Lil Dicky joined Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce for this week’s episode of New Heights, and the episode was packed with Lil Dicky’s signature self-deprecating charm. Around the 40-minute mark, Jason asked Lil Dicky whether he’d had a “welcome to the industry” moment.
“Another story I’ve never told that just came into my head that’s perfect for this moment,” Lil Dicky said. The Dave mastermind then took the audience back to the 2015 BET Experience Sprite Celebrity Basketball Game. Back then, Lil Dicky still had imposter syndrome and did not feel like he belonged on the same roster as Floyd Mayweather, Snoop Dogg, Chris Brown, and John Wall.
“I don’t know how I got in the game to the point where I actually put a lot of stock and import in this game,” he explained. “I got there an hour early to warm up because I literally thought a way that I could get ahead in this industry faster will be, like, scoring 30 points in this game.”
Instead, Lil Dicky was on the bench, and while Chris Brown called Lil Dicky “a dope rapper” pre-game, he also rained on Lil Dicky’s parade. John Wall was the team’s coach and eventually told Dicky he could go in as a substitute for Brown.
“I walk up to Chris, and I’m like, ‘Yo, I’m in for you,’” Lil Dicky said. “And he goes, ‘I’m not coming out.’ Then, there’s 11 guys on the court. Everyone is matched up. I’m clearly the odd man. I look to John Wall, like, ‘Coach!’ And John Wall brings me back over. [The] first thing I say is, like, ‘John, get a grip and have some authority on your team.’ It’s humiliating to send me out there and then pull me back in. It’s so emasculating.”
Once Lil Dicky finally got in the game, he was rewarded by getting “fouled so hard by Deontay Wilder — at the time, heavyweight champion of the world.” He concluded, “I get up. I missed two free throws, and then I played one more meaningless minute. I moved to the end of the bench and just chose not to even make myself available for the rest of the game.”
Lil Dicky’s hit television series Dave has been airing since 2020 and has brought with it a host of exceptional cameo appearances. The series has seen Don Cheadle, Kourtney Kardashian, Marshmello, and even Brad Pitt appear as fictionalized versions of themselves, often for comedic effect. Of course, the series centers on Dave’s rise through the ranks of hip hop, offering an opportunity for many of rap’s finest contemporaries to make their mark. Throughout Dave‘s three seasons, dozens of rappers have popped up to interact with a fledgling Lil Dicky, as he progresses through such gauntlets as the Met Gala, the XXL Freshman cover, and a cross-country tour. Here are seven of the best rapper cameos in the series.
7. Trippie Redd
Unlike most of the other cameos in the show, Trippie Redd appears across several episodes of Dave and even takes Dave’s in-house producer and longtime friend, Elz, under his wing. As an established name in hip hop, Trippie Redd represents what Dave and his cohorts are trying to achieve while also serving as an intimidating figure the main cast is desperate to impress. In fact, Trippie is responsible for kicking off the plot of the Season 1 episode “What Wood You Wear,” after tasking Dave and Elz with babysitting his young and reckless nephew.
If Trippie Redd represents a daunting force to Dave, Rick Ross is an untouchable leviathan in the series, a proverbial god amongst men. Ross appears in a brief but memorable role in the show’s third season, which sees him bestowing his massive and expensive diamond-studded chain upon Dave for safekeeping. Unfortunately, Dave is set up by a couple of thugs in Atlanta and must go through the wringer to ensure he doesn’t disrespect Rick Ross’s generosity by losing the chain. Eventually, Dave’s relationship with the Maybach Music pioneer paves the way for his success within the industry.
Doja Cat never actually shared the screen with any of Dave‘s main cast members during her Season 2 appearance. However, her cameo says a lot about societal expectations of women and the mistreatment of artists within the music industry machine. In the episode “Somebody Date Me,” Doja Cat matches with Dave over the celebrity dating app Raya, and the two share a genuine connection over a weekend of texts. Unfortunately, Dave’s self-centered neuropathy results in him blowing his chances with the “Paint The Town Red” vocalist, as Doja’s constant work obligations prevent her from devoting 100 percent of her time to him.
