Concert: Dave Chappelle

Keywords

Dave Chappelle Concert Schedule

Chicago Gigs

Dave Chappelle

Album

Songs

Video

Music

Background:

David Chappelle was born on August 24, 1973 in Washington, D.C. He is an American comedian, actor, and social commentator. Chappelle got his basic education in Silver Spring, Maryland and went to middle school in Yellow Springs, Ohio. He learnt voice modulations and music from his father at Antioch College. Chappelle moved to Washington, D.C. and completed his high school from there.

Chappelle started acting in comedy clubs in Washington from a tender age of 14 , while studying acting and literary media at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Within a year, he got a chance to perform at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. His act on the stage was greatly criticized.

Undeterred, Chappelle became a hit at clubs along the East Coast, refining sets which were laid-back and socially conscious. He appeared in 1992 on HBO's Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam. He caught Whoopi Goldberg's attention and he became the youngest comic to have a featured spot on Comic Relief VI, at age 20.

His first major movie role was in Robin Hood: Men in Tights. He also acted in the remake of The Nutty Professor, did a minor role in Con Air, had a supporting role in Martin Lawrence's Blue Streak, and then wrote and starred in Half Baked, a persuasive film about a group of pot-smoking best friends trying to get their friend out of jail. Chappelle appeared as himself in an episode of The Larry Sanders Show. On that show, Chappelle and the executives of the show's nameless television network mocked the general behavior that scriptwriters and show creators are subjected to.

Chappelle started his own weekly television show in 2003 on Comedy Central, Chappelle's Show. It became famous instantly as it attacked the racial issues and the political scenarios and various social topics. It was one of the highest-rated shows on basic cable by the second season, and second only to South Park on Comedy Central. Due to the popularity of his show, Comedy Central's parent company Viacom made a deal with Chappel worth $50 million to continue producing "Chappelle's Show" for two more years.
His show has a huge following and has invited guests such as Dead Prez, Talib Kweli, Mos Def and Kanye West. His show has also spotlighted Wu-Tang Clan, Outkast, Fat Joe and Erykah Badu.
One of his famous skits has been the one in which he has portrayed the late Rick James when he was a drug addict. He also has done two music videos, "Piss On You" and its remix, which parody R. Kelly's "Ignition" and it's remix.

Filmography

Undercover Brother, 2002
Screwed, 2000
Blue Streak, 1999
Half Baked, 1998
200 Cigarettes, 1998
You've Got Mail, 1998
Con Air, 1997
Woo, 1997
The Nutty Professor, 1996
Getting In, 1994 Robin Hood: Men in Tights, 1993