The world of music has always been intertwined with Hollywood. Countless musicians have performed in films and TV shows, with some moving on to acting careers (be it temporary or permanently). Musicians like Dolly Parton were megastars who starred in big blockbusters while breaking music records in their musical careers.
In the same vein, rappers have always followed in the steps of their fellow music artists, often moving permanently from hip hop to acting. Although this phenomenon has not been seen often in recent years, the 90s, and 2000s saw a host of rappers update their resume to include film and television work.
Ludacris
Ludacris is best known for his song, "Move ***** (Get Out The Way)," and from his collaborations with Ciara, T-pain Lil Jon, Fergie, and Usher. The rapper from Illinois began his career in 1999 and has remained a stable name in hip hop twenty-one years later.
Ludacris is also famous for his roles in Big Mouth, Jay's dog is called "Featuring Ludacris", a joke on Ludacris's extensive discography where he features on other people's songs. Featuring Ludacris and is voiced by Jordan Peele.
T.I.
Rapper, T.I. of "You Can Have Whatever You Like" fame is a three-time Grammy award winner who also began his career in 1991. T.I. has always been a controversial rapper, because of his personal history. Nonetheless, he was a rapper who revolutionized the sound of rap for that decade. His first ever film, ATL, also features Big Boi from Outkast, as well as Lauren London, who was a video vixen of the decade.
In 2016, T.I. appeared in The History Channel's retelling of Roots by Alex Haley.
Big Boi
One half of Outkast, Big Boi is a rapper from Georgia who shot to fame with his rap partner, Andre 3000, with hits such as "Ms. Jackson" and "B.O.B." 2003 would bring even more fame for the group after they released "The Way You Move" and "Hey Ya!" His new fame led Big Boi to new roles in film. In 2006, he played a psychopathic drug dealer terrorizing T.I.'s younger brother in ATL. In the same year, he voiced Reverend Nealy in Girlfriends in the late '00s.
In recent years, Big Boi appeared in Baby Driver, which also starred rapper, Jamie Foxx.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj is one of the most famous rappers to come out of the last decade. The rapper from Queens came to prominence in 2010 with her debut album, Pink Friday Steven's Universe. Sugilite is a headstrong, semi-villain who often uses her powers for her own selfish gain.
Minaj also voiced Pinky in the 2019 comedy adaptation, The Angry Birds Movie 2.
Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah is synonymous with hip-hop. Along with MC Lyte and Yo-Yo, Latifah changed the sound of early '90s hip-hop, bringing womanism into rap, and challenging the genre's androcentric status quo. In one of her most popular songs, Living Single, she plays the leader of a group of friends living in New York. Her character, Khadijah, is smart, accomplished, and loved by everyone.
The rapper has also starred in numerous films, including Set It Off, House Party 2, and Chicago. In Barbershop 2: Back In Business, Latifah stars alongside rapper, Eve. Likewise, in the sitcom, Eve, she also plays Eve's older sister.
Will Smith
Since then, Smith's career has grown, earning him an almost thirty-year career in Hollywood.
LL Cool J
LL Cool J is, today, best known for his portrayal of Lips Sync Battle for the Paramount Network.
Eve
Eve began her career as the third female hip-hop artist to have her album peak the charts upon release. The self-described "pit bull in a skirt" solidified her persona in the rap game by associating herself with power and raw animalistic energy. Listeners loved Eve's rap persona, and by 2001 and 2002, Eve has released singles with Gwen Stefani and Alicia Keys. "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" would earn Eve and Stefani a Grammy in 2001. A year later, Eve first aired. The sitcom followed the rapper, also playing a woman called Eve, as she found love, friendship, and a fulfilling career in Miami.
Presently, she co-hosts The Talk on CBS with Sharon Osbourne and other female celebrities.
Ice T
Ice T has played Law & Order: Special Victims Unit since 2000. Before that, he began his career as an underground rapper during the 1980s era of angry political rap. His 1988 platinum album, Power, was a highly volatile analysis of the decline of American society. Ironically, although Ice T is highly critical of the police in his rap career, he goes on to play a cop in Law & Order: SVU - a role that would make him highly-recognizable, not as a political rapper, but as a cop.
Since 2018, Ice T has hosted the true-crime documentary, In Ice Cold Blood.
Ice Cube
Like Ice T, Ice Cube began his career during the wave of anti-establishment rap of the '80s and early '90s. He is best known for his 1998 song, "**** Tha Police", sung by N.W.A on their Straight Outta Compton album. The song was a reaction to rising police brutality against African-Americans during the '80s and '90s, including high profile cases like the Rodney King incident, and the resulting L.A. race riots.
Ice Cube has also starred in deeply political movies about race and class, like Boyz N The Hood and Tres (co-starring with Ice T). By 1995, Cube's filmography began to lose its political fire. The actor moved unto funnier roles in Friday and The Players Club. Are We There Yet? would change the rapper's screen image completely from political rebel to loving father. The release of Straight Outta Compton in 2015 would restore Cube's image back to the anti-establishment rebel of the early 1990s.