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If I had a penny for every time a hip-hop artist appeared in an A24 film in 2025, I’d have three pennies. Not much, but it’s weird it happened three times already.
The convergence of hip-hop and indie cinema isn’t new, however. Tupac Shakur’s electrifying turn in Juice (1992) and Ice Cube’s early performances in Boyz n the Hood (1991) set the template: music artists bringing authenticity, streetwise charisma, and cultural weight to the screen. Fast forward to 2025, and Tyler, the Creator and A$AP Rocky are continuing that lineage, but with a distinct A24 twist.
Tyler Okonma in Marty Supreme
Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme marks a highly anticipated return to solo directing after the Safdie brothers’ triumphs with Uncut Gems (2019) and Good Time (2017). The film dramatises the life of professional table tennis player Marty Reisman, portrayed by Timothée Chalamet, and adds Tyler, the Creator to the mix in his first major film role.
Marty Supreme is reportedly A24’s most expensive film to date, surpassing Civil War (2024), likely reflecting both the cast (which also includes Gwyneth Paltrow and Fran Drescher) and Safdie’s meticulous production design. Tyler, already riding high from his CHROMAKOPIA World Tour and his July album Don’t Tap The Glass, appears to play a character who, judging from the trailer, might be a taxi driver?
The Christmas Day release, December 25, 2025, promises a collision of press tours, fan hype, and hopefully exciting dynamics between Tyler and Chalamet. Timothée is famously a hip-hop fanatic. Tyler even referenced him in his 2019 track OKRA: “Tell Timothée Chalamet to come get at me.”
A$AP Rocky in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You and Highest 2 Lowest
A$AP Rocky’s 2025 cinematic output is even more striking. He appears in two A24 projects: the black comedy If I Had Legs I’d Kick You and the Spike Lee-directed, genre-blurring crime story Highest 2 Lowest, alongside Denzel Washington.
In Highest 2 Lowest, Rocky plays Yung Felon, a wannabe rapper whose obsession with Washington’s character, music mogul David King, leads to a high-stakes confrontation. The film integrates new original music from Rocky, and a rap battle between both characters. Theatrical release is August 15, 2025, followed by Apple TV+ on September 5. The red carpet saw Rocky in Celine Spring 2026 ready-to-wear and his signature A$AP Rocky x Ray-Ban sunglasses, completing the look with vintage Briony Ryamond earrings. Ice Spice, also making her acting debut in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, was there too, stepping into indie cinema alongside Rocky.
He also stars in Mary Bronstein’s If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, set for October 10, 2025. The psychological comedy drama film is likely to offer a more subdued role by the rapper, the ensemble is undeniably eye-catching, most notably featuring Conan O’Brien in his first dramatic acting role as a therapist.
