Denzel Washington has addressed the shock battle in Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest, an English-language trendy reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s Excessive and Low film set in opposition to the pulsating backdrop of New York’s music scene. The movie stars Washington as David King, a rich report govt pressured to confront his privilege and energy when his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped and held for ransom.
Highest 2 Lowest is rated Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, scoring 91% since its theatrical launch on August 15, and is gearing as much as hit Apple TV+ on September 5. However past the tense plot and smooth visuals, there’s a shock rap battle within the movie’s remaining act, between Washington and A$AP Rocky’s Yung Felon, which has everybody buzzing.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Denzel Washington addressed the rap battle scene in Highest 2 Lowest. When requested if the actor picked up any pointers from rapper and co-star A$AP Rocky, Washington said, “I’ve been listening to rap music lengthy earlier than A$AP was born. I’ve been up on the music and tradition for 40, 50 years.”
Director Spike Lee added that the battle turned out to be some of the electrical and unscripted highlights of Highest 2 Lowest, stating it “lifted the entire movie up.” On filming the scene, Lee stated that, “They had been flowing. It was a rap battle! That was gold. That was higher than something written.” Denzel Washington quipped, “We had been battling!”
What This Means For Highest 2 Lowest’s Ending
Highest 2 Lowest marks Denzel Washington and Spike Lee’s first movie collaboration since 2006’s Inside Man, and it has formed as much as be a success. Whereas Washington was considerably joking, his rap battle isn’t only a quirky spotlight, it underscores his connection to the style, enriching the themes of Highest 2 Lowest as an entire together with his personal private ardour.
The ending of Highest 2 Lowest sees a seasoned music govt and a road rapper meet in a lyrical showdown, blurring the traces between efficiency and actuality. The rap battle showcases a metaphorical conflict between creative generations, with Rocky’s character conflicting with the legacy of David, and the truth that Washington and Rocky “had been flowing” solely provides to its authenticity.
Our Take On Highest 2 Lowest’s Battle
Denzel Washington delivering a superb unscripted efficiency is the type of factor that elevates Highest 2 Lowest from compelling thriller to cultural touchstone. Though Washington’s feedback had a touch of humor behind them, they’re very true, as attested to by Spike Lee’s personal recollection of the scene, showcasing Washington’s freestyle skills, regardless of the A-lister moving into unscripted territory.
Contemplating Washington and Rocky have a legacy of their respective mediums, it’s fascinating to see how they clashed in Highest 2 Lowest’s ending rap battle. Spike Lee is aware of a factor or two about letting moments breathe, and this solely demonstrates how the perfect scenes can generally come from the liberty given to the actors, or on this case, musicians.

Highest 2 Lowest
- Launch Date
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August 15, 2025
- Runtime
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133 minutes
- Writers
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Alan Fox, Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, Ryūzō Kikushima, Eijirō Hisaita, Evan Hunter
- Producers
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Todd Black, Jason Michael Berman