Spike Lee's new joint "Da Republic of Brooklyn" showcases the hustle of five Brooklyn Uber drivers in 7- t0 8-minute long films
Spike Lee has long been a proud son of Brooklyn. Uber decided to tap into the filmmaker's genius and love for his borough, and teamed up with him for a series of short films highlighting the men and women behind the wheels, working and living in Brooklyn.
The series titled "Uber Presents Da Republic of Brooklyn" explores the hustle, ambition and passions of five people that have carved out their own niche in their home borough. The 7-to 8-minute long films center around Malka, an immigrant and mother of two; Sunny, a Brooklyn-transplant from St. Louis who is biking for Uber Eats while she pursues her dreams of performing on stage as an actress; Domingo, a Bushwick-bred hustler, flight attendant, driver, singer, mechanic and chicken farmer who has no end in sight to his ambitions; Keith, a native Coney Islander who chases the dream of opening his own doggy daycare, and Rodney, a Brooklyn-born mixed-media artist and singer who is driving for inspiration as he chases his next work.
"I was attracted to this project because I know a lot of people who drive on the Uber platform and it gives them the flexibility they need to pursue their dreams," said Lee. "That's how we do it in Brooklyn — that's the Brooklyn hustle."
Lee picked the featured individuals himself from the thousands of drivers and delivery partners in Brooklyn.
All videos can be found at Uber Presents -- and to avoid any controversy, Uber emphasized that all drivers were paid for their participation in the films.
