A Definitive List of Rappers as Actors

From Will Smith and DMX to Eminem, Cardi B, and the entire Migos, rappers love to get into acting. Here's a definitive list of your favorite rapping actors.

DMX and Steven Segal attend the premiere of Exit Wounds
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Image via George De Sota/Newsmakers

DMX and Steven Segal attend the premiere of Exit Wounds

Thirty years ago, a rapper turning actor would’ve been considered career suicide and seen as a surefire sign of a subpar production. Now, millions of people are subscribing to HBO Max just to watch The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion, or remembering DMX’s legacy by throwing on a classic like Belly. To put it simply, rap blew up, and as their lane widened, its stars started to swerve. The only thing that’s remained the same is the direction—Hollywood.

Surprisingly, a handful of them are pretty good at it! Kid Cudi got a two-season story arc on HBO’s tragically short-lived How to Make it in America. Machine Gun Kelly nabbed a recurring role on a Showtime series. And Eminem’s 8 Mile will legitimately go down as an iconic film, not only in the “hip-hop movie” genre, but of any genre, period. What once felt like a casting risk has become the norm, and with films now being distributed all over non-traditional platforms, from Netflix to Hulu to Amazon Prime, there’s infinitely more space for rappers to make their acting debut without the pressure of the box office numbers to follow. Whether it’s pushing a project that may never have had a way to get noticed before, or simply finding an abundance of roles to audition for that previously didn’t exist, Hollywood is wide open for rappers right now.

Does that mean they’re winning Oscars for their performances? Not necessarily. But baby steps here, folks. And sometimes it’s the most hilarious and worst performances among them that make for the most memorable scenes. But throw a couple of the films mentioned in this list on, and you might be presently surprised by the acting chops of the rappers within. Here's a collection of rappers as actors, something tells us this list will keep expanding by the year.

DMX

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Acting Credits: South Park (1998), Tommy “Buns” Bundy, Belly (1998), Silk, Romeo Must Die (2000), Backstage (2000), Latrell Walker, Exit Wounds (2001), Anthony Fait, Cradle to the Grave (2003), King David, Never Die Alone (2004), The Dog, Death Toll (2007), Black Jack, Last Hour (2008), Thorn, Lords of the Street (2008), Tagg, The Bleeding (2009), Top Five (2014), Midnight John, Pimp (2018), Detective Ray Munce, Beyond the Law (2019) Davie, Fast and Fierce: Death Race (2020), Detective White, Chronicle of a Serial Killer (2020)

I find videos of DMX expressing his fear of computers or singing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” just as entertaining as DMX acting. DMX was in the classic Belly, and tried his hand at being an action star with Cradle 2 the Grave and Exit Wounds. Lately, most of his films have been straight to DVD, but hopefully DMX can get back to the action. There’s no rap personality tailored for such an energetic genre of movies.

Cardi B

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​​​​​​Acting Credits: Mercedes, Being Mary Jane (2017), Diamond, Hustlers (2019)

Bursting onto the scene and crowning herself the contemporary rap queen of New York, Cardi B appears ready to make the same move in film. Blessing the 2019 release Hustlers with her signature uptown attitude, Cardi skipped all the small-time guest spots most start with and jumped headfirst into a feature length performance that earned her accolades from fans and critics alike.

Meek Mill

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​​​​​Acting Credit: Blax, Charm City Kings (2020)

Following in rapper/actor pioneer Will Smith’s footsteps, fellow Philly native Meek Mill is making the transition look easy. For those who have only watched the trailer for HBO Max’s new drama Charm City Kings and think Meek’s role as motorbike shop owner Blax is just another case of a rapper playing themselves, you couldn’t be more wrong. Delivering a performance that chills, thrills, and might even bring you to tears, Meek is obviously playing no games when it comes to his acting credits.

Migos

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​​​Acting Credit: Migos, Atlanta (2016)

Like many of the movies and TV series they reference in their lyrics, Migos kept it straight ’90s-style and megazorded their trio acting debut. Playing Georgia drug dealers in Atlanta may not seem like a big leap for the group that introduced trap houses to the wider world, but when put into the context of a show of this caliber, and given the fact that they managed to heighten not only the tension but the laughs of such an off-beat brand as Donald Glover’s, I think maybe DG and the three Migos should reup for a remake of the movie that inspired the group’s name.

