Cartoon Rap: Music Stars as Animated Characters

Birdman gets his own Spider-Man cover and more.

Birdman - YMCMB head honcho Birdman landed the cover of a special limited edition of Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man. The artwork was created to celebrate his 20-year partnership with Lugz with the Birdman Boot and to put the “kingpin from the comic world together with the kingpin of the music world,” Rashaun Smith, Lugz VP of Marketing, told Hip Hop Weekly. The variant cover for Amazing Spider-Man #11 was shipped to retailers with only one copy sent per store.But Birdman's not the only one to get memorialized in illustration. Check out other hip hop stars who have.— BET Staff and Michael Harris (@IceBlueVa)(Photo: Marvel Comics)

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Birdman - YMCMB head honcho Birdman landed the cover of a special limited edition of Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man. The artwork was created to celebrate his 20-year partnership with Lugz with the Birdman Boot and to put the “kingpin from the comic world together with the kingpin of the music world,” Rashaun Smith, Lugz VP of Marketing, told Hip Hop Weekly. The variant cover for Amazing Spider-Man #11 was shipped to retailers with only one copy sent per store.But Birdman's not the only one to get memorialized in illustration. Check out other hip hop stars who have.— BET Staff and Michael Harris (@IceBlueVa)(Photo: Marvel Comics)

Rae Sremmurd - Rae Sremmurd have just landed a part in Marvel Comics' consciously diverse All-New Captain America series, which debuted Nov. 12. Brothers Slim Jimmy and Swae Lee post up with the first ever Black Captain America, Falcon, to hold down the "No Flex Zone" on the cover of the latest book. The comic doesn't come cheap. Collectors can head here and drop $170 for the first edition.(Photo: Marvel Comics)

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Rae Sremmurd - Rae Sremmurd have just landed a part in Marvel Comics' consciously diverse All-New Captain America series, which debuted Nov. 12. Brothers Slim Jimmy and Swae Lee post up with the first ever Black Captain America, Falcon, to hold down the "No Flex Zone" on the cover of the latest book. The comic doesn't come cheap. Collectors can head here and drop $170 for the first edition.(Photo: Marvel Comics)

Nicki Minaj - Nicki Minaj found another way to channel all those voices. She took her Cash Money reign over to The Cartoon Network and lent her acting and voiceover talents to the character “Sugilite” for the show Steven Universe in the episode "Coach Seven."(Photos from left: Johnny Nunez/BET/Getty Images for BET, Cartoon Network)

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Nicki Minaj - Nicki Minaj found another way to channel all those voices. She took her Cash Money reign over to The Cartoon Network and lent her acting and voiceover talents to the character “Sugilite” for the show Steven Universe in the episode "Coach Seven."(Photos from left: Johnny Nunez/BET/Getty Images for BET, Cartoon Network)

Mike Tyson - Iron Mike Tyson may not be an MC, but he’s been a staple in hip hop culture for nearly 30 years. The former boxing champ voiced his own cartoon on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. Mike Tyson Mysteries finds the Brooklyn brawler solving crimes and knocking people out in what seems to be a mesh of Scooby-Doo meets G.I. Joe and Space Ghost.  (Photo: Adult Swin via Cartoon Network)

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Mike Tyson - Iron Mike Tyson may not be an MC, but he’s been a staple in hip hop culture for nearly 30 years. The former boxing champ voiced his own cartoon on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. Mike Tyson Mysteries finds the Brooklyn brawler solving crimes and knocking people out in what seems to be a mesh of Scooby-Doo meets G.I. Joe and Space Ghost.  (Photo: Adult Swin via Cartoon Network)

Ludacris - Ludacris often turns himself into characters for his music video and Hollywood roles, and in 2007, for the animation and Luda-lovers, he became "Luda-Crest" when he appeared on the 400th episode of The Simpsons as a tooth paste fighting the "Menace Tooth Society." He also appeared as himself [a cartoon version, of course] in the hour-long episode.(Photo: FOX)

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Ludacris - Ludacris often turns himself into characters for his music video and Hollywood roles, and in 2007, for the animation and Luda-lovers, he became "Luda-Crest" when he appeared on the 400th episode of The Simpsons as a tooth paste fighting the "Menace Tooth Society." He also appeared as himself [a cartoon version, of course] in the hour-long episode.(Photo: FOX)

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André 3000 - Outkast's André 3000 had his own cartoon series, Class of 3000, which ran for two seasons on The Cartoon Network from 2006-2008. Dre also created the series and starred and voiced music teacher "Sunny Bridges," who took his class of inner city kids on musical and educational adventures. (Photo: Cartoon Network)

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André 3000 - Outkast's André 3000 had his own cartoon series, Class of 3000, which ran for two seasons on The Cartoon Network from 2006-2008. Dre also created the series and starred and voiced music teacher "Sunny Bridges," who took his class of inner city kids on musical and educational adventures. (Photo: Cartoon Network)

T.I. and Tiny - T.I., Tiny and the rest of The Harris clan became animated one Christmas when they left Atlanta and headed to the North Pole to find Santa for a holiday episode of their hit show, The Family Hustle.  (Photo: VH1)

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T.I. and Tiny - T.I., Tiny and the rest of The Harris clan became animated one Christmas when they left Atlanta and headed to the North Pole to find Santa for a holiday episode of their hit show, The Family Hustle.  (Photo: VH1)

