Spike was a rebel when he first came out, very pro-black (and many had accused him of being a racist). He was very harsh with not just MJ, but many blacks who were very successful but he felt weren't doing enough for the community.
I vaguely remember the peak of Spike's criticism of MJ happened when his Malcolm X movie came out. So I was very surprised when I read MJ had been to Spike's Brooklyn house & he was gonna direct TDCAU.
I think MJ was curious about him & may have wanted Spike to know who he really was behind the headlines. And the good thing is, he did come around after that video. And not just after MJ had passed.
Similar to what's has happened in the past 2 years with Obama. He's supporting Obama's re-election but he was the first high profile african american to openly criticize the president. For the somewhat the same reason he's criticized some black athletes, Bill Cosby, MichaelJackson & so on.
Yes, he's softened a bit (maybe a lot?) over the years, but at times (like the Katrina disaster) he won't take no prisoners. He's taken a lot of flack for his outspokenness, but he doesn't seem to care much...and still remains a Hollywood outsider.
i think him, along with Joe Vogel, is one of the greatest assets in the fan community. He's a fan, but his voice can reach a lot more people than any of us. And Spike Lee embracing MJ, has helped & will continue to help other blacks reclaim MJ & his music a bit more.
