Highest 2 Lowest ending explained: a new note for David King

Highest 2 Lowest, Spike Lee's 2025 crime thriller film, is a modern adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's iconic 1963 movie High and Low. It is based on the 1959 novel King's Ransom by Ed McBain (Evan Hunter). Distributed by A24 and Apple Original Films, the film was released on August 15 after its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2025.

It features Ice Spice in her film debut alongside Denzel Washington, Ilfenesh Hadera, Jeffrey Wright, and A$AP Rocky. The neo-noir crime thriller follows David King (Denzel Washington), a successful music entrepreneur whose life takes a surprising turn after he is caught up in a failed kidnapping scheme.

As King manages the fallout, the story digs into difficult moral choices, leading to a significant decision about Yung Felon (A$AP Rocky), the kidnapping's mastermind and aspiring musician. King finally turns down a partnership with Yung Felon despite the promise of enormous financial gain, proving his renewed dedication to ethics and creativity over riches.

At the end of the film, King reclaims his love for real music and starts a new chapter centered on art and family. He does so by hiring Marisol Cepeda (Ice Spice), an up-and-coming artist who was found by his son Trey, as the first customer for his new, ethically driven business.

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Integrity over profit: the ending of Highest 2 Lowest explained

Highest 2 Lowest (Image via Apple TV)

Highest 2 Lowest builds its tension around questions of morality, power, and authenticity. The plot focuses more on the decisions that determine an individual's integrity than it does on crime and ransom. The turning point comes when King is offered a lifeline by Yung Felon (A$AP Rocky), the volatile rapper behind the kidnapping plot who has ironically skyrocketed to fame after his arrest.

The profitable partnership that Felon offers King may revive his shaky company and put him back on his feet financially. It is a great temptation for a man whose career has been driven by wealth and prestige for generations.

King, however, declines, acknowledging that pursuing quick cash has cost him more than he should have, including his love of music, his identity, and even the confidence of his family.

Trey, King's son, introduces him to Marisol Cepeda (Ice Spice), setting the scene for the film's turning moment. Her raw performance, free of commercial polish and frills, reminds King of his passion for real music. He signs her as the first artist in his new company, which is more than a business choice; it is a message that his future will be built on honesty, art, and family, not shortcuts or exploitation.

Her song, Highest 2 Lowest, gives the film its title and defines her role as the symbol of renewal and integrity. The conclusion is about a man who chooses principle over profit rather than vengeance or a flashy resolution.

Instead of emerging as a wealthy billionaire, David King finds his calling again: promoting meaningful music. He decides to leave behind a meaningless empire in favor of a legacy based on truth, art, and family by rejecting Yung Felon and signing Marisol.

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Highest 2 Lowest was released on August 15, 2025, in the United States. Stay tuned for more updates.