To celebrate the release of his new film, Highest 2 Lowest, legendary director Spike Lee tapped in to talk with The Big Tigger Morning Show on V-103 in Atlanta.
LISTEN NOW: Spike Lee on 'The Big Tigger Morning Show'
It's been 18 years since Lee last connected on a project with Denzel Washington, but Spike shares that shooting Highest 2 Lowest, it was like no time had passed. "So the first day of set was like 'Inside Man' ended yesterday," he reveals. "We see each other during those times, but here's the important thing is that during that time our families really became tighter. Our wives, our children, they were growing up. D and me, we did not know it was 18 years, so journalists told us that."
Even after all this time, Denzel still has some surprises for Spike, bringing his own bars to a rap battle in the film with A$AP Rocky. "Rocky, his scenes were with Denzel, so it it was like a heavyweight fight. They were throwing bombs at each other, which were lyrical bombs, because at the end of the film, I know I might might be giving away a little bit, but there's a rap battle."
"Throwing bars at each other. The amazing thing about that was that it was not scripted. Denzel came in, I didn't know it. A$AP didn't know it, and he start dropping bars, some Nas' 'Illmatic.' I'm looking at the script. 'Well, where, where did this come from?' And A$AP, the artist that he is, he wasn't rattled, so he was throwing stuff back to him and it's one of the highlights of the film. People really responded to that showdown."
Hear more from Spike Lee on the making of the film above. Highest 2 Lowest is now in theaters.