Lil Dicky has been a Professional Rapper for years, having faced many difficult conversations on privilege and appropriation throughout this career. Now, coming off the success of his debut FXX series Dave, a loosely autobiographical reflection on his own rise to hip-hop stardom, LD’s brand is bigger than ever. As such, the impact of his words have also magnified, and Lil Dicky took to Instagram to share a powerful statement on racial injustice, his close friendships with Elz and GaTa, and his role in the ongoing fight. 

Andrew Toth/Getty Images

In the first of four slides, Dicky admits that he spent the majority of his life oblivious to the severity of systemic racism. “I thought to myself ‘how can someone actually be racist, that’s so illogical and dumb,'” he admits. “I figured something so clearly wrong, and so legitimately evil could never continue to survive in today’s enlightened society. I was wrong.”

He proceeds to draw on his own experience with GaTa and Elz, both of whom play integral roles in Dave. “I began doing college shows, and the way some of these kids would talk to GaTa was insane,” he reflects. “I’ve been to a party where I heard somebody say they were gonna curb stomp him. Or then we would hang out with seemingly nice people, only to then be accused of stealing their laptop the next day. Nobody ever accused me of stealing anything before I hung out with GaTa.”

Admitting that he has “no idea what to do moving forward,” Dicky does understand that it’s important for those with a platform and a voice should use their position to help the cause. “Those of us unaffected every day by racism need to fight harder than anyone,” he writes. “It is our responsibility as human beings.” Check out his full statement below, and should you be interested in taking action, look to his caption for advice on who to reach out to.

Dave “Lil Dicky” Burd may have initially gained attention by way of his breakout studio album Professional Rapper, but his television work appears to be taking him to the next stage of his career. Burd’s original series Dave, which premiered earlier this year on FXX, recently concluded its ten-episode first season run — in the process, it became the most-viewed comedy series in FX history, raking in a reported 5.3 million viewers per episode. 

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Telling the tale of one man’s unlikely quest to become the next-great hip-hop superstar, Dave became an instant favorite for longtime Dicky fans and newcomer viewers alike. Though speculation of a season two renewal was all but locked in, a report from Variety has confirmed that a new batch of Dave episodes will be arriving at some point in 2021, barring any coronavirus-related production delays. 

“Thank you for a record-breaking rookie year,” writes Dicky, by way of his Instagram page. “Season 2 mode activated.” In an official statement, Burb elaborated on his vision for season two, albeit more so in scope than in creative direction. “We set out to make something special and it’s so gratifying to see the response this show has gotten,” he explains. “This was my first rodeo, so I’m super excited to take another crack at it now that I’ve got some experience making television. It really feels like the sky is the limit with this show. I look forward to raising the bar even higher next year.”

Congratulation to Dicky and all the minds behind Dave — did you watch the first season, and if so, are you looking forward to a second one?

[]

Lil Dicky ventured into screenwriting, acting, and executive producing all at once, with the creation of his new TV show for FX titled Dave. The series, which is loosely based on Lil Dicky himself– whose real name is David Andrew Burd– found the rapper in the titular role, as he begins to break into the rap scene out in Los Angeles. He goes viral for the first time, gets to meet YG, performs for the first time and more through out the ten episodes of the first season.

The TV show has earned comparisons to Atlanta for its subject matter and approach– but it’s still unique, looking at life through Dave’s lens, which, is goes without saying, is an entirely different lens than Atlanta‘s Earn character. 

Rachel Luna/Getty Images

Dave recently wrapped up its first season, leaving Lil Dicky with some reflecting to do. The comedic rapper shared a heartfelt post about the success of the first season and his role in it on his Instagram, along with a behind-the-scenes clip from an episode of Dave. The clip in particular shows Dicky assuming the role of director, as he provides feedback to Gata and West Coast rapper AD who makes a brief appearance in episode three of the series. Check out the clip below.

In his farewell message concerning the FX series, Dicky gets real about the effort that went into the show, while giving immense thanks to those who’ve believed and supported his journey along the way. In the photo, Dicky is lying on the grass– he writes on the caption, “This picture was captured of me during the first shoot day of season one. If I look overwhelmed, it’s because I was. I had never written a script before. I actually downloaded the screenwriting software for the first time to write this season. I had never acted before. Never executive produced before. Never done anything beyond make rap songs and videos.”

He continues, “But a lot of people believed in me. Many of you did from the start of my career. I could tell that it wasn’t just about my music, you guys actually liked and believed in ME. As a person. Then, I was lucky enough to have Fx believe in me too. And then an incredible group of writers, a cast and crew…who came to work every day on a show created by a guy who’s never even worked in the medium before, yet was demanding it be treated and approached like it was the most important work of their careers. And somehow, they all cared about it just as much as I did. They believed it was going to be special. I don’t know why, but they did.”

He ends this note with an empowering message for his fans: “Let me be a prime example when I say that things are totally possible in life. I had no legitimate reason to believe I could be a successful rapper. But I believed, and then I became that. I had no real reason to believe I could make a great tv show without any experience. But I believed, and I believe we achieved that.

