Rap culture has exploded beyond music billboards to owning a share of Hollywood’s spotlight. While rappers are surely topping charts and playlists, a big chunk of them also won hearts in films. Rappers who took to acting made powerful on-screen performances and went on to prove their acting chops by securing roles that made their name in Hollywood.

Acting may have come as a side hustle but it gave them a whole new second empire! Here are the standout stars who dipped their toes in two wildly competitive industries.  

Ice Cube made his mark in mainstream comedy with his role in Are We There Yet? Acting as Nick Persons who plays the step-dad, sat well with the audience, particularly in his comic interactions with the two naughty kids. Ice Cube here turned chaos into comedy shows with natural comedic timing, making him a fan-favorite character. 

This 2005 film came as a turning point in his public image from a rapper to a possible film star. It was one of the most entertaining roles for Cube outside rap, opening his fan base to a younger generation.

GloRilla Draws Flak Over Failing to Recognise Ye as Kai Cenat Pays Tribute to Rapper’s ‘Runaway’ Genius in His Untapped Gift

The journey of Will Smith to one of Hollywood's Oscar winning stars started with rap and is a tale you may not know. Before he starred in his legendary show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, he was making waves in the music world. In 1992, Smith, along with DJ Jazzy Jeff, won the Grammy for Best Rap Performance for their hit song 'Summertime'. However, his breakout into acting quickly pushed over his rap career, with blockbuster films like The Fresh Prince, Bad Boys, Independence Day, and Men in Black. 

 Smith is one of the few rappers who managed to make the complete transition to Hollywood, creating a rich name for himself in Hollywood. And to date, he continues to do so, with all of Will Smith's upcoming movies, and confirmed projects starring the Oscar winner.

LL Cool J's has created a whole acting portfolio on the big screen. His performance in Any Given Sunday is still something that lingers in people's minds. Not only that his performances in Last Holiday and Mindhunters prove his ability to perform. In Any Given Sunday, 1999, the intensity with which he plays a professional football player was captured with pure emotion, leaving a great mark behind. 

While he plays the complex thriller character in Mindhunters, he switches over to action comedy in Last Holiday. These roles defined LL's career as an actor, complementing both his musical success and creating an acting pathway.

If you only know Queen Latifah from her role in Set it Off with Cleo, then you are grossly underestimating her work. She has starred in super hit TV shows like Living Single, and even came home with a Grammy Award for the empowering anthem U.N.I.T.Y. In fact, her acting range is so extraordinary that she was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in Chicago, and also starred in leading roles in both The Equalizer and Star. 

Latifah's transition from hip hop to Hollywood has made her an icon in the industry. Her body of work is as inspiring as it is impressive, showing that she is not just a rapper or an actress but a talented force across both industries!

 Ludacris has more to offer than just a rap voice. He won people over by playing Tej Parker in the Fast & Furious franchise as a sidekick with a lot of potential. Not only this, in Crash, Ludacris had the role of Anthony; where he played the character negotiating the issues of race and tension in Los Angeles. His raw performance in this 2004 film, gave him the Academy Award for Best Picture. With him being a  Grammy winner and multi-award recipient, his acting success only adds to his impressive career.

It is no news that Snoop Dogg is a rap legend, but Snoop Dogg's movie career proves he has the skills to act. He has brought unforgettable energy to acting roles in Baby Boy, The Wash, and Soul Plane. In Baby Boy, he played a young man who had just left prison and was trying to be a tough guy by not growing up. The Wash was one of the shows where he acted with Dr. Dre, in which his impeccable comic timing.  He played the role very comfortably as a pilot in Soul Plane.

Snoop Dogg has shown he can do just about anything, ranging between drama and comedy or simply flowing into various characters so naturally. It is pretty clear that his charm worked great on screen. 

50 Cent built a name in the acting world with his performance as Kanan Stark in the Power. His acting of Kanan in Power and its prequel Raising Kanan made for gripping on-screen acting. What made his performance more interesting was how he drew heavily from his tough childhood in Queens, in shaping Kanan’s path and personality. 

Cent's role in Get Rich or Die Tryin' was very real, paving the way for his acting career. With its huge success, Power became a flagship series where his character continued to captivate the audience.

André 3000, is OutKast's leading artist but also a person of many talents in both music and acting. In the film Four Brothers (2005), he proved to be an excellent actor when he played Jeremiah Mercer. He also did voiceovers for the animated series Class of 3000, where he played a music teacher with his very unusual style of teaching, which he called Sunny Bridges.

From dramatic to animated roles, André 3000 proves that he is not just a rapper but an energetic actor who brings life to every character he acts.

Kendrick Lamar's cameo appearance as a drug addict named Laces on Power was a delightful surprise. His role was brief but impactful, where he had a tense interaction with 50 Cent's character, Kanan, attempting to sell stolen gift cards. It is not often that you see a Grammy and Pulitzer Prize winner go into such a gritty role, but Lamar did it flawlessly. His performance impressed fans and critics alike, including 50 Cent, who praised Lamar for taking on such a challenging role in his acting debut.

His debut has left leaving fans hoping for more. Given Lamar's cinematic music videos and storytelling skills, he could make waves in acting as well.

Common is a Grammy-winning artist and actor known for his versatility across music and film. His role as Officer Derek in The Hate U Give stood out, offering a deep, complex portrayal of a police officer torn between his job and personal life. His performance went beyond the clichéd cop role, catching the emotional weight of trying to balance between duty and the struggle of maintaining life in a family. This earned him a plethora of praises. 

Common's acting skills shine brightly, proving that he is more than just a Grammy-winning rapper, he could be a multi-talented star in Hollywood. These rappers have proven that their talent is not just limited to music and that they can easily captivate the audience with their acting skills. From writing rap bars to unforgettable performances, they have truly given it all to the art of both worlds.

“Disrespect is crazy”- NFR Podcast Gets Major Backlash Over "perfect" Rapper Ranking by Ye Fans

Which rapper as an actor impressed you the most? Drop your thoughts below!