4. Drake
The hype surrounding Drake’s appearance marked one of the biggest moments in the entire show, concluding the third season with a stunning and hilarious interaction. Drake and Dicky showcase a surprising amount of chemistry during the “One Dance” rapper’s brief appearance on Dave and serves as a punchline to a season-long arc about Dave’s ongoing quest for love. The only reason this cameo doesn’t top the list is because there is a bit of shaky green screen happening in the interaction, which suggests the cameo may have been filmed remotely. While Drake’s first stab at the show was a huge success, fans would surely welcome a chance to see the two rappers reunite in person with a proper cameo next season.
Killer Mike appears in the same season 3 episode of Dave as Rick Ross and offers a similar awe-inspiring window into success. After spending the entire episode concerned that Killer Mike would not approve of his place in the rap landscape, Lil Dicky happens into a chance encounter with the Atlanta native and pours his heart out in the interest of securing his place in the culture. Killer Mike offers some genuine insight into black culture and the influence that certain elements of the Black experience have on hip hop and successfully convinces the ever-frugal Dave to make a sizable donation to a charitable organization.
Between the brown curly hair, the beard, and the complexion so white you could probably deep-fry him with a flashlight, Jack Harlow serves as something of an evil twin to Lil Dicky during his Season 3 appearance. Throughout the season, Dave finds himself burdened by unflattering comparisons to Jack Harlow, setting the stage for comedic exploration when they eventually meet up. Unlike many other rappers who appear too big to be aware of Dicky in the series, Harlow is all too familiar with his pale counterpart and was just itching for an excuse to drive Dave out of the Met Gala. The interaction is reminiscent of high school bullying in the silliest way possible.
Legendary West Coast rapper YG appears in the very first episode of the hit FX series and offers Dave his first real shot at impressing the masses. For many fans who were not aware of Dicky’s music before watching the show, his on-the-spot freestyle, which he drops for YG and company, provides fans and critics alike to see that he truly has a mastery of bars. Over the course of just a few minutes, YG goes from dismissive of Dave to playfully ribbing him to being downright wowed by his lyrical and technical capability. In the end, YG agrees to do a song with Dave and collects a hefty sum for his collaboration. Of course, the episode ends without YG holding up his end of the bargain, leaving Dave to wonder if he’s just made a sizable investment or been scammed.
Oh boy. When Donald Glover appeared on Vanity Fair‘s ever popular lie detector segment with Mr. And Mrs. Smith co-star Maya Erskine to promote their new show, Erskine used the opportunity to bombard him with questions about another of his shows — and possibly start a new beef in the process.
Erskine asked Glover — who has also rapped under the stage name Childish Gambino — whether he thinks he’s “more talented” than another rapper-turned-comedy-television-auteur, Lil Dicky, whose show Dave received critical comparisons to Glover’s show Atlanta. Donald’s answer? An unequivocal “yeah.” The interview went live a while ago, but has resurfaced on Twitter and is generating some buzz.
He even acknowledged that “this is gonna start beef,” but stuck to his guns, saying, “I actually like him. I think he’s a really nice guy. I’m just conceited.” Erskine wouldn’t let him off the hook, though, asking, “Were you insulted when critics compared Dave to Atlanta?”
This is something he’s addressed in the past — and I was definitely one of those critics, albeit in less of a “these things are similar” kind of way — but he didn’t shy away from giving another affirmative answer. He explained, “Not because I think that Dave is bad. I actually think that Dave is a good show. I just don’t think they have a lot in common.”
They didn’t… but they kinda did. Both dealt with aspiring rappers getting roped into some truly surreal situations with dark humor, moments of tenderness contrasted with sharp social insights, and surprisingly accurate depictions of the recording industry day-to-day. Both were made by extremely successful rappers known for the comedic nature of their rhymes. And it certainly didn’t help that they were even aired on the same network, FX.
But okay, yeah, there were a lot of differences too. Dave‘s Lil Dicky is a neurotic egomaniac who alternately champions and torpedoes his unlikely career despite or with the support of his colorful cast of friends. However, in Atlanta, Glover played the manager for Brian Tyree Henry’s Paper Boi, who seemed to view rap as more of a means to an end — getting out of the hood.
