IT Hip-Hop Thespian

Image credit: Sticky Fingaz: Anthony Cutajar/LFI

Why Him? The rapper-turned-actor burned up the screen this past season with powerful roles on ''Platinum'' and ''The Shield.''

Rapping or Acting? ''I think acting might last longer because I can't be 50 years old, on stage rapping, diving in the crowd, and having people slam-dance.''

Worst Job ''I was 13, and you had to be 15 or 16 to get a job [at McDonald's], so my mom taught me how to forge a birth certificate to make myself appear older. It was cool because I got to give all my friends free burgers.''

If He Weren't Acting/Rapping, He'd Be... A con man. ''Some George Clooney con-man-type s---. I always wanted to rob a bank, too. Like I could have a million dollars, and still [do it] just for the fun of it. Hopefully nobody would get hurt.... Maybe I watch too many movies or something.''

Next His album with the group Onyx, ''Triggernometry: The Study of Guns,'' will be out in July; more episodes of ''The Shield.''