The thing that was always driving me, and still is to this day: “what if I’m right…” I couldn’t afford to never know that answer. So I tried my hardest to find out…And I am so relieved that I did. Because I was fuckin right!!!! What outlandish things to believe! I did it!!!! No matter what you’re interested in pursuing, do yourself a favor and find out if you are right too. And even if you aren’t, you’ll never blame yourself for being wrong. Because you tried your best and that’s all you can do. And that’s peace of mind as far as I can tell.”

Check out the message below, and let us know if you tuned into the season finale of Dave— any thoughts?

Lil Dicky‘s Dave has proven to be quite the hit, and even that is teetering on understatement. Not only is the semi-autobiographical comedy the highest-rated show in FXX history, but it has also captivated many members of the hip-hop community — including some who might have been on the fence about Dicky’s music to begin with.

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Yet few can say that Dave Burd doesn’t possess a shrewd level of self-awareness, as clearly revealed in the climactic scene of Dave’s season one finale — an episode that featured an appearance from both Charlamagne Tha God and Angela Yee. The scene itself — and SPOILERS for those who haven’t yet caught the episode — featured Lil Dicky’s first appearance on The Breakfast Club, where he was swiftly grilled by the hosts about topics of cultural appropriation.

Yesterday, Charla has taken to Instagram to voice his thoughts on the series. “In my humble, personal opinion @daveonfxx is the smartest, funniest, new show out,” he writes. “Last nights season finale titled #Jail was delightfully disturbing. All 10 episodes available on @fxxnetwork on demand and @hulu right now. Oh and In case you didn’t notice @breakfastclubam made an appearance on last nights episode and just like that I MISS THE FUCK OUT OUR STUDIO. By the way this is not an ad, I’m not getting paid for this, I don’t even remember if I got paid for this scene, but I REALLY, REALLY, enjoy this show and if your humor is as sick as mine you probably will to.”

Have you been watching Dave? If so, is the hype deserved? 

It’s been a wild road for Lil Dicky, the YouTube sensation turned Professional Rapper turned full-blown TV icon. With his brand new series Dave earning both acclaim and commercial fanfare, Dicky has taken to Instagram to count his blessings and reflect on where it all began. Which is to say, the days of firing off comedically-tinged videos on YouTube, namely his first-ever upload and breakout single, the viral “Ex-Boyfriend.” 

Andrew Toth/Getty Images 

Given that Dicky has become a household name at this point, it’s hard to imagine a time when he was a young artist looking to capitalize on the strength of a self-deprecating storytelling single. On the seven-year anniversary of that fateful upload, the man himself took to Instagram to reflect on his road thus far. “7 years ago today, I put out my first song and video,” he writes, alongside a throwback screen-cap from the video. “Ironically, also today, I finally just finished and handed in the season finale of one of the biggest shows on television.”

“Thank you everybody for believing and seeing something in me,” he continues. “You changed my life and gave me my purpose, and I will never take it for granted.” He also vows that the season finale of Dave, all but guaranteed to see a second season at this point, will be nothing short of mind-blowing. Check out his full message below, and stay tuned for more news on LD — including his upcoming and highly-anticipated new album, which is beginning to feel like a post-Dave inevitability. 

Ever since he assembled a laundry list of celebrities and singers to join him on the charitable single “Earth,” Lil Dicky has proven himself to be a man of the people. Though some weren’t entirely on board for Dicky’s ambitious and wholesome single, the purpose behind its existence was an undeniably noble one. Now, one year removed from its Earth Day release, Dicky has decided to put his money where his mouth is and hold it down with a massive donation of over $800,000 dollars, money aimed to help with climate change and COVID-19 relief. 

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

“I’m very honored and humbled that we’re able to give this money to these organizations, and super thankful of all of the artists on this song who made this possible,” he explains, by way of a press release. “And of course, thank you to every Earthling out there for listening and spreading the word. Unfortunately, the fight to save this planet isn’t even close to over, and we’re going to have to amplify our efforts way more to turn this thing around. Because pretty soon, it’ll be too late.” 

“Even though times have never been scarier with the COVID-19 pandemic, it has shown me something: that we can modify our day-to-day behavior to adapt to a crisis when it’s right in front of us,” he continues. “Even if you don’t feel the climate crisis at every moment, it is truthfully right in front of us.” As such, Dicky’s donation will arrive in the form of $100,000 grants to six organizations — Amazon Frontlines, Carbon Cycle Institute, Global Greengrants Fund, Quick Response Fund For Nature, Shark Conservation Fund, and The Solutions Project — as well as an additional $215,000 to launch the COVID-19 x Climate Response Fund. 

Much respect to Lil Dicky for doing this, and be sure to catch the man’s comedic stylings in his new original series Dave, currently airing its ninth episode tonight. 

If you’ve been watching Lil Dicky‘s new television series Dave on FX, you already know what the hype is about. With humor that navigates the thin line between knee-slapping and cringe-inducing, the network has a new hit on their hands. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the numbers.

As reported by Deadline, the show is expected to surpass Atlanta, created by Donald Glover, as FX’s most-watched comedy. For context, only a handful of episodes of Dave have aired at the time of publication. So, yeah, this is a hit.