Offset

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​​​Acting Credits: Kadri Kashan Khan, NCIS: Los Angeles (2020), Offset, Atlanta (2016)


I’ll be the first to say Offset’s acting debut in NCIS: Los Angeles isn’t going to earn him an Emmy. But it also stands to reason that if you’re watching NCIS, that’s probably not what’s important to you. Much like the show itself, Offset entertains for the full hour, even managing to match the dramatic chops of several of his more seasoned co-stars. Not everyone is a born thespian, but Offset does prove showmanship is in his blood.

Quavo

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​​​Acting Credits: Quavo, Atlanta (2016), Quavo, Star (2018), Quavious “Quavo” Marshall, Black-ish (2019), Quavo, Narcos: Mexico (2020)

A rapper appearing as themselves in either TV or film is the artistic equivalent of testing the water—not just for personal reasons, but also to gauge the audience. Well, consider us interested, Quavo. Guest-spotting on Fox’s Stars, the singular Migos member got in a little romance, action, and acting alongside legend Queen Latifah while making it all look way too easy for someone just starting out.

Lil Yachty

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​​​​​​Acting CreditsLopez (2017), Green Titan, Teen Titans GO! To the Movies (2018), Beatboxer, Life-Size 2 (2018), Roger, How High 2 (2019), Long Shot (2019)

Fearlessly playing roles like Oprah in music videos, Yachty has shown he has an Eddie Murphy-esque eye for comedy and is willing to fully commit to a multitude of parts. While he has made a few appearances in more traditional vehicles, like How High 2 and Seth Rogan’s Long Shot, his most promising bit of entertainment is still in the works, with HBO Max just having announced a comedy series based on Yachty’s life set to star the man himself. 

 

Kendrick Lamar

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Acting Credit: Laces, Power (2018)


Kendrick Lamar already holds the title of best rapper in the world, but his performance as a clairvoyant crackhead on Starz' hit drama Power left viewers wondering: is there anything that Kenny can’t do? He owned the role and honestly put veteran rapper-actor 50 Cent to shame each time they shared the screen. Kendrick stole the spotlight by managing to be humorous without seeming as if he was trying too hard, dominating acting with the same effortlessness he displays in rap. We’re eager to see what role Kendrick will try to tackle next.

Eminem

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​​​​​​Acting Credits: Jimmy ‘B-Rabbit’ Smith, 8 Mile (2002), Billy Fletcher, Crank Yankers (2004), Funny People (2009), Entourage (2010)

Eminem’s time on the silver screen was short lived, but it made for one of the best hip-hop movies in recent memories, and for that, we thank him. 8 Mile, based loosely on Marshall Mathers’ life, gave us an iconic battle rap scene, Cheddar Bob shooting himself and “Lose Yourself.” And Em was at the center of it all as B-Rabbit, holding his own opposite Mekhi Phifer.

Nelly

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Acting Credits: Prolifik, Snipes (2001), East Boogie, Cedric the Entertainer Presents (2003), Megget, The Longest Yard (2005), Terrence Davis, CSI: NY (2008-2009)

Who amongst us can forget the iconic scene in the 2005 remake of The Longest Yard, when Nelly, playing the character Meggett, tells an oversized white t-shirt wearing Adam Sandler he’ll play for the prison football team? Brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it. The St. Louis native has also had stints on CSI: NY.

Will Smith

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Acting Career Highlights: Actually, just check out his IMDb page. 

For a while there, Will Smith was the biggest movie star on the planet thanks to movies like Bad Boys, Independence Day, Enemy of the State, Wild Wild West, Ali, Hitch, and The Pursuit of Happiness. Summer blockbusters, where stuff would most certainly explode on a huge screen during or around the Fourth of July, were his forte. He was also the star of one of the greatest sitcoms of all time in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which was witty and occasionally endearing and emotional. Will Smith is a legend, there’s no question about this. We’re just waiting for him to make another true Oscar push—to lend his talents to a truly great film, with a great script, great director, and cast—for our own pursuit of happiness.

