Lil Wayne to star in sports film "Patriots"

By Mariel Concepcion

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Rapper Lil Wayne will star in the New Orleans-set sports drama "Patriots" alongside Forest Whitaker and Bow Wow.

The Weinstein Co. film is based on the true story of a high school basketball team whose players attended five different high schools before Hurricane Katrina, and their quest for the state championships.

Wayne will play a high school student who is skeptical of the school's new team.

"Wayne went from a supporting role to a major role in the movie because he read so well," Universal's vice president of marketing, Katina Bynum, told Billboard.com. "We're all very excited and looking forward to it, especially since they reached out to him for this positive role as opposed to a stereotypical one."

Directed by Tim Story ("Barbershop," "Fantastic Four"), the film is slated for a November release.

Lil Wayne's latest single, "Lollipop," sits in the No. 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

Reuters/Billboard