How did the lead singer of Limp Bizkit get a job directing Ice Cube’s family flick The Longshots? Check out our Q&A with the recovering rap-rocker.

Fred Durst has been out of the spotlight for a minute now, but he hasn’t been out of the picture. The motion picture, that is. The 38-year-old former frontman for Limp Bizkit, arguably the biggest band of the late ’90s/early ‘00s rap-rock era, has been focusing on filmmaking since LB’s 2005 album The Unquestionable Truth, Pt. 1. His second film and first major theatrical release, The Longshots, comes out this weekend and stars Ice Cube and KeKe Palmer in a story about the first girl to play Pop Warner football.

It’s heartwarming and family friendly—not exactly what you’d expect from a guy who used to encourage troubled youth to break shit and may or may not have leaked his own sex tape. Durst seems to have quieted down considerably and the only thing he wants to smash these days is the box office. Read on to see his thoughts on exploiting his name for the movie, why he prefers making family films over pornos, and how he feels about his old Limp Bizkit beefs.

Complex: How did you end up directing The Longshots?

Fred Durst: A friend of mine got a hold of the script, read it, heard that Ice Cube was attached to it, and we thought it would be interesting to see Ice Cube do a little more of a dramatic role in this piece, because it wasn’t like Are We There Yet? So I requested to meet with the producer and Ice Cube and Bob Weinstein and see where everybody’s head was with the film. It just started flowing from there.

Complex: Cube has established himself as a box office draw but you’re a new director. Why do you think they trusted you to make this film?

Fred Durst: Meeting me and hearing my perspective on the story and the script and what I wanted to do with it. They were able to hear that I was speaking their language and wanted to make the kind of movie that everybody wanted to make. There’s a lot of first-time filmmakers who get an opportunity to direct movies.

Complex: Having already transitioned from music to a legitimate film career, was Cube an inspiration for you?

Fred Durst: He’s an inspiration for me because he let his work speak for itself. That’s what I’m hoping to do here, make films that people see and experience and emotionally react to, without exploiting the fact that I made the film, because I think that can only get in the way of the experience coming up as a filmmaker. I’m definitely a musician and I feel I’m definitely a filmmaker. For some people you can’t be both, but I don’t think it matters. The proof is in the pudding, so you have to go deliver. I didn’t just decide to make a film, like, “I can do it because I can.” It takes a lot of meetings and a lot of work and a lot of time devoted to starting over again as a filmmaker. It’s been a long journey as a filmmaker, and luckily it’s not just all dream and talk. I’ve actually been able to make two films so far and it’s just a huge learning process and you continue to evolve and learn. I’m really grateful and happy that I’m on my way to finding my voice in cinema. Home // CELEBRITIES // WEB EXCLUSIVE // Fred Durst