Hollywood, CA – Seeing famous Hollywood actors recite rap lyrics can be very awkward, funny, or impressive. Anna Kendrick falls into the latter category for her fluid mic skills with a karaoke version M.O.P’s “Ante Up.”
The 33-year-old actress appeared on daytime talk show Ellen on Thursday (September 7) to promote her new film A Simple Favor. To embody the film’s title, Anna Kendrick exchange favors on the set: Kendrick asks for the film to be promoted on DeGeneres’ Twitter account, and DeGeneres requests Kendrick to recreate a scene from the film her rapping in a car.
At the 1:20 minute mark, DeGeneres hands her a microphone and the instrumental to “Ante Up” begins to blare on the show’s studio. As she clears her throat, she says in a glib manner: “Thanks guys, respect the streets,” and seamlessly rhymes Lil Fame’s entire first verse in the song.
“I was really feeling the rap,” Kendrick sarcastically says about her rap scene in the film. “I would say that you have to have respect for the streets, which is how I try to live my life.”
Her rendition “Ante Up” received high praise from M.O.P.’s longtime producer DJ Premier. “Yeahhh!!! So ill,” Premier says in the caption the post on his Instagram account.
Kendrick is no stranger to rapping on camera. She frequently recites rap lyrics during interviews and was the lead star for the successful Pitch Perfect movie series, which packed on dozens Hip Hop cuts,
Also, Hip Hop is a mainstay on DeGeneres’ show. She always has her actors who appear on her show rap with her, or does it by herself to impress rap artists with parodies their music videos.