Ice Spice Joins Denzel Washington in Spike Lee’s Newest Movie

Bronx rapper Ice Spice, greatest recognized for her 2022 breakout hit Munch (Feelin’ U), has formally crossed over into performing. On August 15, 2025, she made her function movie debut in Highest 2 Lowest. This can be a Spike Lee-directed trendy reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 basic Excessive and Low. The crime thriller is co-produced by A24 and Apple Authentic Movies. It stars Denzel Washington as a robust music mogul caught in a kidnapping plot.

The venture marks the fifth collaboration between Spike Lee and Washington. Additionally, that is their first since Inside Man in 2006. Alongside Washington and Ice Spice, the forged consists of A$AP Rocky in a predominant position, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, and Aubrey Joseph. After premiering at Cannes in Could, the film opened in choose U.S. theaters earlier than heading to Apple TV+ on September 5.

A Minor However Memorable Function For Ice Spice

Ice Spice, born Isis Naija Gaston, seems late within the movie in a cameo-style position. Enjoying a personality named Blessing, she is launched in a boardroom scene reverse Washington’s character, David King. Wearing a colourful Ankara-patterned costume, she introduces herself and her buddy Bonnie as “from the Bronx.”

The dialogue is transient, as in beneath 30 seconds. Nonetheless, it’s noticeable. At one level, Washington’s character reassures her, saying, “It’s okay to be nervous,” a line many followers interpreted as meta-commentary on the rapper’s real-life debut nerves. Although her position is small, the scene has gone viral on-line. Thus, sparking debate about whether or not she has the potential to develop into performing.

Spike Lee and Denzel Washington Reunite After Two A long time

A part of the eye round Ice Spice’s cameo comes from the burden of the movie itself. Highest 2 Lowest represents the reunion of Spike Lee and Denzel Washington almost twenty years after Inside Man. The duo has a storied historical past, with classics like Malcolm X, Mo’ Higher Blues, and He Acquired Recreation beneath their belts.

That legacy makes Ice Spice’s involvement stand out much more. For a rapper who rose to fame solely three years in the past, touchdown a cameo alongside one in all cinema’s biggest actors beneath the path of Spike Lee underscores simply how far she has climbed in a short while.

Social Media Reacts With Shock, Humor, and Criticism

The scene rapidly caught fireplace on X (previously Twitter), the place a clip shared by @ShesFishy drew over 2.2 million views and 40,000 likes in just some days. Reactions have been break up between disbelief, criticism, and humor.

“Her debut is with Denzel???” one person wrote, echoing the shock of many. Others mocked her performing, with one standard reply calling it “Tubi-level” high quality. Memes flooded timelines, together with jokes that Washington’s line about nervousness was directed at Ice Spice herself fairly than her character.

Some followers celebrated the milestone, calling it a serious “gag” for her profession and defending her in opposition to detractors. However total, sentiment skewed adverse, with critics questioning whether or not she had the vary for Hollywood.

Critiques of Type and Efficiency

Past performing chops, viewers zeroed in on Ice Spice’s wardrobe and supply. The Ankara costume drew each reward and criticism, with some followers saying she regarded “Nigerian” or “Igbo,” whereas others mocked the styling as unflattering. Her smile grew to become a operating joke, with one viral remark evaluating it to a cartoon character.

Efficiency-wise, detractors argued her supply was stiff, as if she have been studying off a web page. Others dismissed the cameo as “purposeless,” suggesting it was extra about clout than storytelling. Nonetheless, even critics acknowledged that few debut roles generate this a lot dialog.

A$AP Rocky’s Main Function Provides One other Hip-Hop Crossover

Whereas Ice Spice’s cameo grabbed headlines, her casting isn’t the one music-to-film crossover in Highest 2 Lowest. A$AP Rocky performs a predominant position within the film, persevering with his long-standing relationship with each style and movie. Director Spike Lee confirmed Rocky’s involvement early on, emphasizing that his position was not a cameo however a central piece of the story.

Collectively, the casting of Rocky and Ice Spice highlights a broader development of rappers increasing into performing, following within the footsteps of artists like Tupac, Queen Latifah, and Will Smith. Whether or not Ice Spice will pursue extra roles stays to be seen, however this look positions her firmly in that lineage.

A Polarizing However Strategic Transfer For Ice Spice

For Ice Spice, the debut is each a threat and a chance. She has constructed her profession on catchy hits and web virality, however critics usually query her longevity in music. By entering into movie—particularly in a Spike Lee venture—she expands her portfolio and proves she will land main alternatives exterior the recording sales space.

Even when the cameo was small and drew blended evaluations, the thrill ensures that her identify stays in headlines. As one fan put it on X: “She’s in a film with Denzel and y’all hating whereas working jobs you hate.” In different phrases, controversy or not, the transfer solidifies her popular culture presence.

Broader Reception of Highest 2 Lowest

Exterior of Ice Spice’s cameo, the movie itself has earned robust evaluations for Lee’s path and Washington’s commanding efficiency. Critics praised the difference’s modernization of Kurosawa’s themes, mixing the music trade with crime drama.

Some did, nonetheless, query the inclusion of rapper cameos, calling them “humorous politics” or distractions. Nonetheless, the film has held its personal with audiences and is predicted to search out an excellent wider viewership as soon as it hits Apple TV+.

What’s Subsequent For Ice Spice?

Whether or not Ice Spice continues performing or treats this cameo as a one-time experiment is unclear. Along with her debut album nonetheless within the works and high-profile music collaborations beneath her belt, her focus seemingly stays on music. But, this debut opens doorways—Hollywood now is aware of she’s keen to step into movie.

If future roles give her extra time and area to develop, she might observe the trail of rappers-turned-actors who grew into credible movie stars. For now, her scene in Highest 2 Lowest will stay a cultural flashpoint, sparking debate about superstar crossovers and the merging of hip-hop with cinema.

Conclusion

Ice Spice’s performing debut could have been quick, awkward, and divisive, however it additionally marks a milestone. Sharing the display screen with Denzel Washington beneath Spike Lee’s path is not any small feat, particularly for a newcomer to movie. Whether or not celebrated or criticized, her cameo has individuals speaking—and in at this time’s leisure world, that alone is a win.