Hip-Hop Game Changer: Motion Pictures

Ice T's role as a vigilante cop in New Jack City paved the way for rappers to make the transition from music to motion pictures. It wasn't a brilliant performance, but it was good enough to show Hollywood the hip-hop culture was a viable and lucrative niche. Icecube's portrayal of Doughboy in Boyz in the Hood further validated hip-hop's ability to produce entertaining characters. Ironically hip-hop to movies is not that big of a stretch. Rappers are often acting out an alter ego or persona on wax to sell records. They speak about situations and scenarios that are fictitious and grandiose. Rick Ross doesn't really have a shot with Stacy Dash and Ja Rule's not really a murderer, but the convey the image very well. If you didn't know better you'd almost believe they were actually capable of these feats. 20 years later the hip-hop springboard is still in effect with such rappers as 50 Cent, TI, The Game, and Outkast. I'm sure this trend will continue for years to come.