The 3 greatest acting performances by rappers
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The 3 greatest acting performances by rappers

The world of musical performance, be it rap, hip hop, rock and roll or pop, is easily assimilated with that of the acting stage. Hollywood has long welcomed the stars of the music world over to the glitz and glamour of the silver screen if the promise of higher ticket sales loomed.

However, not everybody has made the transition seamlessly. While some performers take to the notion of portraying a character like a duck to water some bomb. Today, we’re looking at the former as we celebrate three of the greatest film performances by rappers.

Stepping out into a role for a feature film with little to no acting experience is incredibly daunting. Sure, the rappers on our list have gained a grip on stage fright from their own careers, they likely know how to hold the attention of the crowd and work a camera — one of our entries attended a performing arts school to hone his skill — but these pictures are the major leagues and there can be no room for missteps.

More so than any rock singer or pop hero, the career and marketability of a rapper lies heavily on his reputation. A terrible performance in a film that misses the mark could arguably destroy your career. Luckily, for these three artists, it only strengthened their legacy.

Below, we’re picking out our favourite acting performances by rappers.

Best acting performances by rappers:

8 Mile – Eminem

Arguably one of the greatest rappers alive, Eminem’s career arguably peaked with this triumphant performance in 8 Mile. A semi-autobiographical tale of how B Rabbit, played by Eminem, rose up the ranks of a battle rap league to gain prominence. Reflecting moments of Em’s own journey within the rap Olympics, where he was talent-spotted, we won’t say there was a lot of true ‘acting’ going on, but he did deliver a memorable production.

The film can also boast filming the least embarrassing battle rap scene for a film ever, which considering how many have tried, is truly some feat. The playful interchange between powerful potency and jovial jabs is what makes Eminem a great rapper and lets 8 Mile be a high-quality film.

Juice – Tupac Shakur

Tupac Shakur may well be one of the most gifted rapper’s music has ever known, but he is also a classically trained Shakespearean actor. It’s a little known fact that becomes wholly more believable once you’ve seen his starring role in Juice.

Released in 1992, the crime thriller puts Tupac as Bishop in the Ernest Dickerson-directed film as a group of friends go on a crime spree through Harlem, New York. While a few of the scenes are a little hacky, the film remains a startling reminder of Tupac’s star power. With a budget of just $100,000, it has since gone on to amass over $20 million, likely down to Tupac’s performance.

Boyz N The Hood – Ice Cube

Written and directed by the wonderful mind of John Singleton, Boyz N The Hood may well be the best film on this list, and it certainly includes one of the finest performances from Ice Cube. The film chronicles the lives of three black males growing up amidst the gang culture of South Central Los Angeles.

It sees Ricky, played by Morriss Chestnut, Tre, taken on by Cuba Gooding Jr. and Doughboy, whom Ice Cube plays, find their three different paths out of the hood.

The film is a gut-wrenching and beautiful depiction of life in the streets. Painful in places, it is arguably one of the most accurate descriptions of life in South Central at the time. Released a year before the LA Riots, Boyz N The Hood remains a classic piece of film and is aided by Cube’s portrayal of Doughboy. It inspired Cube to write his own film, Friday and create one of the longest franchises in movie history.