Another rapper has moved from the studio to the silver screen, and Hollywood is taking notice of Freddie Gibbs. His lyricism has long been praised in Hip Hop, but last year, Gibbs starred in his first feature film, Down with the King.
The movie followed the story of rapper Money Merc (Gibbs), who becomes disheartened by celebrity life. He leaves the city and, in turn, finds his purpose while in a small town.
Read More: Freddie Gibbs Makes Feature Film Debut In “Down With The King” Trailer
This week, the New York Times issued their "And the 2023 Oscar Nominees Should Be …" feature that highlighted their picks for this year's nods. Surprisingly, Gibbs found himself amid choices for Best Actor.
The rapper retweeted a post about the article and simply responded by writing, "Bruhhhh." He also said, "It be crazy to see my name next to Daniel Kaluuya. I got a lotta work to do." Several of Gibbs's peers congratulated him on the mention.
Other NYT picks included Kaluuya, Viggo Mortensen, Franz Rogowski, Benjamin Voison, and Jafar Panahi.
Read More: Freddie Gibbs Says Michael Jackson Used To Face His Dad In Talent Shows
In an interview with Paste Magazine in August 2022, Gibbs said he identified with his character's plight.
"I can relate to Mercury’s pain and the things that he was feeling coming from the rap game, because I can share some of those same sentiments," he said. "
"I’m not gonna say it was easy to be Mercury because I don’t agree with his feelings all the time, but it was certain things—like the tension with other rappers, being distant from your children, things of that nature—I could add into the character because I’ve been through those things in my personal life for real.
Did you see Down with the King? Check out the trailer for the film above.