Spike Lee And Nas: Two Of A Kind (commentary)

Fresh Theory really put together a great write-up on the similar perceptions and career pathways of Spike and Nasir.  There are some strong relevant points to their stances on race, as well as, their perceieved relevance to their fans.  Smart readers – read this and discuss.  Dumb readers – read this and don’t discuss, just listen.  The image was so good I had to jack that too.

Fresh Theory writes:

Over the holiday weekend I watched Miracle at St. Anna for the second time because a friend of mine hadn’t seen it.  I told her I didn’t think she would like the film prior to us watching but we watched anyway on a rainy afternoon in DC.  As soon as the movie was over my friend went to an all familiar rant about Spike Lee not making good movies any longer and how she couldn’t remember the last film he directed that she liked.  I’m a Spike Lee fan so I quickly reminded her of telling me she liked Inside Man starring Denzel and Jodie Foster. Our conversation took me back to a conversation I had with another friend about judging a career by the body of work.  This friend and I were speaking about the body of work of Nasir Jones.

Today while I listened to  It Was Written while cleaning up my place I couldn’t help but be taken back to the conversations I had with those friends and it got me thinking about how much the art and careers of Spike Lee and Nas are kind of similar. Spike Lee hailed as the best Black Director of our time after coming on the scene behind the success of the films She’s Gotta Have It, School Daze and Do The Right Thing.  Nas after just two singles Live at the BBQ and Halftime at one point was called the second coming of the God MC Rakim. While both have maintained their relevance opinions about the two fluctuate between overrated, irrelevant and the best to ever do it.

Remember Matty Rich? You know that kid that directed the Inkwell.  What was the Last Movie John Singleton directed?  I’m not even going to get into some of the one hit wonder rappers that have come and gone since the first time I heard Halftime in 1992.  Both Nas and Spike have never been far from controversy. Spike Lee’s film Malcolm X at the time was monumental, for the simple fact that Malcolm X was not yet seen as Black American Icon that he is today, still debatable.  The attempt to even make the film became a labor of love with Spike borrowing money from other Hollywood stars just to complete it. Some of the U.S. and the world for that matter still didn’t view Malcolm X as such a heroic figure. Who can forget Nas and his now estranged wife Kelis showing up to the Grammy’s in the Nigger tees.  Although Nigger the original album title was scrapped you have to take your hat off to the chipped tooth kid for even making the attempt. Who in the last 10 years has even tried to make an album addressing race head on and not tiptoeing around it?

Say what you want about Spike and Nas but they both have sealed their places in history with the bodies of work they will leave behind.  Nas has been dogged for poor business decisions and from moving past the Uzi in the army lining flow, while Spike has been criticized for not making the big action film or trying to force a message down our throats instead of entertaining us. We all know what they’re capable of doing with their talent but I find their reluctance to not compromise their art for dollars or fame refreshing.  Like it or not, in the end artists like Spike lee and Nas will always remain relevant. You will always be able to remember their most recent projects and when they’re gone the last.  Have you figured out what John Singleton’s last movie was yet?  No diss to John, it’s just an observation. Boyz N The Hood is a classic.