Best Rappers-Turned Actors
AMC Movie List

Best Rappers-Turned Actors

Will Smith and Ice Cube conquered Hollywood, but which rapper turned actor scores highest in your book?

rank title points votes your vote
1 Will Smith
As a rapper, he sang themes to <i>Fresh Prince of Bel-Air</i> and <i>Wild Wild West</i>. As a movie star, he's even better. 100 160
2 Ice Cube
The Pioneering N.W.A. member career has been impressive on screen too with roles in <i>Boyz n the Hood</i>, <i>Friday</i>, <i>Three Kings</i> and the <i>Barbershop</i> movies. 68 154
3 Mark Wahlberg
With <i>Boogie Nights</i> and <i>The Departed</i>, Wahlberg ranks right up there with Will Smith in terms of legit actors who cut their teeth as rappers. 44 152
4 Tupac Shakur
Better known for his visionary music and his unsolved murder, Tupac managed to log some great roles too with <i>Juice</i> and <i>Poetic Justice</i>. 34 138
5 Mos Def
The thinking-man's rapper land roles in <i>The Italian Job</i>, <i>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</i>, and <i>16 Blocks</i>. 33 143
6 LL Cool J
This veteran's acting career encompasses everything from horror (<i>Halloween: H20</i>) to action (<i>Deep Blue Sea</i>) to drama (<i>Any Given Sunday</i>). 16 130
7 Eminem
This enigmatic rapper has had one shining Hollywood moment: <i>8 Mile</i>. 0 144
8 Common
Grammy nominated for Be, Common also starred in <i>American Gangster</i>, <i>Wanted</i>, and <i>Terminator Salvation</i>. -2 126
9 Snoop Dogg
His acting career starts and ends with his pitch-perfect turn as Huggy Bear in the <i>Starsky & Hutch</i> remake. -12 130
10 DMX
<i>Romeo Must Die</i> (2000), <i>Exit Wounds</i> (2001) and <i>Cradle 2 the Grave</i> (2003) and then... Not much. -31 117