Nicki Minaj

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​​​​​​Acting Credits: Steffie, Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012), The Cleveland Show (2012), Lydia, The Other Woman (2014), Draya, Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016), Sugilite, Steven Universe (2014-2016), Pinky, The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019)

Nicki Minaj has got more acting credits than you think. She’s most prominent as a supporting actress in 2014’s The Other Woman, holding her own opposite such luminaries as Cameron Diaz, but she’s also had stints in Barbershop: The Next Cut, as well as providing the voice for Steffie in Ice Age: Continental Drift. If there’s any of the newer rappers on this list who’s seriously angling to take it further on the silver screen, it’s probably Nicki.

Machine Gun Kelly

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Acting Credits: Kid Culprit, Beyond the Lights (2014), Slick, The Land (2016), Crash, Punk’s Dead: SLC Punk 2 (2016), Ty, Nerve (2016), CJ, Viral (2016), Wesley, Roadies (2016), Tommy Lee, The Dirt (2018), Felix, Bird Box (2018), Nick, Big Time Adolescence (2019), Jurgis, Captive State (2019), Tattoo Shop Owner, The King of Staten Island (2020), Newt, Project Power (2020)

Colson Baker, aka Machine Gun Kelly, is quietly putting together a nice little IMDB sheet. From his appearance in the underground hit The Land in 2016 to his role in the Dave Franco vehicle Nerve the same year, Kels now finds himself as a regular cast member on Showtime’s Roadies. Leonardo Dicaprio should watch his back, imo.

Kid Cudi

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​​​​​​Acting Credits: Domingo Brown, How To Make It in America (2010-2011), Devon, The Cleveland Show (2013), Lev Berkowitz, Goodbye World (2013), Dustin Whitman, Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013), Benny, Need for Speed (2014), Scott, The Ever After (2014), Cedric, Two Night Stand (2014), Peyton Temple, Scorpion (2014), Jason, Meadowland (2015), Allen, Entourage (2015), Suga, Vincent N Roxxy (2016), Doc Kessler, Creepshow (2019), Jexi (2019), Francis, Westworld (2020), Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)

We’re still not over the loss of HBO’s short-lived How to Make It In America, canceled after just two seasons, and Kid Cudi’s role as the dog-walking, drug-dealing Domingo Brown is a big reason why. But beyond that, Cudi has gone on to make appearances in feature films such as Need For Speed, Entourage, Two Night Stand, and the critically acclaimed film James White. He even hinted at an upcoming TV show in a recent interview with Billboard, so it’s clear that Cudder takes this acting thing pretty seriously.

Bow Wow

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Acting Career Highlights: Ray-Ray, Moesha (2001), Calvin Cambridge, Like Mike (2002), D. J. Johnson, Johnson Family Vacation (2004), Xavier ‘X,’ Roll Bounce (2005), Twinkie, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), Charlie Williams, Entourage (2008-2009), Kevin Carson, Lottery Ticket (2010), Byron, Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family (2011), Dante, The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2011-2012), Marcus ‘Marc’ Kingston-Persons, Are We There Yet? (2010-2012), Eric, Scary Movie V (2013), Brodi Nelson, CSI: Cyber (2015-2016), Malik Boudreaux, In Broad Daylight (2019)

If Bow Wow had never stepped foot on another movie set after 2002’s Like Mike, he still would’ve made this list. That’s how wonderful that movie is, with a uber-young Shad Moss in the lead. Since then, Bow Wow has had roles in Roll Bounce, Entourage and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, proving that he’s not always just throwing up fake Instagram posts to stunt. Sometimes he’s actually acting.

Jaden Smith

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​​​​​​Acting Credits: Reggie, All of Us (2003-2006), Christopher, The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), Travis, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody (2008), Dre Parker, The Karate Kid (2010), Kitai Raige, After Earth (2013), Curtis, Brothers in Atlanta (2016), Marcus ‘Dizzee’ Kipling, The Get Down (2016-2017), Devon, Skate Kitchen (2018)


Jaden Smith’s glo-up has been in the works since the beginning. He starred alongside his pops in The Pursuit of Happyness when he was just 8 years old. He crushed The Karate Kid remake at 12. And yeah, After Earth was um, not the best, but we’ll hold that against M Night.

