From paying homage to the African continent to packing a punch with boxing ring-ready jams, R&B and rap artists and producers have made memorable movie soundtracks that can fit any scene and that are filled with their own all-star casts.
Eminem not only had his first starring role in the 2002 semi-autobiographical movie 8 Mile, but he also executive produced its soundtrack. Thirteen years later, Slim Shady helmed the official soundtrack for Southpaw. Eminem was originally supposed to play the lead role of Billy Hope, and Southpaw screenwriter Kurt Sutter told Deadline in 2010, “in a way, this is a continuation of the 8 Mile story, but rather than a literal biography, we are doing a metaphorical narrative of the second chapter of his life.” (Eminem eventually passed on the lead role, which went to Jake Gyllenhaal, to focus on music.)
Jay-Z executive produced The Great Gatsby: Music from Baz Luhrmann’s Film in 2013, with Jeymes Samuel (also known by his stage name The Bullitts) as executive music consultant. Almost a decade later, the two worked together again on The Harder They Fall in 2021, which Samuel directed, co-wrote and co-produced; Hov co-produced the film and executive produced the soundtrack.
Jay-Z, Future, Pharrell Williams and Shawn Stockman have all pulled double duty by producing the films they also helmed the soundtracks for, while Eminem and Metro Boomin are the only stars featured on this list who star in the films they also helped make the music for (since we’re counting Metro’s cameo as Metro Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse last year). Plenty of artists have made “cameos” on others’ soundtracks, from Future appearing on Metro’s Spider-Verse soundtrack and Kendrick Lamar‘s Black Panther: The Album to Lamar appearing on Beyoncé‘s The Lion King: The Gift to Hov appearing on Bey’s The Lion King: The Gift, Judas and the Black Messiah: The Inspired Album (which Hit-Boy co-executive produced) and Eminem’s 8 Mile: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture.
And with all this star power fueling these film soundtracks from the front and back ends, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that so many of them have been recognized at major award shows. Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift, which was nominated for best pop vocal album at the 2020 Grammy Awards, produced a Grammy-nominated hit and a Grammy-winning hit: “Brown Skin Girl” by Bey, Blue Ivy Carter, SAINt JHN and Wizkid won best music video at the 2021 Grammy Awards (making Blue Ivy the second-youngest Grammy winner in history at age 9), while “Spirit” was up for best pop solo performance and best song written for visual media at the 2020 Grammy Awards. “Fight For You” by H.E.R. from Judas and the Black Messiah: The Inspired Album won best traditional R&B performance at the 2022 Grammys.
“Spirit,” “Fight For You,” Kendrick Lamar & SZA‘s “All the Stars” and Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” from 8 Mile: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture have also earned best original song nods at the Golden Globe Awards in various years, with “Fight For You” eventually taking home the trophy. H.E.R.’s hit also won best original song at the 2021 Academy Awards, which Slim Shady’s smash won 18 years prior and Dot and SZA’s monster collab was nominated for two years prior. “All the Stars” was nominated for song of the year, record of the year, best song written for visual media and best rap/sung performance at the 2019 Grammy Awards, while “King’s Dead” with Lamar, Jay Rock, Future and James Blake won best rap performance and was nominated for best rap song.
“Lose Yourself” also won best rap song and best male rap solo performance at the 2004 Grammy Awards, when Kill Bill Vol. 1 Original Soundtrack — which RZA co-executive produced — was up for best compilation soundtrack album for a motion picture, television or other visual media. The Great Gatsby: Music from Baz Luhrmann’s Film was nominated for best compilation soundtrack for visual media at the 2014 Grammy Awards, while “Young and Beautiful” by Lana Del Rey was up for best song written for visual media.
Billboard rounded up 16 times rap and R&B artists and producers have curated or executive produced 2000s movie soundtracks, in order from newest to oldest.
