Rapper/actor Kid Cudi is returning to the small screen after signing on for Lee Daniels' hit hip-hop show Empire.

The Day 'N' Nite hitmaker won't be straying too far from his day job - he will portray a musician named Gram, who becomes a chart and love rival for Bryshere Gray's character, MC Hakeem, as he romances singer Serayah's onscreen persona, Tiana.

Fellow hip-hop star French Montana has also landed a guest appearance on season three of Empire, which returns to TV in September (16), reports Entertainment Weekly.

Cudi's role is his first recurring TV gig since starring on HBO drama How to Make It in America, which ended in 2011 after two seasons. He has also appeared on hit shows Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Scorpion, and the animated The Cleveland Show, while his recent movie credits include Need for Speed and Entourage.