first single, hesaid a track should come out by June or July.

One track is called "Let's Stay Together," produced by DJPaul of the Oscar-winning rap combo Three6 Mafia.

His last album, 2006's "Release Therapy," sold 1.2 millionunits in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, andwon the Grammy for best rap album.

Ludacris is squeezing in studio time between "Max Payne"film shoots in Toronto. He plays NYPD Deputy Police Chief JimBravura in the film, which co-stars Mark Wahlberg. He will bein theaters October 31 with Guy Ritchie's "RocknRolla," whichstars Thandie Newton and Jeremy Piven.

"It's about how the Russian mob came to Europe and tookover," said Ludacris.

Reuters/Billboard