Spike Lee has shifted his focus from critiquing record executives profiting off rap to criticizing rap music itself. He believes certain genres of rap, like 'gangsta rap', do more harm than good to the progress of African Americans. His earlier work, Chi-Raq, reflected on Chicago drill music, displaying his complex views on gang violence. His latest film, Highest 2 Lowest, is inspired by classic noir yet critiques hip-hop culture with a satirical tone, showcasing his ongoing concerns with the genre's impact on society.
"I've always felt you can feel the progress of African Americans by listening to their music. Some of this 'gangsta rap' stuff, it's not doing anybody any good. This stuff is really dangerous."
Spike's musical satire, based on the Lysistrata, is still incredibly entertaining because it's so over-the-top in its preachiness. Unafraid of putting his imperfect and contradictory views on Chicago gang violence on screen, Spike's absurd combination of a lean-sipping Nick Cannon doing drill karaoke... is undeniably full of passion and imagination.
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