Ice Cube – Rappers Who Became Movie Stars

If O’Shea "Ice Cube"Jackson did no other films than 'Boyz N Tha Hood,' he would still find himself on this list, thanks to a remarkably sophisticated performance that harnessed the rage he unleashed in his music and contained it in an extraordinarily relatable and sympathetic young man. As a comedian, 'Friday' has become his calling card, employing that relatability yet again to show white America the lighter side of what it’s like to live in South Central Los Angeles. As he has matured he’s taken on the role of producer on some of the films in which he’s appeared, and ventured into genres where audience never would have expected him – such as kids movies like Are We There Yet. But with supporting turns alternately unique ('Three Kings'), riveting ('Rampart') and hilarious ('21 Jump Street') regularly becoming part of his repertoire, Cube doesn’t merely show audiences new sides of himself, he leads them in new directions.