LL Cool J suggests it’s time for his life story to be shared on-screen. Last Thursday (Jan. 12), the Queens rapper took to social media to ask “Should I do a bio pic?” Actor and musician Mack Wilds offered his talents to portray the Bigger and Deffer emcee in his own Twitter declaration, quoting the original question.
Rap biopics such as Straight Outta Compton, Roxanne Roxanne, Wu-Tang: An American Saga and others depict the intersection of Black culture and music history. For fans of the past, present, and future of the culture, a well-done film can be pivotal in not only cementing a legacy but introducing new generations to respected artists and their respective journeys.
Whether adding character and life to beloved musicians who have passed or celebrating living legends through dramatizations, costuming, and casting, there are countless stories that need to be told. Snoop Dogg currently has a biopic in the works, Kanye West requested to be portrayed by Jamie Foxx when his biopic comes and a DJ Screw project is set to be executive produced by Travis Scott.
With LL Cool J’s Twitter inquiry opening the door for a larger conversation — what other Hip-Hop artists should production companies get behind? VIBE offers a list of Hip-Hop figures whose striving stories of triumph and rhymes have shifted the culture and should be explored.