Symba’s move into acting is starting to look a lot more like a real second lane for the rapper best known for dropping some of the most prolific freestyles Hip Hop has seen in the 2020s.
The Bay Area artist and now actor has molded himself into a multi-hyphenate. His mutability in all things creative has landed him a legit role in FX’s “The Drop: A Snowfall Saga,” the new “Snowfall” spinoff. The series premiered September 8 and shifts the franchise into 1991, where street politics and the rise of West Coast gangsta rap begin colliding in a new era of Los Angeles.
Interesting take on the Snowfall universe especially during these times. With the murder of Tupac Shakur trial approaching a sentencing phase and Snoop Dogg biopic picking up steam, The Drop seems poised for a moment in the ether.
What makes Symba’s casting especially interesting is that the role was reportedly not originally there for him.
He initially auditioned for a different character and seemingly did not get the part.
Get this, his performance still made enough of an impression that the creative team reportedly decided to create an entirely new character specifically for him.
Symba later shared that the opportunity arrived during a difficult stretch involving his record label and helped restore some of his confidence.
He also publicly thanked “Jameis” and members of the production for believing in him and pushing for his involvement behind the scenes.
That kind of backing makes more sense when you look at what Symba already did on screen.
ICYMI, his performance as a young Too $hort in “Freaky Tales” drew major attention, especially because directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck had struggled to find a traditional actor who could convincingly match Too $hort’s presence. Symba auditioned while touring with Joyner Lucas, recording a tape where he performed lyrics from “Don’t Fight the Feelin’.”
Once he landed the role, Too $hort personally helped him prepare, sending over four early music videos and archival interviews so Symba could study his cadence, body language and energy from that period.
Too $hort later praised the portrayal, saying Symba “nailed it on the head,” while joking about one backstage moment that did not quite match real life.
Now Symba steps into a television world with deep ties to hip-hop history.
“The Drop: A Snowfall Saga” was created and showrun by Malcolm Spellman and continues the creative legacy of the late John Singleton. Returning “Snowfall” characters Leon Simmons, played by Isaiah John, and Wanda Bell, played by Gail Bean, anchor the story as the series explores a changing Los Angeles shaped by music, power and the streets.
The eight-episode first season airs weekly on FX and streams on Hulu through October 27.
For Symba, the actor trajectory is clear and the sky’s the limit. One role came from proving he could embody a rap legend. The next was written into existence after he walked into an audition room and made himself impossible to ignore.
Bay Area standup.