Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is all for Spike Lee’s forthcoming film Chiraq, he’s just not pleased with the working title.
According to reports, Emanuel 55, had a frank conversation with the acclaimed film director and told Lee he thinks the film’s subject matter –which centers around black-on-black violence in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood–needs to be addressed. However, the nickname “Chiraq” often used to highlight the ongoing violence in the city, isn’t a total description of all the families living in the area.
“[Lee] said that while the movie is about the neighborhood of Englewood, I was clear that I was not happy about the title. I told him also that there are very good people that live in Englewood who are raising their family and there’s a lot of positive things that are happening in Englewood mainly driven by the people that make up Englewood.”
Early talk of the film indicate Spike Lee is courting Chicago natives Kanye West and Common to star in the film along with Samuel L. Jackson and Entourage‘s Jeremy Piven.
The president’s former White House Chief of Staff isn’t the only one not a fan of the film’s working title. South Side rapper Aaron Pierce spoke with the Chicago Tribune and said the name unfairly portrays the entire city and glorifies the violence that ravishes certain parts.
“That name does not really give us a positive look. That name belittles our city and I feel like it dehumanizes us. We are from Chicago. It is not like Iraq.”