A$AP Rocky

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Acting Credits: Dom, Dope (2015), Zoolander 2 (2016), Bodega Cat 2, Animals., (2016), Popstar: Never Stop Stopping (2016), William King, All Rise (2018)

A$AP Rocky’s turn as Dom, a Los Angeles drug dealer in 2015’s Dope, not only showed off his legitimate acting chops, but led to the hilarious “slippery slope” scene that we’re still laughing about to this day.

Nick Cannon

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​​​​​​Acting Career Highlights: Alex, Taina (2001), MIB Autopsy Agent, Men In Black II (2002), Devon Miles, Drumline (2002), Alvin Johnson, Love Don’t Cost a Thing (2003), Nick Cannon, All That (1998-2004), Bernard, Roll Bounce (2005), Paul Brodie, The Killing Room (2009), Calvin, Up All Night (2011), Devon Miles, Drumline: A New Beat (2014), Coach Pebow, Football U (2015)

Nick Cannon’s rap career might not be anything to write home about, but as an actor and comedian he’s found a decent lane for himself. Cannon’s most well-known role remains that of Devon Miles in Drumline, and he’s also the brains behind MTV2’s hit improvisation comedy show Wild ’n Out.

Snoop Dogg

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Acting Career Highlights: Scavenger Smoker, Half Baked, (1998), C-Dog, Hot Boyz (2000), Rodney, Baby Boy (2001), Blue, Training Day (2001), Jimmy Bones, Bones (2001), Dee Loc, The Wash (2001), Ronnie Rizzat, Malibu’s Most Wanted (2003), Captain Mack, Soul Plane (2004), HOH/Devon, Hood of Horror (2006), Willie Spearmint, The Tenants (2005), Mac Johnson, Mac & Devin Go to High School (2012)

Snoop isn’t the best actor, and he’s legitimately far from being anywhere near the best actor. But, he’s a hustler. Despite all that, Snoop has been in a ton of movies, including Starsky & Hutch, Soul Plane, and Baby Boy. Keep an eye out for a sequel to Mac & Devin Go to High School, a movie co-starring Wiz Khalifa (that is exactly as terrible as you’d expect) called Dispensary. However, you just have to respect Snoop’s hustle.

Vanilla Ice

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Acting Credits: John “Johnny Van” Owen, Cool as Ice (1991), Da Hip-Hop Witch (2000), Vanilla Ice, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) Seth, The New Guy (2002), Theo, The Helix...Loaded (2005), Heckler, Big Money Rustlas (2010), Uncle Vani, That’s My Boy (2012), Mark Twain, The Ridiculous 6 (2015), Sandy Wexler (2020), The Wrong Missy (2020)

I’ve got an affinity for movies that are so bad they’re good, so it took some real discipline not to say, ‘Yo, Rob Van Winkle, he’s automatically the number one rapper/actor of all time, he was in Cool as Ice.’ If you haven’t seen Cool as Ice, I do recommend you do so right now.

50 Cent

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Acting Career Highlights: Marcus “Young Caesar” Greer, Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2005), Thigo, Dead Man Running (2009), Jimmy, 13 (2010), Curtis Jackson, Morning Glory (2010), Hardwick, Blood Out (2011), Deon Barnes, All Things Fall Apart (2011), Black, Vengeance (2014), Kanan Stark, Power (2014-20), Jordan Mains, Southpaw (2015), Curtis Jackson, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016), Levi Enson Levoux, Den of Thieves (2018), Hush, Escape Plan II: Hades (2018), Hush, Escape Plan: The Extractors (2019)

50 Cent’s first film role was as himself in, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, a loose biopic similar to that of his mentor and friend Eminem. What Eminem got right that 50 got wrong is that the latter kept acting and taking it very seriously. 50 Cent wrote the screenplay Things Fall Apart, lost 54 pounds for the role, and didn’t even get nominated for an Oscar. He’s been in a handful of movies since his debut, and it doesn’t look like he’s slowing down anytime soon. Here’s to hoping he can get that Oscar one day.

