Is hip-hop a gateway to onscreen fame? Judging by the prolific amount of rap’s finest who have also dabbled in film and TV acting, it seems today’s biggest hip-hop artists are truly multihyphenates. From ’90s icons to current female powerhouses, a lot of recognizable names have had roles in movies and TV shows through the years.
There are rappers building up their acting résumés, like Kid Cudi, and those who have mostly transitioned away from music to primarily appear onscreen like Queen Latifah and “Law & Order: SVU” mainstay Ice-T. And then there are the rappers who have tried out acting for only a few, special roles. Who could forget Nicki Minaj’s fun turn in “The Other Woman”? Or Cardi B’s appearance in a buzzy awards favorite a few years ago.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, check out our list of 14 rappers and hip-hop musicians who act.