Rhymefest to Spike Lee: ‘You owe Chicago an apology’

Rhymefest, who refers to Pfleger as “my brother, my mentor,” said he and the priest/community activist do not see eye-to-eye on Lee’s film, which Pfleger has openly supported.

“I love Father Pfleger,” Rhymefest said. “I speak to him once a week. But my brother, my friend, my mentor was used [by Lee]. I told him that. . . . We’re still on good terms. You can disagree with a friend. . . . It’s unfortunate that someone as revered as Spike Lee used his reputation to come in and act like he was gonna help the community and then just leave with the money. I hope he’ll come back and make good on the community. But the money [he’ll make on the film] can’t take back the mockery. It can’t take back opportunity that was missed” by Lee to create a film that truly reflects the violence plaguing Chicago.

“If I were to go to Brooklyn [Lee lives in New York] and grab one community leader and say I’m gonna make a movie called ‘Blacks Kill Blacks All Day in Brooklyn,’ and this movie is written by somebody from Chicago, I don’t think Spike Lee would like that. At the end of the day, I take issue with the name ‘Chi-Raq.’ The way the film was made in secrecy, and then Lee tells us to just trust him. That’s the story of Chicago. Everything’s done in Chicago in secrecy. That’s the politics of Chicago.

“He learned Chicago politics quick,” he said with a laugh.

“I just want to say I’m a fan of Spike Lee, and also fan of some of the films he has made,” Rhymefest continued. “But this is a perfect example of somebody not from Chicago who comes to Chicago and exploits the violence and the situation without leaving anything sustainable in its place.”

Rhymefest said he plans to see the film, and, if it’s “better than what’s in the script or the trailer,” he’s “willing to shake Spike Lee’s hand and apologize.”

Watch the trailer for “Chi-Raq” here.

Article Appeared @http://entertainment.suntimes.com/entertainment-news/rhymefest-spike-lee-owe-chicago-apology/

 

 

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