Dave Chappelle paused his comedic genius during a recent standup routine to honor Prince, the man who is the subject of one of his greatest comedic sketches on The Chappelle Show.
During his four hour set at The Chapel in San Francisco, Chappelle was visibly shaken and admitted to the crowd the show was almost cancelled.
“I almost thought about not coming tonight, but my band was like, ‘Yo, Prince would definitely not condone that.’ And now there is no place I’d rather be,” the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Instead of doing his traditional standup routine, Chappelle’s set turned into a memorial for the musical icon with the venue covered in purple lights and Chappelle’s backing band performing renditions of “Kiss” and “Nothing Compares 2 U.”
During the event, Chappelle talked about when he first heard Prince’s music, as well as his encounters with the singer after the legendary 2004 Chappelle Show sketch, which was based on a true story by Charlie Murphy.
Chappelle also revealed he first learned of Prince’s death after repeated calls by media for comment.
“I kept wondering all day, ‘Why are they calling me?,'” Chappelle said. “I’ll tell you what: I didn’t know him well, but I knew him well. This is black 9/11, [but] it’s so much better that we grieve together.”
On Friday, April 22, Chappelle issued a statement to WCCO CBS Minnesota, commenting on Prince’s legacy and impact on Minneapolis.
“As a city, they exported a musical giant. It says a lot about them that at the height of his fame he chose to stay in Minneapolis,” Chappelle said. “His admirers are a community that spans the globe. His legacy is an immense offering of music, love and laughter. And a fight for fairness to artist. Nothing of this world will begin to fill the void of his absence except his memory. Scientifically a memory is almost neurologically identical to an experience. So remember your loved ones often. Forget their faults and remember the best of what they made you feel. In that way… all of us are immortal gifts to one another that keeps on giving.”
In 2014, Prince, who was known for showing his eclectic humorous side, responded to the sketch by tweeting Chappelle’s version of himself as the cover for his single “Breakfast Can Wait.”
Chappelle responded to the incident by saying, “What are you gonna do? It’s Prince. What am I going to say, ‘Stop using a picture of me being you.'”
