EXCLUSIVE: Rapper DMX has just committed to star in Pimp, an indie film from writer-director Christine Crokos that looks at life for women on the streets of New York amidst the hustles and dangers facing those working in the illegal sex trade. At the center of this film is a love story between a pimp (Keke Palmer, Akeelah And The Bee) and her girlfriend (Haley Ramm, The Originals) who dream of a better life and hope to get out of the one they’re in. Filming is underway in New York.

Also in the film are Aunjanue Ellis (The Help, Birth Of A Nation), Vanessa Morgan (Finding Carter) and Edi Gathegi (Twilight). Alexis Varouxakis of 1821 Pictures and Adrenaline Entertainment is producing, along with Victoria Bousis, with Charlie Dibe co-producing. Corey Large, Nick Garyfallos, Bader Alghanim, Gina Saracino and Gary Ousdahl are executive producing.

“This movie is quite unique,” said Varouxakis. “The writer-director is a woman. All the lead characters are women and at it’s core it is a love story, but it takes place in a harsh world where women have to hustle to survive. We have never seen a woman pimp before with a girlfriend.” He said that they are shooting in the heart of the Bronx, and Crokos also is working closely with a man of the cloth in the community who is trying to get kids out of the circle of gun violence that plagues the area. How great is that?

DMX has been adding his voice and performance to soundtracks lately for such films as Central Intelligence and Deadpool. He is repped by Cheryl Murphy at Spectrum Talent.