Notable Rapper Cameos in TV Shows & Movies

August 27, 2025 2

Everyone loves a good crossover, and more times than not, that comes in the form of two TV series blending their casts for an epic one-time episode. Think Family Guy and The Simpsons in 2014, Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder in 2018, and Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia earlier in 2025. Crossovers are also cool when it’s a musician stepping onto the big or small screen. There are numerous examples of this, few are unforgettable, others are good, most decent, and some are downright cringeworthy.

Regardless of how well it actually goes, it’s always cool (or, at the very least, interesting) to see a rapper we love make an unexpected appearance on a television show or in a movie with no prior warning. In some cases, it makes for great memories and it often opens the door and gives said rapper an opportunity to wade into the silver and small screen waters. With that being said, why don’t we look back at some of the most notable rapper cameos in TV show and movie history? Let’s get into it!

Tupac in ‘A Different World’

Tupac’s acting career would take off thanks to his portrayal as the merciless Roland Bishop in Juice back in 1991. In the years that followed, Tupac landed roles in classics such as 1993’s Poetic Justice and 1994’s Above the Rim. Tupac also found brief success on the small screen, with his first appearance coming in 1993 during the sixth season of the classic series A Different World. There, he played Piccolo in an episode where he attempted to win back his ex-girlfriend Lena, played by Jada Pinkett Smith, and literally puts up a fight with Lena’s current boyfriend Dorian Heywood to get her back. While Piccolo’s attempt falls short, for ‘Pac the episode highlighted his promising acting chops.

The Notorious B.I.G. in ‘Martin’

It’s particularly fascinating when a musician steps into the acting world and plays themselves while sticking to the script, like what The Notorious B.I.G. did in season four of Martin. Biggie played himself in search of a background singer, which set the tone for a hilarious episode. Cole, Pam, and Gina were among those who “auditioned” for the role, and as expected, their scenes were nothing but comedy. “He had a real sense of humor,” Martin Lawrence recalled of Biggie’s appearance on the show in a 2012 XXL interview. “It showed in the episode like he didn’t even have to try. It came really natural to him.”

Migos in ‘Atlanta’

Donald Glover’s classic FX series Atlanta featured a slew of musical artists over the show’s four seasons. One of the first artists to appear on the show was Atlanta rap trio Migos (along with their “cousin that talks too much,” Tanqueray) cameoed as a drug cartel working with Earn and Paper Boi back in 2016. This episode is key in pop culture history because Glover, following a win at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards, would shout out the group for “not only being on the show, but for making ‘Bad and Boujee.’” That moment introduced the song to a whole new audience and helped propel it to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 where it stayed for a total of three nonconsecutive weeks.

Kendrick Lamar in ‘Power’

Kendrick Lamar’s cameo in season five of Power might be one of the most random things the Compton rapper has done in his career. Lamar took on the role of a homeless man named Laces who assists 50 Cent’s Kanan in committing several murders. Laces’ strung-out behavior is enough to distract Kanan’s targets, who were unprepared for the fates that awaited them. Power creator and producer Courtney Kemp told the Associated Press that Lamar’s guest appearance on the show came as a result of his friendship with 50 Cent. “He and Kendrick … were hanging out and Kendrick said, ‘I’d really like to be on the show,’ and you know it goes from there.”

Cardi B in ‘F9: The Fast Saga”

Jumping luxury sports cars through Dubai skyscrapers. The Rock catching a torpedo with his bare hand. Vin Diesel’s white tees seemingly impervious to dirt. There’s nothing too out-of-this-world for the Fast & Furious franchise and no one too big to be in it as well. So when Cardi B was cast for a role in F9: The Fast Saga, it wasn’t a question of if it made sense or not; this is the same movie where Ludacris’ Tej and Tyrese’s Roman flew a Pontiac Fiero strapped with stolen rocket engines into space. Cardi would play Leysa, the leader of an all-female paramilitary group tasked with helping Dom escape the grasp of one of the movie’s many evildoers. She’s also the sister of Clara, who some die-hard Fast & Furious fans may recall was a part of Dom’s crew during his time in the Dominican Republic. Cardi and her crew got the job done, allowing Dom many more instances to remind us just how important family is.

Nicki Minaj in ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’

Nicki Minaj only has a handful of movie roles in her career, but a fan-favorite is her first one: her 2012 appearance in Ice Age: Continental Drift, the fourth entry in the Ice Age saga. In it, Minaj voiced Steffie, a sassy teenage mammoth who leads The Brat Pack. While the rapper’s contributions to the film are limited, it was cool to see the Pinkprint rapper star in the kids’ movie, especially during her bright and vibrant “Starships” and “Super Bass” era.

Nas in ‘Hawaii Five-0’

By the time the 21st century began, Nas had established himself as one of entertainment’s most popular names. While it mostly built from his musical output, he had his fair share of big-screen moments, namely roles in Belly, In Too Deep, John Q, and Monster. However, Nas would make his television debut in 2010 as Gordon Smith, a computer booster turned parole violator, in the inaugural season of Hawaii Five-0. While his brief appearance wasn’t the most memorable, it’s still another addition to Nas’ ever-expanding portfolio that includes both music and successful business ventures.

Your favorite rapper popping up in ‘Law & Order: SVU’

With rapper Ice-T at the helm for the show, Law & Order: SVU has become a regular stop for rappers over the show’s 27-season-and-counting run. Ice-T himself holds the record for the longest-running male series actor in American TV history, and countless other musicians have joined him on the show throughout the years. 2 Chainz, Snoop Dogg, Questlove, Heavy D, Method Man, Ludacris, Big Boi, Wyclef Jean, Jill Scott, Ashanti, and Big Daddy Kane are just some of the never-ending list of guests on SVU. In a 2024 interview with Billboard, Ice-T named Big Boi, Ludacris, and Snoop Dogg as some of his favorite guest stars on the show, along with the likes of Harry Connick Jr. and Hilary Duff.

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