Ben Affleck may be an Oscar-winning filmmaker and A-list actor, but he’s also a man of the people—with a Criterion card and a love for Lil Wayne to prove it.
In a recent trip to the hallowed Criterion Closet, Affleck loaded up on some cinematic gems: Miller’s Crossing, The Silence of the Lambs, and, with a wink of self-awareness, Michael Bay’s Armageddon. “I feel like maybe my best work in my career is the commentary on this disc,” he mentioned. It’s a rare moment of Hollywood humility—and humor—that reminds us why Affleck continues to resonate across generations of film and culture fans.
A List That Says More Than It Says
But the real surprise came in a Complex interview alongside The Accountant 2 co-star Jon Bernthal, when Bernthal flipped the script and asked Affleck for his Rapper Mount Rushmore. Without skipping a beat, Affleck delivered:
- Lil Wayne
- Eazy-E
- Slick Rick
- Kendrick Lamar
Is it definitive? Of course not. Is it personal, chaotic, and filled with real respect for hip-hop’s diverse legacy? Absolutely.
Affleck’s picks are telling. You’ve got Lil Wayne, the punchline king and mixtape monster who reinvented Southern rap for a generation. Eazy-E, the Compton icon whose presence helped mainstream West Coast gangsta rap. Slick Rick, whose storytelling mastery laid the foundation for lyrical rap as we know it. And Kendrick Lamar, arguably the most important conscious rapper of the 21st century, whose Pulitzer Prize and cultural impact cement his spot on any serious Mount Rushmore. Is it slightly chaotic? Sure. But that’s what makes it so real.
There’s no polished PR curation here—just a guy naming names off the dome, fusing nostalgia, admiration, and cultural clout. And honestly, that spontaneity is part of the fun. Ask him again tomorrow, and you might hear Nas, Jay-Z, or even a surprise nod to OutKast.
A Walkman Fit For A GOAT
This isn’t Affleck’s first musical name-drop moment. While promoting Air in 2023, he was asked to guess what Michael Jordan would have been bumping on his Walkman in the ’80s. His answer? A crate-digger’s dream: Prince, Grandmaster Flash, Run-D.M.C., Chaka Khan, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Whodini, Kool & The Gang, Fleetwood Mac, and The Sugarhill Gang. A soundtrack as legendary and versatile as Jordan himself. It’s the kind of pop-culture crossover that proves Affleck doesn’t just get the assignment—he lives it.
Final Take: Ben Affleck Is A Real One
Between snatching up Armageddon with zero shame and giving Kendrick Lamar props in the same breath as Slick Rick, Ben Affleck continues to walk the line between highbrow cinephile and hip-hop head. It’s a refreshing reminder that taste doesn’t have to be narrow. And that your Criterion picks and your Mount Rushmore playlist can coexist in beautiful, genre-defying harmony. So whether you’re watching Gone Baby Gone, bumping Tha Carter III, or queuing up good kid, m.A.A.d city, just know: Ben Affleck would probably approve.
