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Veteran filmmaker Spike Lee‘s latest joint, Chiraq pays an unfortunate homage to the gang and gun violence in the city of Chicago, when the girlfriend (Teyonah Parris) of a Chicago gang leader (Nick Cannon) persuades other frustrated women to withhold sex until their men agree to end the senseless cycle of violence.

“That premise comes from a play, Lissastra written by Aristophanes…they said lock it up! It was written in 411 BC. We’re really very happy with the cast. Angela Basset, Dave Chappelle, Nick Cannon, Teyonah Parris, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Hudson, we have a ton of people to come together for one purpose – to save lives.”

 

Nick Cannon, left, and Spike Lee attend the premiere of "Chi-Raq" at the Ziegfeld Theatre on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

On his decision to cast Nick Cannon as a gangster rapper:

“There was a lot of noise out of Chicago, especially from Chicago rappers. Nick Cannon ain’t hard, Nick Cannon ain’t killed nobody. There’s no honor having bodies on you. We’ve got to raise people’s consciousness. We’ve got to come to a place where young brothers understand that your life is most precious.”

Click the link above to hear the entire interview.

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(Photo Source: Courtesy, AP, Chiraq Instagram)

Spike Lee Says ‘Chiraq’ Is A Love Letter To Chicago’s South Side, Defends Decision To Cast Nick Cannon  was originally published on blackamericaweb.com