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“…watch a flick, illin and root for the villian..” – Nas, “One Time For Ya Mind”

As likable as the good guys are in movies  (we see you Will Smith) there is something about a badass that keeps us lined up at the box office quoting them long after the credits roll. Just think about who is more memorable: Tupac’s Bishop from Juice or his Lucky character from Poetic Justice? Thought so.

Not only is it more fun to play the bad guy in a movie, it seems to pay more dividends. Monique has won a Golden Globe for her role in Precious as the abusive mother, Mary, and Denzel won his first Best Actor Oscar playing a villain in Training Day.  The last time a Black actor won an award for being nice on screen was Jennifer Hudson winning Best Supporting Actress for  Dream Girls (2006), Jamie Foxx for Ray and Morgan Freeman for Million Dollar Baby in 2004.  While I’m sure many of you reading this can quote the crooked cop Alonzo line for line, I doubt most folks can remember one thing that “Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris” said in that boxing gym.

So here is our salute to those characters that were so good at being bad.

Bishop, Juice

Played by: Tupac Shakur

Tweet this: “You gotta get the ground beneath your feet, partner, get the wind behind your back and go out in a blaze if you got to!”

Jules Winnfield, Pulp Fiction

Played by: Samuel L. Jackson

Tweet this: “Say ‘what’ again! Say ‘what’ again! I dare you, I double dare you motherfucker, say what one more Goddamn time!”

O-Dog, Menace II Society

Played by: Larenz Tate

Tweet this: “Anybody wanna hamburger? I just got it from a basehead!”

Sho Nuff, The Last Dragon

Played by: Julius Carry

Tweet this: “Kiss my Converse!”

Evilene, The Wiz

Played by: Mabelle King

Tweet this: “Don’t nobody bring me no bad news!”

Mary, Precious

Played by: Mo’Nique

Tweet this:”You sit there and you judge me, and you write them notes on your notepad, because you think you know who I am!”

Stab, Pee Wee and Zilla, House Party

Played by: Full Force

Tweet this: “We’ll kick yo’ fuckin ass!”

Deebo, Friday

Played by: Tiny Zeus Lester

Tweet this: “Wachu got on my 40, Homey?”/”This is MY bike!”

Alonzo, Training Day

Played by: Denzel Washington

Tweet this: “King Kong ain’t got shit on me!”

Nino Brown, New Jack City

Played by: Wesley Snipes

Tweet this: “Cancel this bitch!”

Honorable mentions:

Vin Diesel as Riddick in Pitch Black

Vanessa Williams as Keisha in New Jack City, “Rock-a-bye baby!”

Jeffrey Wright as Peoples Hernandez in Shaft (2000)

Vivica A. Fox as Vernita Green in Kill Bill