HOWARD DROSSIN

November 7, 2025

A BITESIZE CHAT WITH

After working as an Orchestrator on the music for such notable films as The Woman King, BlacKkKlansman, and Inside Man, Howard Drossin takes over as composer for the musically-driven, Highest 2 Lowest. A favourite collaborator of director Spike Lee, Drossin chats about the pair's working relationship and seizing this opportunity.

BB: You and Spike Lee have collaborated multiple times in various roles, what led to you becoming the Lead Composer on Highest 2 Lowest?

HD: Well, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know and work with Spike for over 20 years. I was introduced to him on 25th Hour as Terence Blanchard's orchestrator. Over the years, he's hired me on a growing number of projects – from creating arrangements for songs to writing music for short films and documentaries. I would imagine that all of those experiences led to this film.

BB: How hands-on was Spike when it came to the music, be it score or soundtrack, as it often plays a vital role in his projects?

HD: Spike is very much involved with both the score and the soundtrack from the beginning. He chooses all of the songs for his films and the scoring process is very collaborative. We discuss instrumentation and the tone for each scene.

BB: The music in this film has such a strong presence, as if it's a character in and of itself, why was that important for this story?

HD: Since David King (Denzel Washington) is a music mogul, it seems natural that music would play a big role. I think both the score and the soundtrack are very narrative, whether it be Eddie Palmieri and his Salsa Orchestra performing over the Puerto Rican Day Parade/Chase sequence, or A$AP Rocky’s tracks that define the musicality of his character.

BB: The score can be very chaotic at times. Whether it's a booming track that overtakes dialogue or a seemingly uncommon pairing between tempo/style and scene. Yet, it works. What was the method behind the madness there?

HD: Spike likes to juxtapose unexpected approaches together. For example, the decision to use “Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'” over the opening credits, or the montage of current day New York City backed by a Rodgers and Hammerstein song written in 1943 for the musical Oklahoma.

BB: Although you've worked as orchestrator and arranger on some acclaimed films (The Woman King, BlacKkKlansman), do you think your work on Highest 2 Lowest will open some new doors and work as a bit of a launching pad for you?

HD: I hope so! I would love to have more opportunities as a composer and as a producer/arranger.

BB: When doing something uncommon or unique as you did with this score and you hear divisive feedback, how do you respond to that?

HD: No matter what you do as an artist, there will be both positive and negative reactions, in particular when you are doing something different. I very much welcome everyone's feedback.

BB: My favourite tracks in the film are “We Got This” and “The Chase” as they became a bit of an earworm immediately after hearing them. Tell me about the decision to use piano for those high-energy, suspenseful moments.

HD: Spike is widely known for his ability to discover new talent. He found the Fergus McCreadie Trio on Instagram and immediately wanted them to be a part of the soundtrack for the film. He sent me their record and I instantly became a big fan as well. We used one of Fergus’ original tracks (“Stony Gate”) as the basis for those two action cues on “We Got This” and “The Chase.” I wrote an orchestral score on top of the tracks to play the drama and action in those sequences. This was an exciting way to create, as I had my own vision, but also had Fergus' track. The two ideas stand alone and also work together, creating a unique sound that I think compliments those sequences in a non-traditional and interesting way. I loved working with them, even using the band as session players as an extension of the orchestra in many other cues. I can't say enough good things about their artistry, professionalism, and talent.

Make sure to check out Highest 2 Lowest now on Apple TV+.

Interview conducted on October 7th, 2025 by Nick van Dinther.