There is no doubt that today’s movie industry is highly driven by profit. With studios under pressure to maximize revenue, they often seek out sure bets when it comes to casting choices. Therefore, in recent years the industry has turned to filling acting roles with rappers, who may not deliver an Oscar winning performance, but provide a solid base of ticket sales boosting fans instead.
A good actor has the ability to evoke potent emotions from an audience. Many train for several years to learn how to successfully execute the craft. Sometimes a rapper develops the ability and the transition into acting works out very well, like in the case of Will Smith, Tupac and Common. But more often it’s a complete failure. Although we don’t want to come off as “haters,” — we have to be honest — rappers usually make wack actors.
We’ve decided to point them out, so here is our list of the worst rappers to ever grace the silver screen. If you agree or disagree, or if we forgot anybody that deserves being mentioned, let us know in the comment section below.
Man I think they are missing other bad a** actors…Gosh!
The writer must have just choose the popular actor/rappers for name sake b/c Luda, TI, Method Man, are actually good actors Cube and T are still a little rough around the edges sometime but they aren’t terrible. And I know for a fact that Luda and TI trained very hard under the same instructor in LA…
soooooooooooo you are basing your opinions from a movie or two…LL is no way a bad actor…out of the entire list, he is the most diverse…Ludacris is actually a decent actor as well…stop watching hip-hop movies and catch the other stuff he has done…smh…Cube is decent too…he came a long way from playing Dough Boy and Craig…everyone else…yeah…they’re pretty bad…
Sounds like the author is a failed actor himself. He’s on point with some of these choices. It most of the people here haven’t done enough acting to be good.
The writer had to pick 20 rappers turned actors, and the list is pretty much on point. Except mentioning Jayz. Im not saying he is a Good actor but I am saying he needs to have been in more movies to be taken serious. If that is the case, only look at every Rocafella and the Belly movies and I’m sure you can find all 20 horrible actors. And for those claiming anyone on this list can act, you really need help. If you not Will Smith or Queen Latifah, you can expect to be on a list like this.
I think you’re hating on others success. A lot of these rappers are not as bad as your making them seem. There are plenty of actors in Hollywood that have done a worst job than these rappers. For example Cuba Gooding Jr. in Boyz in the Hood. His acting was so terrible that he made Ice Cube look like the trained actor.
cam is a great MC. Horrible actor. HORRIBLE. lol. ever count how many times he said “b” in “paid in full”?? ridiculous. “killa season” was so bad…it was comical. One of my top 10 mc’s of all time, but please stay away from the Camera cam. stay in the Lab w/ Mac Miller. You guys fit well & thats BIG $$$ in 2013.
You aren’t totally correct. Many of these guyz are pretty ok. Dunno u standard though.
Many of the ppl on this list are as you point out HORRIBLE, many are based upon that rappers very first film ex; Colors w/ Ice T. really??? Some rock stars that couldn’t act but were still marketable due to box office draw would include: David Bowie, Jon Bonjovi & come on Wendy Williams (Plasmatics) REALLY- I watched Reform School Girl w/ her in it abd could have done better myself. Elvis Presley was so bad at acting- they made him sing his dialogue back in the day! Eminem was great in 8 Mile? Wonder why studios wasn’t breaking his door down for a sequel & scripts.
Ludacris has grown as a actor & seems to be working on his craft, T.I. As well, Nas was very laid back in Belly yes, but that’s the kind of kat he is & according to the director- via commentary that’s what he wanted Nas to bring to the table his smooth but rawness, need to point out to many of you folks that are otherthan ppl of color- that we like these brothers and we support them- in many times they are ALL WE GOT- we don’t always get the kind of films about us for us that we would like to see. Will Smith was horrible in one of his first films Made in America but by the time he did 6 Degrees of Separation he was considered a really good actor- so sometimes it can be the roles too you are given- Mark Walberg was rapper too at the start of his career- he could’nt rap nor act in the beginning- now he’s one of My Favorite action actors….. Yeah that’s right Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch!
