Rhyming Actors: Donald Glover, Mos Def, Will Smith and the Evolution of the Lyrical Thespians

“Wait, he’s an actor?” I said as I enjoyably listened to his fre(EP).

I had no clue about who Childish Gambino was. At that moment, “who” he was lost precedent to what he could do. I really did not care about his past. I was not concerned about where he was born. I didn’t see any importance in knowing where his parents used to work. All I cared about was that he could rap over leaps and bounds.

And then I found out it was Donald Glover. Oh, wow.

For the uninformed, Donald Glover is the young actor that plays on “Community” as Troy Barnes. Many have seen his Youtube comedy sketches and laughed all the way through (Google Derrick Comedy to see what I am referring to). Also, he writes for NBC. In turn, Donald Glover is a worthwhile thespian.

Knowing that he is an actor, many will probably take issue with his musical aspirations. There are (and will be) quizzical comments about Donald and his true skill. From many different references, people already do. He even made a comment about it in one of his songs. Thus, he is well aware of the naysayers.

The real issue isn’t that he isn’t talented in both. The bigger issue is that so many actors and musicians try to switch trades that it can become nauseating for the fans.

What tends to exacerbate the queasy feeling for most fans is the lack of talent in the acting to music switch. In 2004, Tyra Banks tried to release a song called “Shake Ya Body”. It crashed as soon as it left the ground. Kevin Federline released an album back in 2006 that nobody cared about. Kim Kardashian suffered the same fate when she released “Jam (Turn It Up)” this year. It remains to be seen how many more will knowingly try to become talentless musicians.

The same can be said for some rappers trying to be actors. Nas did very little for his uncharismatic role in Belly. The Game’s acting roles have left much to be desired. 50 Cent has gained very little admiration for his acting prowess. Xzibit? Eh. Andre 3000? He has been cool, but nothing amazing. Even with rappers (some of the biggest actors in entertainment if you get my drift), there are examples of lackluster performances or overall catastrophe.

Thus, there is very little wonder as to why people roll their eyes at the idea: so many people have tried and bombed.

The failures tend to outshine the obvious successes, however. And those obvious successes deserve our unbridled attention.

One of hip hop’s most accomplished lyrical thespians happens to be Mos Def. UTD’s own Dante Smith had the luck of starring in the shortlived Cosby Mysteries. Since then, Mos has appeared in Bamboozled, Monster’s Ball, The Italian Job, Cadillac Records, and Lackawanna Blues. In addition, he was nominated for an Emmy, a Golden Globe and an Image Award for his role of Vivien Thomas in Something the Lord Made. Mos Def, in conclusion, is one of the most established and revered rapper-actors.

When it comes to bankability, Will Smith wins out hands down. The Fresh Prince has been synonymous with blockbuster movies. From the Turner Broadcasting classic Independence Day to the lovingly witty Hitch, Smith brings in the money. Even his least appealing movies (Wild Wild West) can turn a hefty profit ($170 million to make; $222 million at box office). Therefore, Will Smith’s movies and money making tend to be synonymous.

 The man formerly known as Marky Mark may now be known more for acting than music. Although he started acting in 1995, Mark Wahlberg has made his mark (no pun) in the industry. With films like The Italian Job (along with Mos Def), Shooter, and The Boxer under his belt, he has proven to possess star power. Even as a costar, he can be caught stealing scenes in movies such as The Departed, Date Night, and I Heart Huckabees. Oddly enough, his acting carer has eclipsed the prominence and existence of his musical apsirations. Still, no one can complaine about the switch.

Another rapper to carve their acting niche is LL Cool J. LL, presently known for his role of Sam Hanna in NCIS LA, can be considered a seasoned actor. With a career that went full blown in 1991, he has had numerous roles. LL has appeared in movies like Any Given Sunday, SWAT, Kingdom Come, and Deliver Us From Eva. He also had a role on the TV show In The House. In turn, LL developed an acting career spanning 20 odd years.

Queen Latifah is, by far, the most successful female rapper-actor. Starting out in 1989 (right after her music start), she has appeared in Set It Off, Beauty Shop, And Stranger Than Fiction. Her role in Chicago as Mama Morton garnered her plenty of acclaim and awards, including an Oscar Nomination for best supporting actress. Equally impressive is her role of August Boatwright in The Secret Lives of Bees. Emphatically, Queen Latifah has earned many accolades and warm receptions from the film industry.

None of the list is more ironic than Ice Cube, however. Doughboy started out in the classic Boyz-in-the-Hood. From there, he has been in Higher Learning, Three Kings, Ghost of Mars, and All About the Benjamins. Yet, his biggest successes have come from his Friday series of movies. Serving as a writer and producer/executive producer for each movie, he has grossed over $120 million with modest budgets. The irony of it all: they are comedy movies. Hilariously, Ice Cube, a prominent gangster rapper, has made bank from comedies.

The biggest surprise has to be Ludacris. Chris Bridges is really working to become a well versed actor in different types of roles. From the intelligently angry urban philosophizer which was Anthony (Crash) to playing a hardcore hood rapper (Skinny Black in Hustle and Flow), Luda goes for diversity. Even with roles of Mickey (Rock’n Rolla) and Jim Bravura (Max Payne), he works to do something different. The biggest surprise was his role of Wallace, the sarcastic wisecracking bartender in No Strings Attached. In turn, Ludacris worked to avoid being typecast.

