Mahershala Ali Used to Be a Pretty Good Rapper [VIDEO]

You can now add Mahershala Ali to the list of rappers who are also Oscar winners. Yep, the Moonlight actor was once a rapper and he’s actually pretty good.

Hip-HopWired discovered two vintage music videos (circa 2006-7) of a younger Mahershala Ali when he was then known as rapper Prince Ali. Apparently, Ali was signed to the Bay Area rap collective Hieroglyphics’ label Hiero Imperium. He managed to release two albums: Corner Ensemble in 2006 and Curb Side Service in 2007.

One of the standout tracks from Curb Side Service LP is “The Majors,” which featured Hiero’s Casual, Canadian rhymer Planet Asia and Def Squad alum Keith Murray. In the video below, you can see and hear that Prince Ali was a very skillful MC spitting nothing but enlightening bars.

Now that Ali is a Oscar winner, it's unlikely he will return to his old rap roots and become Prince Ali again. But we are quite sure he'll bring a piece of his rap laurels to every role he plays.

Check out the rap videos below. Also, the cast of Moonlight is featured in a new Calvin Klein campaign. Peep those images below as well.