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Joaquin Phoenix, Actor Turned Rapper, Kicks a Funky Rhyme

by Jarrett Martineau | January 19, 2009 at 07:55 am

614 views | 2 Recommendations | 5 comments

It's "Bye! Good" actin' and hello rappin' for Joaquin Phoenix.

Or is it? Could this possibly be real?

Recently retired actor Joaquin Phoenix may be moving his talents into the world of music with a debut Hip-Hop album.
Last October, Phoenix officially announced his retirement from acting, after a 24-year career.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Phoenix's first Hip-Hop show will commence tonight at an undetermined Las Vegas club.

Chronicling Phoenix's music aspirations will be friend and To Die For co-star Casey Affleck.

The footage is expected to be compiled for a full length documentary detailing Phoenix's transition from actor to musician.

Sean "Diddy" Combs is rumored to be the executive producer for Phoenix's pending debut.

UPDATE | Jan. 19 — Joaquin Rappin' is No Joke

Despite the guffaws and confusion of most of his fans, Joaquin is unapologetic about his transition from acting to hip-hop.

We'll see where this ends up. I'm wondering if it just might be possible that Phoenix is pulling a Baron-Cohen on all of us, and may yet reveal how easy it is to fool the Hollywood gossip world with just a few funky rhymes — and a little help from P. Diddy and Casey Affleck.

"This is me saying this is who I am," Phoenix declared before hopping on stage for his hip-hop set.

"This is my story."

And in case you can't make it, brother-in-law Casey Affleck (married to Summer Phoenix) is shooting a documentary of Joaquin's evolution.

"Are there people out there who think I'm a joke? I'm sure there will be. Are there people who think it's going to suck? Probably, but I can't worry about that," Phoenix told press

2 See all footage | View Slideshow

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Robert Sutherland

at 16:59 on January 16th, 2009

I really hope this turns out to be fake.

Amy Judd

at 17:02 on January 16th, 2009

This is awful - awful beyond words...

Geneva B

at 14:14 on January 19th, 2009

Call me old-fashioned but isn't "over-30" a little too old to be starting out a career in hip hop? Bluegrass or something else might sound more appropriate but...