I liked Camron, I wish & hope that he does more acting and directing- you can see the growth is his work and the progression- you are probably not from the hood so you will probably not understand the ways of the street, so for you to depict these artist ( many worst than these) tells me that if any given rapper actor could not play say Macbeth or a profound role such as a character from Hamlet, than they are not worthy or the approval of Hollywood or you ( article writer) but at the end of the day….. They are all entertainers and the entertain us, maybe not you maybe not me but, they entertain someone.
Toney B.
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Snoop was the best thing in Starskey and Hutch. And how could you not include MC Hammer in the epic Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt ‘Em?
Come on, this is a trolling list. many, many here are pretty good actors like LL and 50 cent and others mentioned above. Also, sometimes you confuse a bad movie with a bad actor.
But as a black man i have to remark on your political incorrectness of putting Vanilla Ice on top of this list. Now, he might have been the worst, but it’s just harsh!
We don’t have to feel sorry for him, he’s a millionaire, and has slept with over 500 women, but still …… Not nice … to Ice. 🙂
Was this list made by anyone old enough to be around for it? Ice-T should be off this list. So should LL (was good in most his joints actually YEAH Deep Blue Sea, halloween h20), Busta, (was good in shaft and although MISCAST – he entertained me halloween 8) and Ice Cube – seriously. he ain’t no master thespian but BAD ACTOR? No sorry. Who wrote this friggin list?
Where the hell is RZA? He’s most wanted on this list – sh*ttiest ever. Ja Rule was actually funny in Scary movie 3 so he gets a pass too and andre 3000’s performance didn’t ruin Idlewild – Idlewild was ruined by the script.
50 cent is crap in everything (not awful – just stop already, I’ve had enough of you kinda bad), Ludacris was AWFUL in hustle in flow, TI was ok in Americna Gangster but I would even call him an ‘actor’ even yet. More time on set – less time in jail for dumb *ss. Same thing with eve? WTF has she done to be labelled an actress. Same with Cam’ron and Beenie Seigel – WTF have THEY been in?
and SNOOP? Snoop was good in most his little parts – yes LITTLE parts he’s been in.. He’s even made crap like soul Plane enjoyable for a few moments. He was good in Training Day, Starsky and Hutch, the wash, YES baby boy and let’s not forget the hilarious cameo in Half Baked.
This list is total nonsense. Had it been top 5 or 10 and you listed the REAL losers on this list then okay. Stop perpetratin’…know what you’re talking about instead of making up crap like this…
no 50 is NOT a good actor lol but yeah the Ice Man a the top? Guy has ONE movie and a cameo in TMNT II and he’s on the list? No screw that – Adam Sandler’s last movie BABY BOY was (stupid yes) but HILARIOUS and VI was in it and he was funny in it – this list is PURE NONSENSE.
DAVID BOWIE can act circles around ANYONE on this list – you’re statement on him is incorrect. Not saying oscar caliber but he’s dynamite in everything he’s in (not enough of)…
and Whalberg STILL can’t act but he’s watchable now. Nas was HORRIBLE in Belly and Will smith was good in Made In America – what’s wrong witchu? lol oh and luda’s like whatlberg he can’t really improve but he HAS become more watchable. Loved that they brough him back in the FF movies – but what else has he done that was good? Fred Claus, Max Payne or Gamer? He aight in rock n rolla (pretty good flick though)
yeah this list is pure nonsense – from the people mentioned to the stills used for each actor… Vanilla Ice no 1 – yet no mark whalberg. Vanilla Ice has one movie and a cameo in TMNT II while whalberg has plenty of STINKY, WOODEN performances (but NOT nesc bad movies mind you) and he’s not even on here.
Truthfully, Will Smith is a mediocre actor who has received many a large paycheck, but still isn’t even in the same league with guys graduating from theatre arts programs all over the country.
Ice T is great on SVU… this article sucks!