The only way to resolve this? A rap comedy roast. Have it on FX. Let Erskine, Chloe Bennet, and Vince Staples judge. It’ll be great.
Donald Glover’s been embracing his spicy side lately, admitting recently that his 2018 hit “This Is America” was a low-key Drake diss and sparking a mini-beef between the two actors-turned-rappers. But it sounds like he was just getting started.
Fans of Lil Dicky‘s semi-autobiographical show Dave are going to have to wait a bit for season four. Today (February 1), Variety reported that Dave has been paused at FX Networks.
The news arrives weeks after Lil Dicky, whose real name is David Burd, released the soundtrack album for Dave, titled Penith. The album also marked his first long-form audio release in almost nine years.
“After some back and forth, there are no current plans for a fourth season of Dave right now, as Dave Burd has decided to take an extended break to focus on music and other ventures,” FX said in a statement. “That does not rule out the possibility of doing something in the future. We love the show and sincerely appreciate the creative excellence Dave, Jeff Schaffer, the cast and crew delivered with every episode. We are excited that our partnership with Dave will continue as he develops future projects for us through his overall production deal with FXP.”
The show first premiered in 2020, telling the story of a fictional version of Dicky’s struggle to be taken seriously as a rapper. The third season, which premiered last year, sees Dicky on a cross-country tour, filming a documentary in hopes to find the love of his life.
“Making Dave has been and continues to be a dream come true,” said Dicky in a statement. “But there are other creative ventures that I am dying to pursue as well,” Burd said. “For the past 5 years, I’ve poured every fiber of my being into the show, and after three amazing seasons, this feels like a good time to press pause to give myself the bandwidth to do some of the other things I have always wanted to do. I am beyond excited about what I have planned for the future and am enormously appreciative of FX for their continued partnership.”
It was during late June of 2023 that Lil Dicky provided his fans with a massive update on his music career. Of course, the Pennsylvania native has been very busy with his hit television show on FX, Dave. It basically describes his life and how he wants to become one of the most successful rappers of all time. Because of the music industry elements, there are going to be some songs woven into the show.
However, Lil Dicky feels that the material is good enough to release as a full project’s worth. “It’s a really strong body of work that I’m super proud of. I was surprised when I took a step back and looked at the inventory of stuff that [has] made it into the show — ‘Oh, my God, there’s like a great album here of work that can live on its own.’” That is slowly becoming a reality because the soundtrack for Dave is on its way. It is going to be called Penith (The DAVE Soundtrack) and will be out on January 19.
The lead single is out now for it is called “Mr. McAdams.” The music video includes scenes from some episodes of the show in which Rachel McAdams makes some guest appearances. Over time they develop some feelings for each other, hence the name of the song. The lyrics make quirky references to The Notebook in classic Lil Dicky fashion. Brad Pitt also makes a funny cameo in the video when he raps, “Maybe I’m your Brad Pitt / F*** Brad Pitt, don’t think about him.” This soundtrack will be Dicky’s first album in eight years.
What are your initial thoughts on this new single, “Mr. McAdams,” by Lil Dicky? Do you think he is a genuinely funny comedian/rapper? Or, does he come off corny in your opinion? After hearing the lead track for the soundtrack, will it be his best project? What Lil Dicky songs are still in your rotation? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your hottest takes in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news around Lil Dicky. Finally, stay with us for the most informative song posts throughout the week.
Quotable Lyrics:
Out of nowhere, what would you say? What would we do? (Ayy) Probably be weird Too much buildup (Uh), too much presh Or maybe we would f*** like rabbits Maybe I’m your Brad Pitt F*** Brad Pitt, don’t think about him
In the third season of FX’s Dave, which premiered this past April, rapper Lil Dicky plays a fictional version of himself, navigating tour life and adjusting to fame. In a special episode this season, Dicky attends the MET Gala for the first time. Feeling like an outsider in the A-list crowd, Dicky steps out of the dining room and into the main hallways for a brief moment, where he meets actress Rachel McAdams.
Over the course of the subsequent episodes, the two develop a fling, inspiring Dicky to write a new single, “Mr. McAdams.”
