Urban Thought Collective

After watching a repeat of Ludacris on “Law and Order: SVU,” I had to commend him on his acting skills. It got me to thinking, who are the top ten rappers turned actors? I decided to do a list and see if you agree or would like to add others to it.

Keep in mind that I do know there are some that are coming up now that could conceivably make and even top this list, but as of this writing, I stand by my choices! UTC fam, prove me wrong!!!

In no particular order (well, maybe subconsciously it is)…

Mark Wahlberg aka Marky Mark - Now you can’t front, you couldn’t stand Marky Mark or his damn Funky Bunch, but this Boston Beantown resident does his thing in the acting realm! I am quite sure that most of you didn’t even realize that Mark Wahlberg was indeed Marky Mark. Check out “Four Brothers,” “The Departed,” “The Italian Job” and “Three Kings.”

Chris Bridges aka Ludacris - As I mentioned above, Luda did a great job on that “Law and Order” episode as Darius Parker, relative of another top ten entry, Ice T. Although he doesn’t have an extensive acting resume, I think he will be one of the great rappers who are also a great actor in years to come. Check out “Crash,” “Hustle and Flow” and “2 Fast 2 Furious.”

Tracey Morrow aka Ice T - For a man to be labeled a pimp and responsible for a song called “Cop Killer,” his most memorable roles are that of a cop. But that’s the trademark of an actor; to play a character that isn’t in your everyday being. Now, I have to admit, seeing him in “New Jack City,” gave me pains as I just KNEW this would be his last acting job (don’t front, you thought the same thing!), but lo and behold, he is still around and has turned into a decent actor. (I KNOW some of you will disagree!). Check out his early rise with gigs on “New York Undercover,” and the films“Trespass” and “Ricochet.”

O’Shea Jackson aka Ice Cube - Amerikkka’s Most Wanted had a great start with his starring role in John Singleton’s debut movie, “Boyz N Da Hood.” From Cube’s performance in this movie, you knew he would continue on this path. Yet, I didn’t realize he would actually become a major player in Hollywood! Check out the “Barbershop” and “Friday” franchises for a look at how it all began.

Dana Owens aka Queen Latifah - Now I am sure that 99.4% of you will agree with me when I state that Queen Latifah is one of the best and most positive images Hip-Hop can lay claim to! This multi-talented woman has shown that the many hats she wears are worn well. Her body of work speaks for itself, even a brief appearance in “Juice.” Check out her Oscar nominated turn in “Chicago,” the HBO flick “Life Support” and ‘Brown Sugar.”

Will Smith aka Fresh Prince - Who would have figured that a skinny big-eared rapping kid from Philly would end up making more money per movie than a more accomplished and trained actor such as Denzel Washington? Yes, Hip-Hop’s own Fresh Prince, who admittedly went through his first million as fast as he made it, catapulted himself into Hollywood’s stratosphere by being himself on his own self-titled TV show. Then, he took that charm and character to make himself an unlikely movie star. Check out Oscar nominated performances in “The Pursuit of Happyness,” “Ali” and his first real feature, “Six Degrees of Separation.”

James Todd Smith aka LL Cool Jay - In “Krush Groove,” he couldn’t live without his radio, but he has proven otherwise as he has risen to stay on top of his game in the cross section of Hollywood and HollyHood. The man who has been around (as a recording artist) longer than the likes of Public Enemy, EPMD and The Beastie Boys, still has a grip on some roles in Hollywood. One of the very few recording artists to star in his own sitcom, he is still recording AND filming. Talk about a legend! Order up the early gems like “In Too Deep,” “Any Given Sunday,” “Deliver Us From Eva,” and “Swat.”

Darryl Mitchell aka Chill - I am quite positive you didn’t know Chill was part of the Uptown group, Groove B. Chill back when people were just finding out about Heavy D and The Boyz, Teddy Riley and Al B. Sure!. This rapper turned actor has starred in more TV series than any rapper alive (to my knowledge)! An unfortunate accident didn’t stop him from acting either, which makes his feat an even more accomplished one! Check out House Party 1 and 2, The John Larroquette Show and Veronica’s Closet.

Calvin Broadus aka Snoop Dogg - This man is another multi-talented, everywhere type of guy that exudes attention in whatever he is involved in! His laid-back persona and pimp talk is always ready to be displayed on film, television, commercials, records or video! Peep his game in “Baby Boy,” “Training Day,” and well, “The Wash.”

Earl Simmons aka DMX - Dark Man X made a transition from rapper to actor, though his recent ‘driving’ and alleged ‘drug use’ may have hampered his ability to directly compete for the jobs that some on this list are getting. He was hot in “Romeo Must Die,” “Exit Wounds” and “Cradle to the Grave” though.

Now, I know most of you are screaming, ‘But what about Tupac?’ I do agree, but since his death shortchanged his career, I thought I would keep it to the ones I listed.

And for real fans of rappers/actors, I am sure a few of you will ask about Mos Def, who I feel is the second best rapper/actor behind Mark Wahlberg (Yes, I CED it, Marky Mark!). For those who don’t know, Mos Def was actually an actor (“God Bless the Child”- 1988) BEFORE he became a rapper…. So, he wasn’t included on my list…

And, yes, I am sure I missed a few. this is where you come in!

BIG CED is the founder/owner and visionary for The Industry Cosign and has been involved in the entertainment field for over two decades. His rants on music and the industry-at-large are exclusive to Urban Thought Collective.