By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices

If 50 Cent has done anything right, it's not perpetuating his thug rap icon status; it's his honing sharp and tenacious business acumen. His Coca Cola-purchased Vitamin Water deal has put him in the big leagues of high-powered millionaires. And his acting career is in high demand. Fresh off the hills of starring in the poignant war drama 'Home of the Brave,' the Hollis, Queens-bred bad-boy (whose third album, titled 'Curtis,' has been pushed back to later this year) is reportedly in negotations to star in a film with Hollywood legends Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino. According to publshed reports, the platinum-selling hip-hop felon (legally known as Curtis Jackson) is in final negotiations to join the cast of 'Righteous Kill,' a crime thriller that is expected to start shooting in September. The Italian acting veterans will play detectives tracking a serial killer, while Jackson would play a drug dealer who helps them with their investigation.

Though it's been a series of hits ('Snakes on a Plane') and a few misses ('Black Snake Moan') for Academy Award nominee Samuel L. Jackson, the workload does not stop. Already considered the hardest working black man in Hollywood, the Washington, D.C. native is reportedly filming the role of Nick Fury in the upcoming Jon Favreau-helmed super-hero movie 'Iron Man.' The movie already has Robert Downey, Jr. and Terrence Howard attached in the lead roles, but the Fury character may get spun off until its own film if this one does well. 'Iron Man' is expected to hit theaters next spring. Meanwhile, Jackson's latest movie 'Room 1408,' has done suprisingly well at the box office during its opening weekend --raking in $20 million.

And I must admit that Tyler Perry has been striking homeruns with the eye-candy that he chooses to star in his films. From hunky TV actors such as Shemar Moore, Henry Simmons, Idris Elba and Boris Kodjoe to stunning beauties such as Lisa Arindell Anderson, Rochelle Aytes and 54-year-old Emmy Award winning screen siren Lynn Whitfield, the cross-dressing playwright seems to have his casting choices down to a science. And now he's going to the NBA for his stable of talent. Black Voices's very own film blogger Wilson Morales has broke the news that former LA Lakers forward Rick Fox has joined the cast of his forthcoming film 'Meet the Browns,' which already has Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett attached. Fox, the recent ex-husband of Vanessa Williams, has previous acting credits including films such as 'Eddie,' 'He Got Game,' HBO's prison drama series 'Oz,' and 'One Tree Hill.'