Lil’ Kim

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Acting Credits: Alex, She’s All That (1999), Freedom Fighter, V.I.P. (1999), Gina Marie, DAG (2001), Diamond, Moesha (2001), Tina Parker, Juwanna Man (2002), Chastity, Gang of Roses (2003), Shirley Ellis, American Dreams (2003), You Got Served (2004), Nora’s Hair Salon (2004), The Game (2007), Xavier’s Daughter, Superhero Movie (2008)

Lil’ Kim’s got hits you probably don’t even remember. She had a cameo in Zoolander! She was in Juwanna Man! She popped up in She’s All That! Was she necessarily providing Oscar-worthy performances in said films? We’ll leave that up to the universe to decide.

Method Man & Redman

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Acting Credits: Jamal and Silas, How High (2001), Method Man & Redman, Method & Red (2004)

This is the combo that brought us How High, a certifiable classic—so there’s that, clap for ’em. Though Redman hasn’t put a strong footprint on the film world, Method Man is a low-key star. He had a recurring role on the canceled-too-soon gem The Good Guys, was in The Wackness and Garden State, and secured a part in the next Judd Apatow flick, Trainwreck.

Drake

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​​​​​​Acting Credits: Joey Tamarin, Blue Murder (2001), James “Jimmy Brook, Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001-08), A/V Jones, Charlie Barlett (2007), PFC Gordon Harvey, The Border (2008), Aubrey Graham, When I Was 17 (2010), Ethan, Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012), Ron Burgundy fan, Anchorman: The Legend Continues (2013), Aubrey Graham, Think Like a Man Too (2014), Aubrey Graham, The Carter Effect (2017), Aubrey Graham, Remember Me, Toronto (2019)

Drake did participate in one hell of a soap opera for kids called Degrassi: The Next Generation. But, it wasn’t that great in retrospect. He wasn’t particularly good, either. However, there is a ray of light for Drake the actor. When he hosted Saturday Night Live, it was a pretty great show and the skits were hilarious. The same goes for his bits during the ESPYs. So, perhaps Drake’s acting ages fine, like the chardonnay he’s sipping right now.

Diddy

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Acting Credits: Ruiz, Made (2001), Lawrence Musgrove, Monster’s Ball (2001), Hollywood Nicky, Carlito’s Way: Rise to Power (2005), Walter Lee Younger, A Raisin in the Sun (2008), Sergio Roma, Get Him to the Greek (2010), Sean Combs, I’m Still Here (2010), Chris Crawford, Draft Day (2012), Sean Combs, Muppets Most Wanted (2014), Sean Combs, The Defiant Ones (2017)

Sean Combs, aka Puff Daddy, aka Puffy, aka P. Diddy, aka Diddy, was the best thing in Get Him to the Greek, which is an absolutely commendable feat alongside Russell Brand as himself and Jonah Hill as a man dealing with a crazy person. He’s also showed off his chops in Made, Monster’s Ball, A Raisin in the Sun and of course, and Muppets Most Wanted. Though Nicki Minaj may hold the throne of New York as far as rap goes, I’m positive that Diddy may actually be the literal King of New York.

LL Cool J

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Acting Career Highlights: James Todd Smith, Krush Groove (1985), Detective Billy NYPD, The Hard Way (1991), Marion Hill, In the House (1995-99), James Todd Smith, B*A*P*S (1997), Jiggy Walker, Oz (1998), Sherman Dudley, Deep Blue Sea (1999), Dwayne Keith Gittens, In Too Deep (1999), Mr. Jones, Charlie’s Angels (2000), Luther Pinks, Slow Burn (2005), Clarence, House (2005), Sean Williams, Last Holiday (2006), Bobby Mason, The Deal (2008), Special Agent Sam Hanna, NCIS: Los Angeles (2009-), Frankie Brite, Grudge Match (2013)

LL Cool J was the star of a TV show called In the House, where the plot centered around his character, a broke former L.A. Raider, renting out rooms in his home. We often forget this, but we should never forget this. In the past few year, he hasn’t done much besides a few guest slots here and there, and having what is basically a residency as the Grammys host. But back in the day, he was also in Deep Blue Sea, In Too Deep, Any Given Sunday, and Deliver Us from Eva. And don’t forget about In the House.

