By Drew Grant 5/07 6:13pm

Franco Files

Riff Raff as James Franko. (Hulu)

Scorned Rapper Riff Raff Determined to OutFranco James Franco (Video)

Because this is what the world needs: More people imitated James Franco’s career path. (Where all houses are half built before being abandoned, all prose is a pale imitation of Jack Kerouac’s writing style and even beverages are somehow phallic.) Though we do think that rapper Riff Raff has the right idea at beating the actor-cum-whatever at his own game after Mr. Franco dissed him by not acknowledging his stylistic contributions to the character of Alien in Spring Breakers. The former From G’s To Gents reality star has decided to go back to the small screen…this time taking a cameo in One Life to Live as a character named–wait for it–James Franko. Read More

By Drew Grant 3/04 5:04pm

Spring Breakers

You have to admit a similarity. (Getty/Division Films)

‘Ask FRANCO who his image was based on’: Rapper RiFF RaFF Rips Spring Breakers Star

Last week, The Observer reported on a potential feud brewing between Nascar Grand Marshal James Franco and RiFF RaFF, a Texas-based rapper who had claimed that the role of Alien in Spring Breakers was originally offered to him, though he was later offered a smaller role as part of the character’s posse. Franco not only disagreed, but claimed to not have even used RiFF RaFF as a major inspiration for the part, despite striking similarities in grooming and wardrobe.

Today the artist currently under Diplo’s label and working on an album called NEON iCon responded to our requests to clarify the situation. Read More

By Drew Grant 2/28 9:44pm

Acting with James Franco

Clockwise from top: Franco, Dangeruss and Riff Raff

James Franco Finds Way to Piss Off Rapper After Playing Down Spring Breakers Inspiration

In Spring Breakers, James Franco has made the role of a lifetime: Alien, a gangsta white-boy townie from Florida who seduces (and in turn gets seduced by) the trio of bubble-gum co-eds turned criminals played by Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, and director Harmony Korine’s wife, Rachel Korine. He’s a creepy, status-obsessed wannabe, but Franco managed to take inspiration from outside of himself anyway.

Since the beginning, rapper Riff Raff has been promoting the film, saying the Franco character was based on him. And the similarities are evident: the gold grill, the dreadlocks, the fact that one of his albums was called The Golden Alien and he and Korine appeared on a Sneeze magazine’s cover together.

All was kosher. That is, until James Franco got upset over the idea that his performance could have been done by the From Gs to Gents contestant himself. Read More