Executive producer Kevin Hart is celebrating the news.

“So happy for everyone that’s involved with this show,” wrote the comedian/actor on Instagram. “You deserve this plus a lot more @lildickygram ….you put in the work and now it’s paying off!!!!! This is just the beginning.”

Lil Dicky also touched on the gigantic streaming numbers that the show has been pulling.

“I know this is a tough time for everyone, but I’m so thankful to be spending it with all 4.8 million of you every week,” wrote the rapper online, revealing the average number of viewers. “It doesn’t feel as isolating when I have you guys. Or when I’m this proud. Thank you everybody for already making @daveonfxx one of the biggest comedies in Fx history.”

Congratulations to Lil Dicky, Kevin Hart, Scooter Braun, and everybody else behind this show.

Last week, Lil Dicky's Dave series covered emotional new ground in "Hype Man," an episode focused on GaTa's struggles with mental health -- specifically his bipolar disorder. Many were immediately enthralled by GaTa's acting, taking to social media to flood Dicky's longtime hype-man with praise and appreciation. In response, GaTa filmed a video thanking everyone for the support, and confirming that the performance came from a genuine place. "I real deal with that every day," he says. "I really am bipolar. I really have manic episodes."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GaTa (@gedgata) on Mar 26, 2020 at 4:47pm PDT

Naturally, Dicky wasn't about to sit out the love-fest, penning an emotionally-charged dedication to GaTa. "[GaTa] isn’t just an actor I hired to play a role, he’s my actual hype man in real life and one of the best friends I’ll ever have," writes Dicky, alongside a picture of the pair in action. "There hasn’t been a single concert I’ve done without Gata up there by my side. There isn’t a song I make that doesn’t go to him the second it’s exported. I believe in myself the way I do because he believes. He is in my corner every day. I can’t even put into words how much he’s impacted my life, despite my attempt to do so, right here right now."

"In episode 5, Gata let me tell his story as a part of my own, and I’ve literally never been prouder of anyone, ever," he continues. "So brave, so raw, so vulnerable, so honest, so good. And not just on screen. You are so good as a person. You light up everyone’s world the second you meet them. You are changing the world for the better."

Check out Dicky's full message below, and if you've seen the episode in question, sound off. What did you think of GaTa's performance in "Hype Man?" 

It's been five years since Lil Dicky delivered his debut studio album, but the comedy-rapper was hardly resting on his laurels. Not only was Dicky concocting his up and coming sophomore project, but also finalizing his first-ever television series, the semi-autobiographical Dave. Loosely depicting his madcap and unconventional ascent to hip-hop stardom, the FXX series has already featured some heavy-hitting guest appearances, with Young Thug and Gunna holding it down in the latest episode.

David Livingston/Getty Images

Given everything going on in the world right now, the clip certainly resonates on a variety of levels. In it, a star-struck Dicky is given the chance to share a joint with Young Thug and Gunna, both of whom are in the midst of singing Tom Hanks' praise. "Man I'm telling ya'll about this mafia game," begins Thug. "Tom Hanks put me on to it. Plus he's like, the best finesser in the world to me. I can't believe I honestly met him." 

Eventually, he's joined by Dicky, who receives Thugger's joint with youthful bewilderment. That is until Thug begins coughing up a slime-induced storm, triggering mild panic in everyone watching during a self-quarantine binger. "It's a weed cough," says Thugger, though Dicky remains unconvinced: "so much phlegm." Funny how things change -- what might have once been seen as a mild overreaction is now perfectly justifiable. 

What did you think of Thugger and Gunna's acting debuts? Check it out for yourself below -- should you be interested in seeing how the long-form narrative plays out, check out Dave On FXX on Wednesday nights. 

View this post on Instagram

Well this is relevant @thuggerthugger1 @gunna

A post shared by Lil Dicky (@lildickygram) on Mar 20, 2020 at 11:25am PDT

If you’re a fan of rap and comedy, do yourself a favor and start watching Dave. The new series was created by Lil Dicky, focusing on his fictional rise as a professional rapper and continuing a narrative that he has pushed for years.

LD doesn’t take his job seriously. He’s an incredibly skilled rapper but his music falls more on the comedic side, drawing a thin line between laughable and humorous. His latest venture was well-calculated and there are certainly some cringe-worthy moments blended in with the knee-slappers. One of the moments combining both sentiments happens when Dave brings a girl home to his room, getting it in and observing the Drake poster in the room ever so slightly. In another scene, he has some fun with a sex doll and gets embarrassed in front of the global superstar. It would appear as though the poster has had such a great impact on the life of Lil Dicky that he wants Drake to sign it.

“Will you sign my poster @champagnepapi,” asked Lil Dicky in one post. “I wonder if @champagnepapi is somewhere right now fucking a sex doll underneath a poster of me,” he pondered in another.

Right now might not be the best time to meet up with Drake for that autograph. As of right now, he is reportedly self-isolating in his Toronto mansion after coming in contact with Kevin Durant a few days ago. The basketball star tested positive for the novel coronavirus and Drake doesn’t want to take any chances.