Rap-fu

Rap-fu is a portmanteau of the words "rap" and "kung-fu." It is a humourous although sometimes derisive term applied to the genre of Hollywood movies that pair a martial arts action star with a rapper. Movies in this genre include Romeo Must Die (2000) starring Jet Li and DMX, Exit Wounds (2001) starring Steven Seagal and DMX, and Cradle 2 the Grave (2003) starring Jet Li and DMX.

Immediately following hip hop's acceptance into mainstream American culture around 1994, hip hop featured prominently on the soundtracks of many Hollywood releases. Around this time, several popular rap artists also transitioned into acting, mostly notably Ice Cube, Ice-T, Snoop Doggy Dogg, and Dr. Dre. The origins of rap-fu may lie in the success of multi-platinum rap recording artists Wu-Tang Clan and the popularity of their kung-fu inspired lyrics among both black and white audiences.

Rap-fu movies reached their peak during the period between 2000–2003, riding on the coat-tails of successful black/hip-hop comedies. Rap-fu movies are generally viewed as inferior, transparent attempts by Hollywood to exploit two popular trends, and is currently experiencing a decline.