Ice-T

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Acting Career Highlights: Scotty Appleton, New Jack City (1991), King James, Trespass (1992), Jack Mason, Surviving the Game (1994), J-Bone, Johnny Mnemonic (1995), Vincent Moon, Mean Guns (1997), Tracy Lauren Marrow, Rhyme & Reason (1997), Det. Odafin Tutuola, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2000-2020)

Obviously it’s weird as hell that Ice-T made a song called “Cop Killer” and has been playing a cop on TV for so long that kids born the year that he made his debut are now in high school.

Andre 3000

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Acting Career Highlights: Silk Brown, Hollywood Homicide (2003), Jeremiah Mercer, Four Brothers (2005), Dabu, Be Cool (2005), Clarence, Semi-Pro (2008), Robert Huggins, The Shield (2004-2008), Jimi Hendrix, Jimi: All Is By My Side (2013)

Ever since we first saw Andre wear his first weird garment we hoped he’d take on the role of Jimi Hendrix. Once we knew that he could sing and play the guitar, it was destiny and merely a matter of time. Though his output is uneven and sparse (it’s Andre 3000, aka drop a hot 16 and hibernate for a year minimum), there’s a ton of promise. Though Jimi: All Is by My Side wasn’t the critical darling it should’ve been, it was surely good enough to get a few scripts in Andre’s hands. Hopefully a few of them are good enough to get him to sign on.

RZA

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Acting Career Highlights: Samurai in Camouflage, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), Coffee & Cigarettes (2003), Moses Jones, American Gangster (2007), Chuck, Funny People (2009)

RZA is the mastermind behind the Wu-Tang Clan, so once he finds his voice in film, he will no doubt prosper as a filmmaker. However, he’s already gotten some clout in front of the camera. Judd Apatow hired him for a role in Funny People; Jim Jarmusch dreamed up a wonderful vignette of Bill Murray, The RZA, and The GZA in Cigarettes and Coffee; he also had a recurring role on Californication, a show that’s mind-bogglingly ridiculous, but very entertaining.

T.I.

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Acting Career Highlights: Rashad, ATL (2006), Ghost, Takers (2010), Dave, Ant-Man (2015), Sean, Sleepless (2017), Dave, Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Although our favorite thing from T.I. are songs about the trap and what we may or may not know about, he’s a surprisingly good actor. He’s earned supporting roles in the Denzel Washington vs. Russell Crowe crime biopic, American Gangster, and the upcoming superhero blockbuster starring Paul Rudd, Ant-Man. However, after you stop thinking about how weird and awesome it is that T.I.’s getting that Marvel money, we’ll focus our attention to his fantastic performance in the hip-hop Bildungsroman ATL. He, nor does the movie, ever get the credit it truly deserves.

Ludacris

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Acting Career Highlights: Anthony, Crash (2004), Lieutenant Brendan Nolan, New Year's Eve, (2011), The Fast and the Furious Franchise (2003-2021)

Technically, Ludacris has an Oscar. He was a part of the ensemble that took home Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2006 for Crash, which was a serious film. This is kind of crazy considering he was one of the most charismatic and hilarious rappers during his early years. What’s even more odd is Ludacris’ transition from a goofy rapper who once said, “Feels like a midget is hanging from my necklace,” into a low-key action star who has been in four Fast & Furious movies.

Yasiin Bey

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Acting Career Highlights: Left Ear, The Italian Job (2003), Ford Prefect, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Sgt. Lucas, The Woodsman (2004), Eddie Bunker, 16 Blocks (2006)

You may be more familiar with him as Mos Def, the guy who dropped a few rap albums (Black Star, Black on Both Sides) that are staples. And though we’d all probably love more material of that quality, he’s a pretty good actor. Be Kind Rewind, co-starring Jack Black and written and directed by Michel Gondry is obviously a standout, but roles in Cadillac Records, The Italian Job, Brown Sugar, and a recurring role as Gangstalicious in The Boondocks make it obvious that he’s multitalented.

