When Rap Meets Reality: Hip-Hop Artists Who Achieved Reality TV Superstardom

Any savvy businessman (or woman) knows that versatility is one of the stepping stones to massive success and career longevity – and the rap game has witnessed a remarkable number of artists use their natural gifts outside of hip-hop.

Whether acting from a script or playing a flute, these celebs have shown that they can do it all — including reality TV! Here is a list of some of the hip-hop and R&B artists-turned-reality TV stars who went off-script.

Known for his soulful voice and memorable hooks, August Alsina made a compelling appearance on the reboot of The Surreal Life. In a conversation with The Grio, August opened up about his decision to join the show and stated that his friend had convinced him to join the cast.

“My boy who told me about it was like, ‘Man I used to love that show, I think you should do it!’ And he was actually the determining factor for me," August said.

"I went to go look at some of the old seasons and I flipped through a couple of episodes and I was like, ‘OK, this could be cool!'”

Hip-hop heads worldwide know that Flavor Flav is golden for the culture. As a founding member of the iconic rap group Public Enemy, Flavor Flav brought his larger-than-life personality and eye-watering jewelry to the small screen with Flavor of Love.

Slim Thug, who is also a heavyweight in the Southern rap scene, found himself on the reality TV stage with the release of College Hill: Celebrity Edition.

On the show, the Houston native shares the screen with other memorable names in pop culture like Big Freedia and Nene Leakes, among others. The show definitely has a fascinating mix of drama, comedy, and intrigue.

Da Brat is So So Def royalty. But she's not just known for her contribution to rap culture, she's also a beloved reality TV personality. She stars on the hit shows Brat Loves Judy — which sheds light on her personal life as well as her journey to motherhood – and Growing Up Hip-Hop.

Coolio is no stranger to Reality TV. In fact, he has appeared on two major reality TV shows — Coolio's Rules and Celebrity Big Brother 6.

In Coolio's Rules, fans get a first-hand look at Coolio, the family man, father, and authority figure. The show peeled back the layers of his life as a regular dad as opposed to a celebrity.

On Celebrity Big Brother 6, he held his own and impressively, finished in third place.

Ray J is as versatile as they come. Name one side hustle and you can bet that Ray J has already done it.

In addition to making songs and appearing in movies, Ray J also starred in the Love and Hip Hop franchise, where fans got to experience his hilarious personality beyond the red carpets — not to mention his numerous love affairs.

All in all, Ray J is one of reality TV's finest, and for good reason, too.