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Chi-Raq has been littered with controversy from the moment Spike Lee decided to create the film about the ongoing violence in Chicago.

Following the release of the film’s trailer, many people felt Spike Lee was making light of a serious situation. The director has since re-edited a new trailer which gives more insight to the premise behind the film.

Lee also added his personal commentary to the trailer in hopes of getting people to better understand where he was coming from in writing the script.

Chi-Raq is not a comedy. Chi-Raq is a satire. There’s a difference between humor and comedy,” he said.

“In no way shape or form are we not respectful of the situation that is happening in Chi-Raq. In no way shape or form are we making light of the lives that have been murdered with this senseless violence.”

Following the most recent death of 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee, who was reportedly lured into an alley and killed by Chicago gang members, I think it’s too soon for Spike to have even created a “satirical” depiction of what’s going on in the city.

The budget for the film could have been used in a more constructive way. Lee and the star power associated with the project could have established some after-school theatre arts programs to help the next generation of film makers tell their own story about Chicago instead of Lee using his imagination to do it for them.

How many other times has a director had to address and defend the TRAILER of their film? Before the December 4th release date, do you think Spike Lee should send Chi-Raq straight to Netflix for fear it’ll fail in theaters?

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