Ice Cube

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Acting Career Highlights: Doughboy/Darren, Boyz n the Hood (1991), Craig Jones, Friday (1995), James Payton, Ride Along (2014), Crag Jones, Next Friday (2000)

There are plenty of rappers on this list that can act better than Ice Cube. However, there’s not a single one of them who co-wrote and co-starred in one of the best comedies ever, like Friday. Ice Cube is one of the few rappers that’s actually convinced us that he belongs in Hollywood and isn’t just there to “acquire an urban audience.” He had to earn it though: Are We There Yet?, BarberShop, Three Kings, 21 Jump Street. I’m not entirely sure that anybody in Hollywood can do ornery better than Ice Cube at this point.

Common

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Acting Career Highlights: Omar, Girlfriends (2003), Sir Ivy, Smokin’ Aces (2006), The Gunsmith, Wanted (2008), James Bevel, Selma (2014), Monster T, Suicide Squad (2016)

The coldest thing to say to a skeptical woman, who, because she’s smart doesn’t want to date a rapper, is: “I got my SAG card, baby I’m an actor,” which is a bar Common dropped on “Break My Heart” in 2007. I’d call him a rapper-slash-actor, but he’s certainly an actor. He got supporting roles in American Gangster, Wanted, Terminator Salvation, and even Happy Feet Two. On the docket is a film about the 1965 civil rights voting right marches called Selma, and Run All Night, a film about an assassin who has to protect his family, starring, you guessed it, Liam Neeson.

Queen Latifah

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Acting Career Highlights: Matron Mama Morton, Chicago (2002), Charlene, Bringing Down the House (2003), Isabelle, ‘Belle’ Williams, Taxi (2004), Motormouth Maybelle, Hairspray (2007), Ellie, Ice Age Franchise (2006-2016), Carlotta Brown, Star (2016-2018)

Though Queen Latifah has had some classic rap songs, the discussion with her has to begin with Living Single. It’s an honest portrayal of twenty-something young professionals. This is such a rare find that I feel like, just by watching this, you get whisked away to Charlie’s magical Chocolate Factory. Latifah has since gone on to star in Brown Sugar, Chicago, Beauty Shop, and Just Wright with Common.

Tupac

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Acting Career Highlights: Bishop, Juice (1992), Lucky, Poetic Justice (1993), Birdie, Above the Rim (1994), Det. Rodriguez, Gang Related (1997)

Tupac Amur Shakur—what could’ve been. He studied at the Baltimore School for the Arts in his youth (his classmate and friend was Jada Pinkett Smith). Tupac would go on to star in Juice, one of the greatest hip-hop movies of all time, Above the Rim, Poetic Justice, and Gridlock’d, which was released posthumously. Tupac was a true talent who died at the tender age of 25. It’s safe to say that he would’ve grown into a true force to be reckoned with.

Mark Wahlberg

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Acting Career Highlights: Eddie Adams/ Dirk Diggler, Boogie Nights (1997), Dignam, The Departed (2006), Micky Ward, The Fighter (2010), Hoitz, The Other Guys (2010), John Bennett, Ted (2012)

Back in the day, Mark Wahlberg was a swole kid who jumped around in his boxers rapping. He grew up to be one of the most versatile actors alive. Comedies, action, and drama are all under his belt. We’re talking about Boogie Nights, Three Kings, The Italian Job, Entourage, Four Brothers, The Departed, The Other Guys, The Fighter, Ted, and plenty more. The funny thing is that in a few of those aforementioned movies, he’s acted alongside some of the folks on this list.

Idris Elba

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Acting Career Highlights: Roque, The Losers (2010), Commandant, Beasts of No Nation (2015), Krall, Star Trek Beyond (2016), Heimdall, Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Idris Elba is a DJ and a rapper—his rap name is King Driis. You probably don’t know much about this because an estimated 17 people in the United States care about rappers from other countries. Hell, about 32 people care about rappers who aren’t from either Atlanta, Chicago, L.A., or New York. Once you come to terms with the fact that, yes, Idris Elba is a rapper, he’s the greatest of all time to double dip. This is Stringer Bell and Luther we’re talking about. Stringer Bell and Luther.

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