Spike Lee Says A$AP Rocky Landed Denzel Movie Role Thanks to Memes

Sometimes, social media really does make dreams come true.

Legendary director Spike Lee recently revealed that A$AP Rocky’s casting in his upcoming film Highest 2 Lowest was inspired by a meme that compared Rocky to Denzel Washington’s son.

During a sit-down on 7PM in Brooklyn, Carmelo Anthony’s podcast, Lee shared that the idea first sparked years ago while scrolling Instagram.

“I saw those posts saying A$AP looked like Denzel’s son,” Spike laughed. “It stayed with me. And now it’s part of the film.”

The movie, a modern spin on Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low, marks Lee’s fifth collaboration with Washington. But this time, the spotlight is on Rocky, who Lee praised for holding his own alongside the Oscar winner.

“He’s got it,” Spike said. “There are scenes with him and Denzel where he goes toe-to-toe.”

In Highest 2 Lowest, Denzel plays a music mogul — a twist on the original story’s businessman — while Rocky leads as the main character. Rising star Ice Spice also joins the cast. The project is being brought to screens by A24 and Apple Original Films, and it’s slated to premiere next month.

On the music side, A$AP Rocky is keeping fans buzzing with a sneak peek of a track from his long-awaited album Don’t Be Dumb. Posted on Easter, the clip features him in a bunny costume surrounded by actual rabbits, dropping bars that hint at lyrical smoke for the rap elite.

Looks like both Hollywood and hip-hop have room for Pretty Flacko in 2025.