Al Pacino‘s role as Tony Montana in the 1983 film Scarface is one of the most iconic portrayals of an anti-hero in the history of cinema.
A pop culture staple, Scarface‘s impact and influence on Hip-Hop can’t be understated, as Pacino’s performance, along with the film’s ethos, have been ingrained in the minds of listeners and artists alike in the wake of its release.
Pacino recently appeared on the WTF podcast with Marc Maron, during which he discussed Scarface being panned by critics in spite of its popularity among viewers. “I was surprised that it had that reaction,” the 84-year-old said of pundits’ initial reception of the film. “The audiences liked it. Took a while.”
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Directed by Brian De Palma, Scarface arrived at a time when Hip-Hop was coming into its own, with Tony Montana’s ambition and rags-to-riches story resonating with a number of its artists, as well as fans of the music.
“Hip-hop just got it,” Pacino said of the culture’s embrace of the film. “They understood it. They embraced it, the rappers. And then the next thing you know, VHS is going out and more people are seeing it. Plus, we’re on the records, these rappers. And then it just carried and it kept going and going.”
While Pacino’s resume is decorated with iconic roles, the New York native claims he’s “never been that committed to a role” as he was to that of Tony Montana, a performance he himself says brought out a side of him he was unaware he could tap into.
“I don’t know what the hell was the matter with me,” Pacino jokingly said of his portrayal of the power-hungry crime lord.
The actor also refuted speculation that he actually used cocaine as a form of method acting while preparing for his role as Tony Montana, claiming to have never consumed the narcotic, despite the realism of his performance.
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“Nobody believes me,” he said, regarding the rumor. “I’ll say it anyway. It is the truth. I’ve never had coke in my life. I was all about something that was gonna depress this energy of mine. I needed the calm.”
Scarface and Pacino’s role as Tony Montana have been referenced in countless rap lyrics and has inspired dozens of songs within the genre. Artists such as JAY-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Future and others having paid homage to Montana, the film, and Pacino himself over the years, with rap group Mobb Deep going as far as to sample music from the film on their 1996 song “G.O.D., Pt. 3.”
See Marc Maron’s Instagram post with Al Pacino below.
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