When Hollywood legend Denzel Washington and rap star A$AP Rocky stepped into a studio for Spike Lee’s new film Highest 2 Lowest, no one expected an epic rap showdown. The scene, inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s classic High and Low, starts as a tense confrontation between Washington’s character, powerful music executive David King, and Rocky’s aspiring rapper Yung Felon — but soon turns into a lyrical duel that left Rocky stunned.
The twist? Denzel came prepared. Mixing lines from Nas, Tupac, DMX, Outkast, and more, he caught the professional rapper off guard. “How does this man know who Moneybagg Yo is?” Rocky laughed, still shocked at the 70-year-old actor’s hip-hop knowledge.
Even though Rocky is the real-life rap professional, he admits defeat. “I lost a rap battle to this man. And I’m a professional rapper,” he said. Washington, grinning, confessed he used other artists’ lines but had been “practicing for a long time” — waiting for the right platform to show his skills.
Off-screen, Washington’s love for hip-hop runs deep. In interviews, he’s been seen rapping along to Nas’ N.Y. State of Mind, quoting DMX, and dropping lines from modern artists like Samara Cyn and Smino. Rocky calls it “method acting at its finest,” saying Washington should have been a rapper.
Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest, releasing in theaters before heading to Apple TV+, is more than just a heist thriller. It’s a clash of generations in the music industry, touching on how social media followers can outweigh raw talent and how artificial intelligence is changing the game. Rocky warns that AI is already producing hit tracks without real artists’ voices, while Washington remains skeptical about a future without live performers.
For Rocky, this project was personal. Shot before his acquittal in a high-profile trial, it marks a turning point in both his music and acting career. For Washington, it was the moment to unleash a hidden passion he’d kept under wraps for decades.
As Rocky puts it: “I waited my whole life for this.”
Washington’s booming laugh follows: “Me too! I’ve been a closet rapper for 40 years. Finally, I get the chance.”
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