Spike Lee is partnering with Amazon Studios to make a movie called Chiraq — presumably about Chicago’s heavily reported gun violence problem — and that in itself is intriguing. Even more so is the news, via The Wrap, that Lee is looking to cast Chicago natives Kanye West and Common in the movie alongside Samuel L. Jackson and Jeremy Piven. Common, of course, appeared in Selma last year and has established a respectable filmography, whereas Kanye’s acting credits are limited to cameos, his own video projects, and some voice work for The Cleveland Show. I’m not sure he can actually act, but I’d definitely love to see him try.

Kanye’s also in the news today for his fashion exploits. The New York Times’ Jon Caramanica, who landed one of Kanye’s best interviews ever two years ago, caught up with him again for T Magazine, The Times’ fashion publication. The subject is his eternal struggle to match his musical successes in the fashion industry. There are, of course, many succulent quotes.

Regarding his arrival in the fashion world: “I know this is really harsh, but it’s like Before Yeezy and After Yeezy. This is the new Rome!”

Regarding the elaborate set design of the Yeezus tour: “I would scream — ‘Look at this mountain I just made! You don’t think I can make a T-shirt? Look at everyone in the audience — we’re selling $300,000 worth of T-shirts every night!'”

Regarding his desire to own his own clothing store: “I dreamed, since I was a little kid, of having my own store where I could curate every shoe, sweatshirt and color. I have sketches of it. I cried over the idea of having my own store.”

Read the full profile here.

[Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty.]