DMX’s Most Memorable Movie Roles

The multi-platinum rapper DMX has made his name known around the world mainly through his music. He, however, also had a decent acting resume. From Belly to Pimp, here are some of X’s most memorable film appearances.

BELLY (1998)

In 1998 DMX co-starred in the crime drama Belly alongside rapper Nas. The film was Hype Williams’ feature directorial debut.

Synopsis: Ever since they were kids, Sincere (Nas) and Buns (DMX) have lived a life close to the edge, doing whatever it takes to survive. As adults, they build up their kingdom of crime on drug dealing and robbery. But Sincere grows weary of the criminal lifestyle and joins a black Muslim religious group. Buns, on the other hand, sinks deeper into criminality and faces serious prison time. The cops offer him a deal, however — assassinate the head of the Muslim group, and he will go free. 

ROMEO MUST DIE (2000)

X played a nightclub owner named Silk in Romeo Must Die, starring Jet Li and Aaliyah. The rapper and R’n’b singer also collaborated on the soundtrack Come Back in One Piece.

Synopsis: In this martial-arts take on Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, an ex-policeman (Jet Li) is jailed for a crime he didn’t commit and he breaks out to avenge his brother’s death in America. There, he meets Trish O’Day (Aaliyah) and as they fall in love, she helps him in his search. Her father knows more about Li’s brother’s death than he should and soon he and Li are at war with stunningly choreographed action sequences.

EXIT WOUNDS (2001) 

DMX palyed a drug dealer Latrell Walker in Exit Wounds starring Steven Seagal.

 Synopsis: Maverick Detroit police detective Orin Boyd (Seagal), whose take-no-prisoners approach to domestic terrorism gets him booted downtown to the city’s toughest precinct. Multi-Platinum hip hop star DMX stars as the powerful and mysterious crime lord Latrell Walker, whose dicey connections and seemingly unlimited cash make him everyone’s target. Together the two men take on a conspiracy that reaches all the way through the ranks to the heart of the precinct.

CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE (2003)

DMX starred in Warner Bros.’ action thriller Cradle 2 The Grave opposite Jet Li and Gabrielle Union.

Synopsis: Master thief Anthony Fait (DMX) pulls off a major jewel heist and somehow manages to escape from the SWAT team that’s pursuing him. A Taiwanese agent named Su (Jet Li) is on Fait’s tail and wants to take him down so that he can retrieve the stolen black diamonds. But when Fait’s daughter (Paige Hurd) is kidnapped by a rival criminal and Su’s ex-partner (Mark Dacascos), Su must work with Fait to save the thief’s daughter and get his revenge in the process

NEVER DIE ALONE (2004) 

X played a drug lord King David in 2004 crime drama Never Die Alone X, also starring David Arquette and Michael Ealy.

Synopsis: A ruthless drug lord, King David (DMX) returns to New York City to start over after years out on the West Coast. When David is fatally stabbed and left in the street, a writer named Paul (Arquette) discovers him and takes him to the hospital. After David is pronounced dead, Paul finds out that the criminal has left him his personal belongings, including audio recordings of his life story. As Paul listens to the tapes, he hears about David’s violent and troubled past.

TOP FIVE (2014)

DMX made an appearance (playinfg himself) in Chris Rock’s 2014 comedy Top Five.

Synopsis: Though he began in stand-up comedy, Andre Allen (Rock) hit the big-time as the star of a trilogy of action comedies about a talking bear. Andre is forced to spend the day with Chelsea (Rosario Dawson) a profile writer for the New York Times, whose film critic has just panned Andre’s passion project about the Haitian Revolution. Unexpectedly, Andre opens up to Chelsea, and as they wind their way across New York, Andre tries to get back in touch with his comedic roots.

PIMP (2018)

The rapper starred in the 2018 drama Pimp. His character, Midnight John, was a pimp, grooming his daughter (played by Keke Palmer) to one day follow in his footsteps.

Synopsis: An urban love story set on the hard streets of the Bronx. A struggling female Pimp, named Wednesday (Palmer), grows up learning the game from her dad. Once he’s gone she’s left to look out for her prostitute mother and girlfriend Nikki.