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Spike Lee’s ‘Chiraq’ Trailer Sparks New Controversy, Jokes and Sympathy

Posted byBy Ricky Riley | Published on: CommentsComments (3)

Since the announcement of Spike Lee’s latest film, Chiraq, it’s been engulfed in controversy over the title and accused of reinforcing the negative stereotypes of Black Chicago residents.

The gun violence in Chicago is a popular talking point for Republicans/conservatives and from what the public knows about the film, many people believe it reinforces those talking points and not the real Chicago.

Since Monday, the gun violence in the city has taken a turn for the worst with the shooting of 9-year- old Tyshawn Lee. The Chicago Sun-Times believes Lee is related to a gang member who may have been involved in a series of retaliatory killings. Also, Chicago based model Kaylyn Pryor, 20, was shot in the right armpit. She died from her wounds at a local hospital. Pryor was a model for an anti-violence campaign before being shot while visiting her grandparents. Both victims were caught in the cross fire of alleged gang activity.

Then the trailer for Spike Lee’s new film dropped yesterday, to the dismay of many Twitter users.

https://twitter.com/eveewing/status/661780697590337536

https://twitter.com/eveewing/status/661779872855883776

https://twitter.com/GinoMarleySSR/status/661745748581572608

https://twitter.com/hunter__tyson/status/661682747631644672

https://twitter.com/LilGucciErynn/status/661642521790054400

https://twitter.com/alexisjaya_/status/661694889734897664

While there was overwhelming outrage over the trailer, a few supporters expressed interest in the film’s premise.

https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/661673020117880832

https://twitter.com/theshrillest/status/661638820824088576

https://twitter.com/zblay/status/661649140997312512

https://twitter.com/MatthewACherry/status/661644451769552896

The film is a adaptation of the ancient Greek play Lysistrata by Aristophanes that is set against the backdrop of gang violence in Chicago. Chiraq stars Teyonah Parris, John Cusack, Jennifer Hudson, Anya Engel-Adams, Samuel L. Jackson, Angela Bassett and Nick Cannon among others.

In the large catalog of the director’s work, the film may be a return to form, even amid the controversy. Although Lee has had great success as of late with his award-winning documentaries, he hasn’t had a strictly narrative film hit since 2006’s Inside Man.

Chiraq will be in theaters Dec. 4. 

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