Patricia Dombrowski, aka Patti Cake$, aka Killa P, is the rapper we've been waiting for. After making a splash at the Sundance Film Festival, Patti Cake$ is finally bringing its rapping protagonist to movie theaters across the country. Unfortunately, the movie won't be bringing Killa P with it into the spotlight as Patti Cake$ isn't a real rapper. But, lucky for us, we've got the next best thing, and that's actor and Patti Cake$ star Danielle Macdonald.
Before landing the role of an aspiring rapper living in New Jersey, Macdonald had never taken the mic or tried to rap in any professional capacity. Her first reaction upon reading the script by writer-director Geremy Jasper was, according to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, "What has he seen that would make him think I could do this?"
Originally from Australia, Macdonald was a struggling actor when she got the part, waiting for her big break in front of the camera, not in the recording studio. So, after meeting Jasper in 2014, Macdonald began her two-year training to get in the mind of Patti Cake$. Her crash course in rap included learning original songs for the movie as well as practicing with a coach to learn classics from other rappers. "Seriously, Geremy sent me pretty much every rapper you can think of, plus a whole bunch of unknown ones," Macdonald told Vulture. "I always liked Biggie, but I have such a new appreciation for him."
Despite all her training, Macdonald still occasionally struggled with the raps onset, in part thanks to Jasper, who made a habit of changing the lyrics at the drop of a hat. "Jeremy would sometimes change the lyrics the night before, and he's like, 'We completely just change the song. Do it tomorrow,'" the actor recounted to The Hollywood Reporter. Any behind-the-scenes chaos paid off in the end. But even though Macdonald successfully pulled off being Patti Cake$ onscreen doesn't mean she's ready to cross over into the rap world in real life.
Macdonald has, as of now, no set plans to start rapping for real, and she already has four projects lined up on IMDB, including the adaptation of the YA hit Dumplin' with Jennifer Aniston. Needless to say, it looks like Patti Cake$ the rapper will probably be stuck in the movie world, but there's always hope for an official soundtrack to tide you over. According to Soundtrack.net, there are no official plans to release a Patti Cake$ soundtrack yet. However, the website also lists over 10 original songs written for the film, many of which are performed by Macdonald, so hopefully those tracks will be coming soon.
