Rappers have a strange relationship with the cinematic arts. While a few truly talented MCs have parlayed their musical fame into successful and rewarding cinematic careers, a greater number of others have dived head-first into the world of film and royally bombed. Artists like Vanilla Ice, Busta Rhymes, Run-DMC and dozens of others all jumped at the chance to act, and all failed miserably. But that doesn't mean every rapper who acted didn't deliver. Now, XXL has compiled a list of 22 film performances from rappers that are worth watching.

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2Pac in Juice

Year: 1992

Shortly after releasing his debut album 2Pacalypse Now, 2Pac scored one of his most acclaimed film roles as Bishop in Ernest R. Dickerson's Juice. Although it was technically his second film appearance - he was briefly featured in the 1991 film Nothing But Trouble as a part of the group the Digital Undergroundthe role of Bishop helped launch 'Pac into the world of film as a leading man, and became one of his most iconic film roles of his career.

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Ice Cube in Boyz N the Hood

Year: 1991

After finding success in music as a member of N.W.A. and as a solo artist with AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, Cube garnered critical praise with his starring role in John Singleton's feature debut Boyz N the Hood. In the film, Cube plays local South Central street-tough Doughboy, embodying the hardened gangsta persona present in his music in his performance. The role - a first for the fledgling actor - helped Cube establish himself as a mainstay in Hollywood.

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Eminem in 8 Mile

Year: 2002

Although it's his only featured film role to date, Eminem's performance in 8 Mile has gone down as one of the finest film performances from a rapper in a major movie. Em plays Jimmy "B-Rabbit" Smith, a white blue collar worker from Detroit struggling to provide for his young daughter while establishing a career in hip-hop. The Curtis Hanson-directed biopic was praised by critics upon its release, and even earned Em an Academy Award for his original song "Lose Yourself."

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Ice-T in New Jack City

Year: 1991

Released a few months before Singleton's Boyz N the Hood, director Mario Van Peebles' debut effort New Jack City painted a picture of the crack epidemic through the gritty lens of the East Coast. The film finds Ice-T playing Detective Scotty Appleton as he infiltrates the ranks of the Cash Money Gang drug syndicate, led by Wesley Snipes' infamous Nino Brown. Despite posturing himself as a gangster in his rap career, Ice-T stroke gold with his performance as a cop in this film.

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50 Cent in Get Rich or Die Tryin'

Year: 2005

In 2005, 50 Cent attempted to replicate Eminem's cinematic success by starring in a semi-fictional biopic of his own. Taking its title from his acclaimed debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin' captures Fif attempting to escape the street life for a music career. However, lightning didn't strike twice for the Shady/Aftermath team, as the Jim Sheridan-helmed flick was largely panned by critics and proved wholly underwhelming at the box office.

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Method Man in Garden State

Year: 2004

In one of the more random appearances on the list, Method Man found himself making a brief cameo in writer/director Zach Braff's acclaimed indie feature Garden State. In the film, M-E-T-H-O-D plays a excited bellhop named Diego who hosts underground peep show sessions through a hole in the wall of one of the hotel rooms. It's a bizarre but undeniably hilarious performance that adds a breath of fresh air to Braff's otherwise oppressively pretentious flick.

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MC Eiht in Menace II Society

Year: 1993

Like Singleton before them, directors Allen and Albert Hughes looked to one of hip-hop's biggest acts MC Eiht when casting their feature debut Menace II Society. Although Eiht's role as A-Wax isn't as substantial as Cube's in Boyz N the Hood, he still gave a memorable performance as the menacing Compton OG A-Wax. He also contributed a classic West Coast banger to the film's soundtrack with his song "Streiht Up Menace."

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André 3000 in Four Brothers

Year: 2005

There's a lot wrong with John Singleton's Four Brothers - the pacing is uneven, the story is unfocused and the ending is completely unbelievable. However, one thing the film gets correct is its casting, and Andre 3000  gave a acclaimed performance as Jeremiah Mercer, one of four brothers whose adopted mother is murdered in their native Detroit. The role proved that the Outkast alum was more than simply an MC with some acting chops, and helped him secure more acclaimed work in Hollywood.

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DMX in Never Die Alone

Year: 2004

Even though X had starred in a number of films prior to Never Die Alone, his performance in Ernest R. Dickerson's adaptation of Donald Goines' novel of the same name shines as his best role to date. DMX plays King David, a drug dealer from New York looking for a second chance on the West Coast. However, with little money in his pocket, David returns to a life of crime, ultimately leading to his downfall. Although the film's plot structure ultimately hurts its overall quality, X's brilliant and uninhibited performance redeems many of its failings.

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Sticky Fingaz and Fredro Starr in Clockers

Year: 1995

Although Spike Lee's adaptation of Richard Price's 1992 novel of the same posits Mekhi Phifer and Harvey Keitel as its primary leads, Sticky and Fredro make memorable appearances as Phifer's fellow "clockers" Scientific and Go, respectively. Their characters are one dimensional and have no major outcome on the film's overall plot, but the Onyx alum bring an energy and authenticity to their parts that elevate them beyond mere cameos.