T-Pain - T-Pain produced and starred in Freaknik: The Musical, which aired in 2010 on The Cartoon Network. The rappa-ternt-singa played "The Ghost of Freaknik" who tried to bring back the Atlanta skin-fest tradition.(Photo: Adult Swin via Cartoon Network)

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T-Pain - T-Pain produced and starred in Freaknik: The Musical, which aired in 2010 on The Cartoon Network. The rappa-ternt-singa played "The Ghost of Freaknik" who tried to bring back the Atlanta skin-fest tradition.(Photo: Adult Swin via Cartoon Network)

Cee-Lo - Cee Lo Green lent his image and vocals to the 2011 episode of American Dad! called "Hot Water."(Photo: Fox)

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Cee-Lo - Cee Lo Green lent his image and vocals to the 2011 episode of American Dad! called "Hot Water."(Photo: Fox)

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Jay Z - Jay Z played the character of a financial advisor on the cartoon, Secret Millionaire's Club in 2011, and showed a couple of kids how to stack their paper.  (Photo: Hub TV)

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Trae Tha Truth - In 2011, Houston rapper Trae tha Truth released The Adventures of Trae That Truth: Lost in Time, a cartoon featuring Rick Ross. In the series Trae, his ABN crew, and Rozay find themselves lost in time. (Photo: Adventures of Trae)

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Trae Tha Truth - In 2011, Houston rapper Trae tha Truth released The Adventures of Trae That Truth: Lost in Time, a cartoon featuring Rick Ross. In the series Trae, his ABN crew, and Rozay find themselves lost in time. (Photo: Adventures of Trae)

Kid 'n Play - From 1990 to 1991, Kid n' Play had their own NBC Saturday morning animated cartoon based on their real lives. Each week, the teenage representations of themselves got in and out of trouble. (Photo: NBC)

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Kid 'n Play - From 1990 to 1991, Kid n' Play had their own NBC Saturday morning animated cartoon based on their real lives. Each week, the teenage representations of themselves got in and out of trouble. (Photo: NBC)

Kanye West on South Park - West was made the target of the "Fishsticks" episode of South Park on April 8, 2009. Although he admitted to being bruised by the jokes (especially the song, "Gay Fish," which parodied his track, "Heartless"), he took the jabs in jest and said he was working on downplaying his "crazy ego."(Photo: Comedy Central)

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Kanye West on South Park - West was made the target of the "Fishsticks" episode of South Park on April 8, 2009. Although he admitted to being bruised by the jokes (especially the song, "Gay Fish," which parodied his track, "Heartless"), he took the jabs in jest and said he was working on downplaying his "crazy ego."(Photo: Comedy Central)

Kanye West on The Cleveland Show - Ye spoofed himself on two episodes of the Family Guy spinoff, The Cleveland Show. In September 2010, Yeezy voiced the animated character "Kenny West," a high top sneakers-and shades-wearing arch nemesis of Cleveland Jr. The episode resulted in an epic rap battle, with the winner still being debated. West later returned to the show in 2011 to play himself.(Photo: Fox 5)

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Kanye West on The Cleveland Show - Ye spoofed himself on two episodes of the Family Guy spinoff, The Cleveland Show. In September 2010, Yeezy voiced the animated character "Kenny West," a high top sneakers-and shades-wearing arch nemesis of Cleveland Jr. The episode resulted in an epic rap battle, with the winner still being debated. West later returned to the show in 2011 to play himself.(Photo: Fox 5)

MC Hammer - At the peak of his fame, Bay Area rapper MC Hammer was a household name with his own cartoon. The extended hip hop theme song for the show outlines an imaginative explanation of how a regular citizen (Hammer) gained the magical power of dancing up deadly music notes to fight crime as the superhero, "Hammerman." (Photo: DIC Entertainment) 

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MC Hammer - At the peak of his fame, Bay Area rapper MC Hammer was a household name with his own cartoon. The extended hip hop theme song for the show outlines an imaginative explanation of how a regular citizen (Hammer) gained the magical power of dancing up deadly music notes to fight crime as the superhero, "Hammerman." (Photo: DIC Entertainment) 

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Eminem - Eminem sparred with with "Stewie" on The Family Guy in 2009 in several vignettes to promote his album Relapse. (Photo: FOX) 

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Eminem - Eminem sparred with with "Stewie" on The Family Guy in 2009 in several vignettes to promote his album Relapse. (Photo: FOX) 

Cypress Hill  - Originally airing May 19, 1996, The Simpsons episode "Homerpalooza" focuses on Homer's middle-aged crisis and desire to get his groove back by attending the "Hullabalooza" music festival. The members of West Coast rap group Cypress Hill guest starred as themselves on the show.(Photo: Fox 5) 

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Cypress Hill  - Originally airing May 19, 1996, The Simpsons episode "Homerpalooza" focuses on Homer's middle-aged crisis and desire to get his groove back by attending the "Hullabalooza" music festival. The members of West Coast rap group Cypress Hill guest starred as themselves on the show.(Photo: Fox 5) 

50 Cent  - "Pranksta Rap," an episode of The Simpsons that debuted on Feb. 13, 2005, featured 50 Cent as himself. In the episode, Bart sneaks off to one of the rapper's concerts without his parents' permission and has a chance encounter with the star. (Photo: Fox 5)

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50 Cent  - "Pranksta Rap," an episode of The Simpsons that debuted on Feb. 13, 2005, featured 50 Cent as himself. In the episode, Bart sneaks off to one of the rapper's concerts without his parents' permission and has a chance encounter with the star. (Photo: Fox 5)