13 Black Celebrities Who Went From Making Music To Major Acting Roles

Sean Combs Bad Boy Records mogul and entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs, born Nov. 4, 1969, is best known as a rapper and record producer, rising to fame in the early 1990s for his work with The Notorious B.I.G. In 2001, he appeared in the film Made. That same year, he co-starred with Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton in the movie Monster’s Ball. Snoop Dogg Born Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. on Oct. 20, 1971, Snoop Dog, later Snoop Lion, is most notably a rapper and singer-songwriter who contributed to the rise of West Coast rap. Snoop Dogg has appeared in numerous films and television shows including Mac and Devin Go to High School (2012), and the horror film Bones (2010). Beyonce A woman of many names, alter egos and talents, Mrs. Carter, 'Yonce, Sasha Fierce is one of music's most influential artists. Beyonce Giselle Knowles was born Sept. 4, 1981. She saw early success in the R&B girl group Destiny’s Child and has since rocketed to stardom in her own right. Beyonce has starred in films such as Austin Powers: Goldmember (2002), Obsessed (2009) and Dreamgirls (2006), for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe. Jennifer Hudson The 2004 American Idol finalist, Jennifer Kate Hudson was born Sept. 12, 1981. American Idol brought her fame, although she was eliminated during the season. She went on to enjoy a successful singing career and was named the third greatest Idol contestant by the Los Angeles Times. She starred as Effie in Dreamgirls (2006), a film for which she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, a Golden Globe Award and numerous other honors. Other films she has appeared in include Sex and the City (2008), The Secret Life of Bees (2008) and Winnie Mandela (2013). Janet Jackson Most notably the sister of iconic pop star Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, born May 16, 1966, is a famous recording artist in her own right. She made her television debut on the variety show The Jacksons, where she introduced her musical talent to the masses. She also appeared in the 1970s and 1980s on television's Good Times, Diff'rent Strokes and Fame. She made her film debut in Poetic Justice (1993), winning Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for her ballad Again, the closing song for the movie. Mos Def (now known as Yasiin Bey) Hip-hop activist, musician and actor, Dante Terrell Smith, formerly known as Mos Def, and now known as Yasiin Bey, was born Dec. 11, 1973. Bey is a well-known rapper, emerging as a solo artist after his time in the rap group UTD. Bey has appeared in films such as Brown Sugar (2002) and was nominated for an Emmy Award for his role in the television movie Something the Lord Made (2004). Queen Latifah Beginning her musical career as a beatboxer, Queen Latifah has reached extraordinary heights. Dana Elaine Owens, born March 18, 1970, is known for her hip-hop and singing career. She broke into the hip-hop scene in the late 1980s and was one of the original members of Flavor Unit. Queen Latifah is well known for her role on the television show Living Single (1993-1998). She starred in the film Chicago (2002), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award. She was also in the movies Barbershop 2 (2004), Beauty Shop (2005) and Last Holiday (2006). Ludacris As the recipient of three Grammy Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award, Ludacris has enjoyed success in multiple Hollywood arenas. Christopher Brian Bridges was born Sept. 11, 1977. He is a well-known hip-hop artist and co-founder of the record label, Disturbing Tha Peace. He has appeared in films such as Crash (2004) and the Fast and the Furious film series (2003, 2011, 2013, 2015). Ice Cube From hip-hop gangsta rapper to Hollywood actor, Ice Cube has transformed his career and image over the last three decades. Born O’Shea Jackson on June 15, 1969, he began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A, later joining N.W.A. His film credits include Boyz n the Hood (1991), the movie series Friday (1995, 2000, 2002) and Barbershop (2002). Will Smith Will Smith is a Hollywood jack-of-all-trades -- except he seems to be the master of them all. Born Willard Carroll "Will" Smith Jr. on Sept. 25, 1968, he got his start as a West Philadelphia MC, alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff in the late 1980s. His first shot at acting came in 1990 on the hit television sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He has gone on to star in major films, such as Bad Boys (1995), Independence Day (1996) and the Men in Black franchise (1997, 2002, 2012). He has received numerous honors, including Oscar nominations for the films Ali (2001) and The Pursuit of Happyness (2006). He has continued to release music accompanying his successful movies, such as the Men in Black theme song. Tyrese Gibson Multi-talented musician, actor and model Tyrese Darnell Gibson, born Dec. 30, 1978, began his R&B career in the late 1990s, earning a Grammy Award for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance. He made his acting debut in the film Baby Boy (2001). He's gone on to star in the Fast and the Furious franchise (2003, 2011, 2013, 2015) among other film work. T.I T.I is still, to this day, Atlanta's "prodigal son," representing the city on the music stage and on the film set. Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. was born Sept. 25, 1980. He gained fame in Atlanta as a rising rapper, well known for his mixtapes in the city. He made his big-screen debut in the film ATL (2006), based loosely on his life growing up in Atlanta. Jill Scott Soulful Philadelphian Jill Scott, born April 4, 1972, began performing as a spoken word artist and was eventually discovered by Questlove of The Roots. She gained fame with her song You Got Me. In 2010, she guest-starred in an episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and she was in the 2012 TV remake of Steel Magnolias. Scott has appeared on the big screen as well, starring in the Tyler Perry films Why Did I Get Married? (2007) and Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010). Most recently, she can be seen in the James Brown biopic Get on Up (2014).

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