Spike Lee has received both praise and criticism for bringing his talents to Chicago to film controversial film “Chiraq.”
Lil Bibby offered his opinion on Lee’s upcoming film project during an interview with Hip Hops Revival.
“I think it’s good that somebody’s coming in and give light to the City… like show what’s really going on,” he said. “I just hope the storyline is on-point with real life Chicago. …No fake stuff.”
Bibby is not yet ready to jump into acting arena, but he did reveal may lend his talents to the film’s soundtrack.
“I’ve been contacted for the soundtrack,” he said.
Lil Durk and Lil Reese may also have a role in Lee’s “Chiraq.”
Lil Durk revealed him and Lil Reese were approached to star in Spike Lee’s “Chiraq” film during an interview with 107. 5 WGCI’s Kyle, Kendra and Leon.
“Me and Reese was politicking with Spike and [Nick Cannon]. But we just told em, ‘We a be cool with the soundtrack,’” Durk explained. “We’re tryna do this tour. You gotta be on set for this many… plus I just dropped my album. We might just end up on the soundtrack.”
Lil Durk said he is on the fence regarding the “Chiraq” project.
“The thoughts of it… I look at it 50/50. The mayor cause Chiraq is not on the map. Chicago is on the map. I understand the mayor 100 percent,” he said. “They think Chiraq is part of the violence. You know it is cause look at the name. But then again I see Spike Lee cause he going off what’s going on. If you type in and do your research on Chicago, it’s gonna say ‘Chiraq.’”
Durk said similar words during an interview with HipHopWired.
“That’s something we created,” he said. “Cause Iraq War, it’s crazy. We just mix it with Chiraq for all the bullsh*t going on. You got a lot of positive people in Chicago that don’t really like that name. They a say ‘We anti-Chiraq. It’s not Chiraq, it’s Chicago.’ Spike Lee just doing what’s today. He’s doing what’s going on. What people really wanna see.”
Lee’s “Chiraq” will be a music comedy. It will be based on popular Greek play “Lysistrata.” The comedy follows Lysistrata who ended the Peloponnesian War by persuading women of Greece withhold sexual privileges from their husbands. Lee may have women of Chicago try the same method to end the bloodshed on the streets of the Windy City.
The film is set to be based in the Englewood neighborhood, which is not only a hotbed of rap talent, but also an area of extreme poverty and violence. Lee met with Mayor Rahm Emanuel who voiced his concerns about the film project.
Lee told Emanuel the project would be about Englewood’s black-on-black violence, according to the Chicago Tribune.
“We had an honest, frank conversation,” Emanuel said of his meeting with Lee, which Emanuel’s staff said took place at City Hall, according to the Tribune. “He said that while the movie is about the neighborhood of Englewood, I was clear that I was not happy about the title. I told him also that there are very good people that live in Englewood who are raising their family and there’s a lot of positive things that are happening in Englewood mainly driven by the people that make up Englewood.
“He did say the movie would take on the subject of black-on-black violence, specifically African-American male to African-American male violence, and how it’s affecting the community and what goes on,” Emanuel continued. “I said then, and I believe, that’s an important conversation to have. Given you’re a great artist, while I don’t support the title and I don’t like the working title, the topic is a conversation that has been ignored for too long and needs to be discussed.”
Lee and Amazon Studios are seeking a $3 million tax break from their production, according to DNA Info. Lee’s reps met with the Illinois Film Office and City Department of Special Events.
Lee has reportedly tapped Common, Samuel L. Jackson and Jeremy Piven to appear in the film.
The Oscar-nominated filmmaker has been in the City conducting research for the film and has met with many community leaders. The “Bamboozled” director recently met Chi Town’s own Prince Eazy who discussed the perils of his hometown in the form of rhymes.
The film is expected for release in 2016.
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