It’s often said “the grass is always greener on the other side." Hell, Ludacris has a track named after the phrase.
Maybe that’s why it seems as though everyone in Hollywood wants to be in the music industry and everybody in the music industry wants to be in Hollywood (I mean, Luda of all people would understand).
Over the years many stars have gotten the itch to try their hand at a different trade. While some fledgling attempts have proven that not everyone should touch the mic (why are there so many wrestlers turned rappers in the world?) and others that have come and gone from memory (we’re looking at you, DMX), there actually has, in fact, been crossover talent from both sides of the fence that have contributed positive work to their respective secondary careers.
Click along as we take a look at some of the successful crossover stories of those from the rap game who planted their flag in another industry and vice versa.
Ludacris
After initially garnering attention for his charismatic and boisterous delivery on some of the biggest radio hits the rap game has ever seen, it was only natural that all that character could not be contained to the confines of a recording studio. A mere glance at Luda’s credits will tell you that his acting career is almost expertly calculated - kicking things off by getting involved in one of the biggest film franchises Hollywood has ever seen ("Fast and the Furious"), while still finding room for roles with more gravitas ("Crash," "Hustle & Flow"). He’s even lined up to play the NBA’s first African-American player Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton in a biopic. Sounds like Oscar bait to me.
Notable Credits:
Luda broke out in the acting world with his role in the 2003's "2 Fast 2 Furious" - the first incarnation of his character Tej, which he went on to play three more times (and counting).
In 2004, Mr. Bridges took a serious turn with a key role in that year's Best Picture winner at the Academy Awards - "Crash."
Common has etched out quite the niche for himself in Hollywood in a fairly short amount of time. Earning his first film credit less than a decade ago, the Chicago born rapper has already added 20 movie roles to his name. That's not even taking his TV credits into consideration, which include the critically acclaimed "Hell on Wheels," beginning its final season this summer. The biggest highlight of Common's film career (other than winning the Original Song at this year's Academy Awards, of course) perhaps, is one that never happened - playing John Stewart/Green Lantern in the defunct George Miller directed "Justice League" movie - a role he still clamors over to this day.
Notable Credits:
He's earned critical acclaim since its debut 2011 for his turn as Elam Ferguson on AMC's "Hell on Wheels."
Most people will remember Common's involvement with the 2014 MLK biopic "Selma," earning him and John Legend an Oscar for Best Song, however he had a supporting role in the film as well.
In 2015, Common acted alongside legends of the craft Ed Harris and Liam Neeson in "Run All Night."
Common can be seen in the highly anticipated 2016 DC Comics release "Suicide Squad."
Yasiin Bey
Although he had a head-start as a child actor, appearing in commercials and TV movies, Mos Def’s original claim to fame was his music. Accumulating praise for his music throughout the late '90s, by the early 2000s Mos was already being featured in roles as noble and conscientious as his music with projects like "Topdog/Underdog" and "Something the Lord Made." His amount of admirable credits has only grown and his ability has flourished over the past decade, making him a transcending artistic threat.
Notable Credits:
"Something the Lord Made" legitimized Bey in the critics' eye in 2004.
In 2006, he turned in a stellar performance in the sleeper-hit "16 Blocks," co-starring Bruce Willis.
2011 saw Mos Def get involved during one of the final seasons of the hit series "Dexter." Mos stole the show as a pivotal character of Brother Sam in the eponymous character's arc.
Childish Gambino
Donald Glover/Childish Gambino might be the most overnight crossover artist on this list. Since his debut on NBC (and now Yahoo’s) "Community" television series, Donald Glover’s star has rocketed. Amidst lobbying for the role of "Spiderman" and doing stand-up specials, the young actor somehow found the time to become one of the brightest young rappers out there, too. In the same year Glover decided to leave the show that made him famous to pursue a personal project that marries his acting and rapping capabilities, he was nominated for two Grammy awards for his sophomore effort Because the Internet. Seems like his career is doing just fine, eh?
Notable Credits:
Donald Glover broke through as Troy in the cult favorite TV show "Community." He played the role for 89 episodes spanning from 2009-2014.
He voiced the first black Spider-Man in television history, Miles Morales, in the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon in 2015.
Drake
Who would have thought that the school shooting victim from that Canadian show that border-lined on "after school special" quality would have turned into one of the most celebrated performers the industry has ever seen? Since his transition from actor Aubrey Graham to rapper Drake, he has laid off performing on screen for the most part - save for a few cameos and voice-over appearances. However, for many, the burning image of Drake in everyone's mind isn't his success, sitting court side at a Raptors game, or even tongue-fighting Madonna. Instead, the everlasting memory is Aubrey Graham rolling around in a wheelchair in a fictional Canadian high school.
Notable Credits:
Drake played Jimmy on "Degrassi: The Next Generation" for 7 years, from 2001-2008.
He also provided the voice of Ethan, a young mammoth, in 2012's "Ice Age 4: Continental Drift."
Ice Cube is arguably the most successful crossover artist in history given the wide spectrum of ground he's covered as a musician and entertainer. From his humble beginnings as a bonafide gangsta, rapping with the legendary NWA unit to yucking it up in slapstick family comedies like "Are We There Yet?"-- Cube has made his brand sustainable, with decades of relevance under his belt. What's more impressive, is that despite all his comedic turns and some serious flops (looking at you "xXx: State of the Union"), Ice Cube's mythic badass status has not wavered. Even though we're more likely to find him barking orders to Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill nowadays as opposed to slaying a Dre beat, he's still recognized as a rap legend - still 'Straight Outta Compton.' Perhaps that's why he's seemingly always placed in roles of hard-nosed, short-fused tough guys.
Notable Credits:
Cube is probably most well-known (at least in hip-hop) for the role of Craig Jones, which he's embodied in three "Friday" films (1995, 2000, 2002).
Cube played Captain Dickson in both "21 Jump Street" (2012) & "22 Jump Street" (2014).
Alongside Kevin Hart, Ice Cube was James Payton in 2014 comedy "Ride Along."