The 50 Best R-Rated Hip Hop Movies

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Updated August 30, 2023 405 votes 51 voters
Over 50 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The 50 Best R-Rated Hip Hop Movies
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List of R-Rated hip hop movies, ranked from best to worst with movie trailers when available. This list takes the best R-Rated hip hop movies and pits them against each other to see once and for all what the greatest R-Rated Hip hop movie of all time is. This list of popular R-Rated hip hop movies includes information like who directed the film, when it was released and which actors starred in the movie. If you think the top R-Rated Hip hop movie isn't as high as it should be then be sure to vote it up so it can take its rightful place among the other great R-Rated Hip hop films on this list. If you're trying to find a specific R-Rated Hip hop film you can search this list and filter to find what you're looking for.

This list features hip hop movies from the 2000s like 8 Mile, Notorious, and more.

If you're trying to find out "What are the best R-Rated hip hop movies?" and "What are the most famous R-Rated hip hop movies?" then this list is the perfect resource for you.

Use this list if you're looking for some new hip hop movies that are rated R. Between Netflix, Hulu and other services there are thousands of great hip hop movies rated R, so get out there and start watching.

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What kind of directors have worked on R Hip hop movies movies in the past? Michel Gondry and Melvin Van Peebles both have, as have other great directors.

Ranked by
  • Get Rich or Die Tryin'
    1

    Get Rich or Die Tryin'

    50 Cent, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Walter Alza
    16 votes
    • Released: 2005
    • Directed by: Jim Sheridan
    After losing his mother to murder as a boy, Marcus (Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson) has little support in his life. He starts working for drug dealer Levar (Bill Duke) and his assistant (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). Although Marcus makes good money selling, his dream is to become a rapper. When he reunites with an old love (Joy Bryant) and is later shot numerous times during a robbery, Marcus decides it's time to change his life. However, his old associates won't let him go so easily.

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  • 8 Mile
    2

    8 Mile

    Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy
    19 votes
    • Released: 2002
    • Directed by: Curtis Hanson
    8 Mile, a gritty drama, spotlights the life of Jimmy Smith Jr. (Eminem), an aspiring rapper from Detroit's harsh inner city. Trapped in his struggles with an unstable mother (Kim Basinger) and a dead-end job, Jimmy seeks solace and expression through hip-hop. Encircled by friends like Future (Mekhi Phifer), he battles his way into the local rap scene, combating adversity and stereotypes. The film, directed by Curtis Hanson, received an Oscar for Best Original Song - Lose Yourself. Eminem's stellar performance and evocative music underscore this story of ambition against all odds.

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  • Hustle & Flow
    3

    Hustle & Flow

    Terrence Howard, Anthony Anderson, Taryn Manning
    13 votes
    • Released: 2005
    • Directed by: Craig Brewer
    DJay (Terrence Howard) is a pimp living day to day on the tough streets of Memphis, Tennessee. Pushing 40, he's tired of the life he's living and dreams of something greater. When he meets up with an old friend who is now in the recording industry, he's inspired to turn his life around and uses his criminal life as an inspiration to create rap music. When he hears that a rap superstar is coming to town, Djay works a hustle to gain the rapper's attention and hopefully get signed by a label.

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  • CB4
    4

    CB4

    Chris Rock, Allen Payne, Deezer D
    12 votes
    • Released: 1993
    • Directed by: Tamra Davis
    After many failed attempts to establish themselves as rappers, Albert (Chris Rock), Euripedes (Allen Payne) and Otis (Deezer D) get their big break when nightclub owner Gusto (Charlie Murphy) is arrested. Albert assumes his name and criminal past, becoming MC Gusto, and the trio rises to fame by pretending to be recently released felons. As their fame increases, so do tensions within the group. When Gusto escapes from prison, he is furious at having his identity stolen and vows revenge.

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  • Fear of a Black Hat
    5

    Fear of a Black Hat

    Larry B. Scott, Mark Christopher Lawrence, Rusty Cundieff
    13 votes
    • Released: 1993
    • Directed by: Rusty Cundieff
    This mock documentary follows sociologist Nina Blackburn (Kasi Lemmons) during the year she spends studying hip-hop artists Ice Cold (Rusty Cundieff), Tasty-Taste (Larry B. Scott), Tone Def (Mark Christopher Lawrence) and a series of disappearing white managers. Every rap cliché is on display: sex, sexism, violent imagery and paint-peeling profanity -- all of it, the group insists, with a deeper political meaning -- plus the inevitable rivalry with other rappers and ultimately themselves.

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  • The Show
    6

    The Show

    Snoop Dogg, Sean Combs, The Notorious B.I.G.
    9 votes
    • Released: 1995
    • Directed by: Brian Robbins
    The Show is a 1995 documentary film about hip hop music. It was directed by Brian Robbins and featured interviews with some of hip hop's biggest names. Def Jam founder Russell Simmons stars in and narrates the film. The film grossed $1,482,892 in its opening weekend and $2,702,578 during its theatrical run.