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Queen Latifah in Chicago

Year: 2002

The Flavor Unit head honcho stole the show from stars Reneé Zellwegger and Catherine Zeta-Jones as the corrupt jail official Matron "Mama" Morton in the 2002 musical adaptation of Chicago. Although Chicago was hardly her first big screen role, Latifah's performance in the film earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards in 2003, which she ultimately lost to co-star Zeta-Jones.

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Fat Boys in Krush Groove

Year: 1985

There are a whole of host of rappers that appear in Krush Groove, but it's the Fat Boys' hilarious role in the film that stands-out as the most memorable. The trio play larger-than-life versions of themselves, and while there was very little acting required for their parts, they gave it their all when it came to the slap-stick elements of the script. The crew's role in the film eventually led them to co-star against Ralph Bellamy in 1987's The Disorderlies.

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RZA and GZA in Coffee and Cigarettes 

Year: 2003

Two of the Wu-Tang Clan's finest guest star with the legendary Bill Murray in one of the most memorable short films "Delirium" from Jim Jarmusch's anthology Coffee and Cigarettes. The Shaolin duo drop knowledge on Murray about the benefits of decaffeinated herbal tea and avoiding cigarettes, all while the Ghostbusters veteran pounds back cups of coffee and smokes.

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Snoop Dogg in Training Day

Year: 2001

Snoop had clocked in two original feature films prior to Training Day, however, his first real cinematic break came with his brief role as the wheelchair-bound dealer Blue. Even though the appearance is more of a cameo in its elapsed length of time, it was one of the first on-screen instances in which Snoop showed that he had promise as a thespian.

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Ludacris in Crash

Year: 2004

Like Andre 3000's role in Four Brothers before it, Ludacris' part in the Academy Award-winning Crash proved that the rapper was more talented than the average MC. In the film, Luda plays a carjacker named Anthony, whose bitter worldview and understanding of racial tensions in America come to change as a series of inter-connected events put his life on the line. Although his filmography since then has been somewhat lacking, Luda's role in the film firmly established him as one of hip-hop's top leading men.

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Mos Def in The Woodsman

Year: 2004

Although Mighty Mos Def has been acting since the early '90s, perhaps one of his most challenging and critically acclaimed roles came with 2004's drama The Woodsman. In the film, Mos plays Lucas, an abusive police officer who sets out to catch recently released child predator Walter - played by Kevin Bacon - in the act a second time. The film also stars Philadelphia rapper Eve, who appears later on this list for her work in Barbershop.

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Common in American Gangster

Year: 2007

Apart from its obvious and unofficial connection to Jay-Z's album from the same name, Ridley Scott's 2007 crime epic American Gangster earned its hip-hop credibility by enlisting a litany of MCs for roles in the film. Despite both T.I. and RZA making appearances in the feature, it was Common who stood out the most in the cast. Although his part was very minor, Common's role in the movie bolstered his budding film career, helping him secure future work in AMC's "Hell on Wheels" and the movie Just Wright, opposite Queen Latifah.

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Eve in Barbershop

Year: 2002

In a cast that includes veteran thespians like Ice Cube and Keith David and comedians like Cedric the Entertainer, Eve carved her own niche in 2002's Barbershop. In the film, the Philadelphia Ruff Ryder rapper plays Terri Jones, an abrasive tough-chick caught in a bad relationship with an unfaithful man. Although the sequels ruined Barbershop's lasting legacy, Eve certainly made a name for herself, earning her a solo TV series "Eve" the following year.

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MC Serch in Bamboozled

Year: 2000

Although Bamboozled was panned by critics upon its release, one facet of the Spike Lee joint aside from its early use of digital film was the fake rap group the Mau Maus who oppose star Damon Wayans' minstrel TV show. The film's hip-hop group features an all-star line-up of real life rappers - Mos Def, Charli Baltimore and Canibus - yet it's MC Serch who stands out in the film as Mau Mau rapper "One-Sixteenth Blak." Serch also fared  pretty well on the Mau Mau's real posse cut "Blak Iz Blak," though Canibus takes the cake for the best verse of the four.

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T.I. in ATL

Year: 2006

Released a mere three days after his widely successful fourth LP King, T.I. scored a promotional touchdown with the release of his film debut ATLDespite the obvious business perks of the proximity of release dates, T.I.'s acclaimed performance as Rashad in the coming of age film showed another side to the King of the South's growing brand. Although Tip's acting career suffered a road block with his 2008 arrest for purchasing illegal weapons, ATL serves as a reminder that T.I. has the chops to carry a drama on his own.

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Raekwon in Black and White

Year:  1999

James Toback's 1999 feature Black and White isn't a particularly memorable flick, and the majority of those who have actually seen it will likely attest that it's certainly not a good film. However, the film has earned a modicum of notoriety for billing Raekwon in a featured role as a budding rapper called Cigar. Although Rae's performance boils down to him parlaying his rap persona into his character, the rapper's personality is large enough to suffice for what the script requires.

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Cam'ron in Paid in Full

Year: 2002

Despite its derivative plot, Paid in Full is actually a fairly decent film complete with a competent cast of engaging and reliable actors, including Mekhi Phifer and Wood Harris. However, it's Cam'ron who deserves the most praise for his performance as the flamboyant and lavish drug dealer Rico. Is Cam'ron essentially playing an embellished version of himself in the film? Absolutely, but that doesn't take away from the fact that he steals every scene in which he's featured.

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