Oh, and special shout outs to go Common, Eminem, and T.I. for making big screen splashes. They are doing great. However, they haven't dominated like all the others. Their time is coming, though. 

Donald Glover finds himself within solid company. Whiles others have failed miserably, there is still a list of people that succeeded. The most important thing to learn from this is that those that were the most successful put work into their craft. When that effort, that labor of love, is given maximum application so much is achieved. Donald Glover has nothing to worry about though: even if he fails he has already succeeded past what many expected him to do anyway.

‘Nuff said and ‘Nuff respect!

Michelle Obama Invites "Gangster Rapper" To The White House, & Guess Who's Mad

"Now Black music is Black music, and it's allgood, I wasn't salty she was with the boys in the hood." -- Common; "I Used To Love H.E.R."

Oh Lordy or Lordy, look what Michelle Obama dun did now up the the white people's White House. She dun seriously up and dun it inviting one a dem dar Chicago gansta' rappers she used to live next to to the White House. Word has it that she's having a poetry reading session on Wednesday, but I ain't buying it.

 It's bad enuff that them Obama Kenyans dun defiled the sanctity of the one true symbol of whiteness and err'thing right with Amuur'cuh by even living there. And now, they finna have this Negro and his posse bussin' spades, making it rain on hoes, and whatever else them there drug dealing Negroes do.

Of course them dar white folks over at The Daily Caller is madder den a mugg over tghis and had something to say about it. And lemme tell you, at last count, there was 274 comments mostly in disgust after the following post. Let's just say, judging from the comments, Flava Flav better tear up his invitation:

First Lady Michelle Obama has scheduled a poetry evening for Wednesday, and she’s invited several poets, including a successful Chicago poet and rapper, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr., AKA “Common.” However, Lynn is quite controversial, in part because his poetry includes threats to shoot police and at least one passage calling for the “burn[ing]” of then-President George W. Bush.

Back in 2003, First Lady Laura Bush held a poetry evening, and she invited several poets to reprise the work of Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes and Walt Whitman. Although none of those poets had urged violence against a president, Bush canceled the event after left-of-center poets protested and threatened to disrupt the event. (read more)

Oh well, lemme g'head and enjoy Common while I can; at least the pre-gangsta rapper Common; you know, back when he was less gangsta?

Sarah Palin jumped on the bandwagon, tweeting the Daily Caller story with a comment “Oh, lovely White House” — the virtual equivalent of rolling her eyes.

Pajamas Media, another conservative site, says Common supports Mumia Abu Jamal, convicted in the 1981 killing of a Philadelphia police officer, and was a member, along with the Obamas, of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, where Rev. Jeremiah Wright served as pastor. The rapper defended Wright during the 2008 campaign as Obama distanced himself from the controversial minister. The video below shows Wright in the background as Common performs.

A Fox News site called the multiple Grammy-winner a “vile rapper.” Common, who has also acted in several films, including "American Gangster" and "Terminator Salvation," also performed at a 2009 inaugural ball. (source)

Yeah, ain't no tellin' how much more gangsta' he's gonna get once he leaves the White House as he becomes more untouchable and public enemy number one, while Obama's still in office (watch this). Yep, big shouts out to the city of Chicago and all my peoples who live there; been a minute, but we'll kick it soon.

Conservative Lampooning Of Common Illustrates Conservative Fail Towards Black America

Among conservatives who have more mainstream racial attitudes, there is a constant bemoaning of why it is that black America is not more receptive to their message. After all, Republicans are critical of welfare programs that carry with them perverse incentives of family destruction and dependency. Many conservative outlets, when talking about this issue, sound just like Malcolm X, who sang the same song about black dependency. Many conservatives are likewise far more endorsing of education reform that would help stir up the stale pot of American public education, a pot that has not served blacks or other minorities very well.

Conservatives are the most vocal about the destruction of the American family over the last 40 years and, while the utter collapse of the American family can be seen in all aspects of society - from working white women who are the statistically most likely group to be childless to poor white women who suffer from large rates of teenage pregnancy - family decline is at its most obvious in black America. Tyler Perry's excellent sweep of conservative tinged films show this aspect of black American society in a serious light while also providing positive archetypes.

With all these possibilities available, why do conservatives fail to win with black people? Here is a key example why:

Why? "Some of Common's poetry could ... raise some eyebrows among those who might find cop-killing and racially-tinged or misogynist language beneath the Office of the Presidency," Shawn Millerick at the New Hampshire Journal wrote. He goes on to quote from Common lyrics: "Tell the law my Uzi weighs a ton ... I hold up a peace sign but I carry a gun," and "Flyer say Free Mumia on my freezer.”

Gun reference? Yes. Grounds for being banned from the White House grounds? We’re going to go with no. As the Atlantic reports, Obama is far from the first president to host an artist whose work includes references to controversial – or even criminal – topics. Not to mention, anyone who is actually familiar with Common’s career knows that he’s renowned for writing socially and politically conscious lyrics and eschewing the gratuitous violence for which rap is often criticized. And the first word used to describe his work is always “positive.”

Anyone who knows anything about hip-hop knows that Common is the centennial "positive" or "conscious" rapper. So, if Common isn't welcome, we should assume that no one in hip-hop is welcome. (If you are about to suggest Will Smith, being the non-cusser that he is, think again.) If it were R&B singers being invited, accusations of sexual depravity would be thrown.