The common denominator with Hype and Spike is the cinematographer Malik Sayeed. He played a big part in the development in both of their visual styles
Hype and Malik linked up early 90s and started doing videos after working on sets together then Spike grabbed him to shoot Clockers. He ended up working on a lot of stuff for Spike over the next 6-7 years (He Got Game, Kings of Comedy, Real Sports etc) so when Hype started working on his first feature (Belly) I think he basically already knew Malik had to shoot that ****
Malik kinda made the template for a lot these dudes working today on how to shoot/light black skin tho cause that’s something that wasn’t really being taught and expounded on in these lily white film schools. The “rules” they teach you have us looking trash on camera lol
Bruh is an amazing director/producer of his own now tho, he did some of the Jay Z 4:44 stuff and been working on The Shop as well