Chiwetel Ejiofor

Chiwetel Ejiofor (’The Operative’ in "Serenity") is joining Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington in the Ridley Scott film, "American Gangster".

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Rappers RZA, T.I. and Common have joined the cast of "American Gangster," a 1970s crime drama starring Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington.

Ridley Scott is directing the Universal Pictures project.

Also cast are Chiwetel Ejiofor ("Dirty Pretty Things") and John Ortiz ("Miami Vice").

The movie is based on the life of drug kingpin-turned-informant Frank Lucas (Washington), who shipped heroin to the United States in the coffins of soldiers killed in Vietnam. Lucas was brought to justice by lawman Richie Roberts (Crowe). The two then worked together to expose the crooked cops and foreign nationals.

RZA, a member of rap collective the Wu-Tang Clan, will be one of Crowe’s partners, who is an expert in surveillance. T.I. and Common will play members of Washington’s drug empire.

Ejiofor will play Washington’s brother. Ortiz will play Crowe’s undercover partner who becomes a junkie and a murderer.

RZA is scoring and writing songs for "Afro Samurai," a Samuel L. Jackson-voiced animated series on Spike TV. He also wrote the music for the upcoming Tony Jaa film "The Protector." His feature acting credits include "Derailed" and "Coffee and Cigarettes." T.I. starred in this year’s release "ATL."

Ejiofor worked with Washington in "Inside Man." His breakout film was the 2002 drama "Dirty Pretty Things," in which he played an illegal immigrant. Ortiz was praised for his work as the villain in Michael Mann’s "Miami Vice."