Related
Rapper Ja Rule portrayed a minor case in the first episode of theFast & Furiousfranchise , but he has yet to reprise his role for any continuation in the long - running film serial . The prominent figure played Edwin in 2001’sThe Fast and the Furious , which starred Vin Diesel and Paul Walker as Dominic Toretto and Brian O’Conner , severally . The franchise now star an ensemble cast and the majority of the group is set to come out inF9and the untitled tenth moving picture .
Edwin was a Los Angeles native demand in the local street racing scene . When Brian need to partake in a wash , the freshman was met by Edwin ’s criticism . He joined Dom and Brian for a quarter - mile racein his 1994 Acura Integra . Not only was he easily defeated , but he was also abase in front of the crowd of spectators and fellow racers . Dom wind up winning the race and Edwin was n’t see in the series again .
Related : Fast & Furious Fan Theory : Is Kurt Russell ’s Mr Nobody Jesse ’s Father ?
The dealership ’s first sequel,2 Fast 2 Furious , reposition centering to Walker after Brian assisted Dom and fled to Miami . Director John Singleton originally wanted Ja Rule to deliver as a elbow room for Edwin to ransom himself in the first picture . His lineament would have presumably wound up in Florida to aidBrianin some way , but that plan never came to realization . rather , Ja Rule turned down the go to return , and Ludacris was cast in a life - alter lance .
Ja Rule Thought He Was “Too Big” For Fast & Furious
Ja Rule was in the midst of a successful euphony life history when he was pay $ 15,000 for his appearance inThe Fast and the Furious . When Singleton had hopes of play back the rapper , the pay was increase to $ 500,000 . The director contact out to Ja Rule ’s team to no avail , force him to travel to the music studio as a last - ditch try . In an interview ( viaGrantland ) , Singleton revealed that Ja Rule " got too prominent for himself " so he work his sights to Ludacris , make a new character for the fellow rapper . Ja Rule , on the other handwriting , claimed that he count taking the function , but ultimately wanted something different . He explain the reasoning in an interview withMTV :
" I just felt it was n’t the best move for me as far as what I need to do in Hollywood powerful now . I ’m really assay to do this act thing very seriously . And you get laid , sometimes every move is not the ripe move . "
Ja Rule also credit a scheduling conflict for the intellect he did n’t come back to theFast & Furious dealership . Not only was he tour at the time , but the knocker also had a role in 2002’sHalf Past Dead . Though his schedule would have been a concern , Singleton ’s energy to bring him back suggest that there was wiggle elbow room when it came to filming schedule . Though Ja Rule went on to seem in celluloid likeThe Cookout , Assault on Precinct 13,andWrong Side of Town , his playing life history never came close to the success that Ludacris had throughFast & Furious . He subsequently put an end to any next opportunities after brush off the lance .
Playing Tej Parker was a career - defining move for Ludacris . After link the enfranchisement in 2003 , doorknocker / actor returned in 2011’sFast Five , which was a transformative installment thanks to theaddition of Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs . Ludacris went on to appear in every sequel since , and he will reprise his role inF9 , set up to debut in April 2021 . Meanwhile , Ja Rule has been pretermit from the public eye when it do to music and acting . Had he returned to theFast & Furiousfranchise in the former ' 00s , that might not be the suit . That enjoin , there ’s still peck of time for Edwin to make a cameo before The Fast Saga comes to an end .
Next : Fast & Furious Needs Another Tokyo Drift ( But Not A subsequence )