Spike Lee's latest movie, "Chi-Raq," has been receiving a lot of criticism from Chicago rappers, including Chance the Rapper, who called the satirical film "exploitative and problematic." "Let me be the one from Chicago to tell you we not supporting this film out here," he wrote on Twitter last week. In a new interview with MSNBC, Spike Lee has responded to Chance's backlash, and the director, in turn, called out the 22-year-old rapper for being hypocritical in that he's never once spoken out against Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, by whom his father is employed.
"First of all, Chance the Rapper should say full disclosure: his father works for the mayor," said Lee. "His father is the chief of staff. Show me any criticism. If you're so concerned about Chicago, do your research, show me where he's made criticisms about the mayor. I think your finds will be surprising. He's not criticized the mayor. Why? His father works for the mayor."
Ken Bennett, Chance's father, is the deputy chief of staff for Mayor Emanuel as well as the director of the Mayor's Office of Public Engagement, reports Pitchfork. Emanuel has been the subject of protests following the killing of Laquan McDonald by police officer Jason Van Dyke, who was released at the end of last month on $1.5 million bail.
Clearly Lee thinks Chance, due to his family's position within Chicago politics, is selective with whom he criticizes. Watch the full interview below.
