10 Times Rappers Made Guest Appearances on TV Shows and Shocked You With Their Acting

Ludacris got his start in radio before he became a rap star, and that natural charisma has been apparent in everything he's done since. That also rings true for his acting gigs, most notably for his ongoing role as Tej Parker in the Fast & Furious movie series. When it comes to TV, he played one of music exec Lucious Lyon's foes on the hit show Empire in 2015. The rapper appeared as Officer McKnight, a correction officer at the prison Lyon found himself in. Even as a "bad guy," Luda has an on-camera ease that explains why he gets these opportunities.

Legendary Brooklyn rapper Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, has always been a man of many talents—be it music, art or acting. He got to show off his acting chops in 2009, on the Fox medical drama series House. The character he played was Lee, a man who entered a pseudocoma from inhaled metal poisoning, as he worked odd jobs to keep his family from knowing he was going broke. There are scenes where Bey communicates with the main character, House, while he's in a coma, portraying a man at wit's end.

One of the more abstract programs on Nickelodeon's schedule was The Adventures of Pete & Pete, an early 1990's show about the life of two teen brothers with the same name. In the 1994 episode that LL Cool J appeared in, the younger Pete hatched a plan to convince his mom he was too sick to go to school. The rapper shows up as the homeroom teacher. In his quick cameo, he speaks some Hawaiian and announces over the intercom (in code) that Pete, who's known as a troublemaker, isn't coming to school. A party in the teacher's lounge ensues. LL's good-natured humor and propensity to not take himself too seriously would pay dividends in his future acting career.

By 2008, Method Man was already in the Hype Williams film Belly, which put him on a lot of people's radar's acting- wise. He continued to take on roles, one of which was playing fictional music exec Eddie Valentine in an episode of the spy dramedy Burn Notice. In this episode in 2008, he uses the investigators from the show to find out who is stealing money from his record label. In the pictured scene, the rapper is kidnapped and shown later who did it. Meth arguing with a belligerent, anti-rap heckler and suggesting that Kenny G is "too gangsta" for his listening tastes is a peek into the inimitable cool he brings to all his roles.

Rick Ross taking on acting roles makes too much sense, as he has one of the most outsized personas in hip-hop. He's never "off," and has such a majestic way of delivering his thoughts, even in regular conversation. His role as Butterball on the Starz network show Magic City in 2013 was perfect for him. He played a shady gambler decked out in the finest silk shirts and shades. In some of the scenes, you can see the other characters trying to hold back laughter because Ross takes his character seriously while also letting barbs fly so easily. The Bawse was made to be in front of the camera.

Snoop Dogg is an entertainment icon. Music, the big screen and the small screen, YouTube shows, put Snoop on it, and it's a hit. Monk was already a successful show, and they recruited Snoop in 2007 to appear on the show as a rapper named Murderuss, accused of a murder and needing Monk's professional legal help. All of Murderuss' qualities point to him being guilty, but Snoop playing the character with such a lack of self-awareness made you root for him.

Migos, as a group, became superstars not only due to their talent and their unique approach to music, but their personalities. Time has revealed Offset as one of the most interesting members due to his many sides. From rap star to family man to dancer and actor, he's versatile. Offset took on his first acting role in 2020, as Kadri Kashan Khan, an undercover CIA agent on NCIS: Los Angeles. The show is led by another rapper-actor, the legendary LL Cool J, and the two shared scenes together. ’Set got to take part in some action scenes, too, and his line delivery was strong, fully enmeshing him with the character. It doesn't feel like a celebrity lackadaisically trying their hand at acting, but more like a world famous rapper committing himself to another discipline to impressive results.

Nas has done a few acting roles in his career, most notably in the aforementioned Belly. The Queens rapper stepped into a different role when he appeared on the action drama Hawaii Five-O in 2010, as a person of interest in a murder. Nasty Nas gives off a convincing, albeit short performance as a former criminal trying to get onto the right path. He also inadvertently helps the cops begin to solve the crime that they originally believed he took part in. He's a fluid actor and really sells that he just wants to help how he can to get out of a jam.

Queen Latifah's acting chops have been certified for decades. She tackles any role given to her with ease. On 30 Rock, she made a guest appearance in late 2010 as Congresswoman Regina Bookman, a passionate (and dramatic) political figure who wanted the TV network to have more diversity in their shows. As 30 Rock is built on a fictional version of NBC, she came down to the offices and got a look around, and hijinks ensued from there. Queen Latifah is funny, has good chemistry with all of the other talent and has the poise of a regular cast member.

Nabbing the ever-elusive Kendrick Lamar is no easy task. Luckily, the 50 Cent-helmed hit show Power pulled off the near-impossible in 2018, since Kendrick was already a fan of the show. In his one-episode appearance, he played Laces, a profound and thoughtful drug addict who befriends Fif's character, Kanaan Stark, and helps him set up his enemies on the street. K-Dot was very strong in the role, using both frenetic energy and desperation to paint a picture of a man who has been worn down by his environment, while also trying to make things right.