“Mr. McAdams / Rachel they gon’ call me Mr. McAdams / I’ll take your name girl, facts / It’s insanely farfetched / I ain’t playing, why you think I’ve been rapping / To be Mr. McAdams, say yes,” Dicky rap sings on the song’s chorus.
Getting McAdams for this season of Dave was obviously a big ask. In an interview with Variety, Dicky opened up about taking risks with each episode, and how rewarding it was to watch pan out in real time.
“…I’m excited about where the show can go next,” said Dicky. “There’s so much room to grow for me personally, and for the character in the show and for the stories that we’re telling. And I feel very well-equipped to continue telling those stories.”
You can listen to “Mr. McAdams” above.
Penith (The Dave Soundtrack) is out 1/19/2024 via BMG. Find more information here.
GaTa, most commonly known as Lil Dicky’s hypeman and friend on the show Dave, was arrested for domestic violence.
According to TMZ, police responded to a physical argument between two parties, which led to GaTa being arrested in Santa Clarita, CA. GaTa was released on a $100K bond and will have a later court date.
Speaking with TMZ, Gata’s lawyer says, “The entire incident between the parties is on video which I am in the process of providing to law enforcement. The video demonstrates clearly that Mr. Ganter did nothing wrong and, instead, tried to de-escalate the situation.”
FX’s Dave is a rollicking good time, showcasing how rap fame and the pursuit of said fame can affect a person and their relationships. The only downside of this Hulu hit show is that Lil Dicky hasn’t released new music. The show’s creator and “rapper’s rapper,” Dave Burd, is finally coming out with an album, the soundtrack to Dave, after not doing so for eight years. His last album, Professional Rapper, is the only studio album to his credit. He also hasn’t gone on a true tour in five years. Unfortunately, TV can do that to a budding rapper.
Speaking to Variety, Lil Dicky was excited about this potential album: “It’s a really strong body of work that I’m super proud of. I was surprised when I took a step back and looked at the inventory of stuff that [has] made it into the show — ‘Oh, my God, there’s like a great album here of work that can live on its own.’” During Dave outros and credits, you can hear snippets of new, unreleased music that Lil Dicky has been hoarding. Twenty-second clips pave the way for three-minute songs on an album that’s sure to excite long-waiting fans.
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 12: (L-R) Travis Bennett, Taylor Misiak, Dave Burd, Andrew Santino, Christine Ko, and GaTa of FX’s ‘Dave’ pose for a portrait during the 2023 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 12, 2023, in Pasadena, California. (Photo by JSquared Photography/Getty Images)
Lil Dicky is well-known for going meta and providing social commentary on what the rap industry is and his part in it. So it stands to reason that this upcoming soundtrack album will have some of the classic Dicky pastiche. Expect random conversations with himself, popular songs from the TV show, and a ton of appearances by Dave hypeman Gata.
The soundtrack album, set to release at the end of this summer, is Lil Dicky’s first full-length project in almost a decade. He believes there’s a full track list from the three seasons of Dave, the third and most recent season finishing its air run in May of this year. The rapper created a climate crisis-focused “Earth” collaboration in 2019 with almost everyone in music (as well as a Leo DiCaprio guest spot). He also got wide notoriety from his “Freaky Friday” single and music video with Chris Brown. Dave Burd’s continual knack for getting uber-famous people to do things has made his music and his show top-notch entertainment, as it shows a different side to these celebrities.
Way back in 2015, Lil Dicky (aka Dave Burd) dropped his debut album, Professional Rapper. He hasn’t had a new full-length project since then, but he plans to change that soon: He’s working on a soundtrack album for his hit show Dave, which would be his first album in eight years.
Dicky plans to release the album by the end of this summer (“The sooner the better,” as he put it to Variety). He’s working on it with regular Dave guest star Benny Blanco and expects there to be between 15 and 20 songs included on the project.
Dicky said:
“I realized this year, as I took a step back and looked at all the different music that’s made it into the first three seasons of the show, there’s enough here, a great body of work and a project that I can put out as a soundtrack. I think this is such a better representation of Lil Dicky the musical artist than, honestly, my first album even was. People are always like, ‘When can I get that song?’ I think this will be a cool thing for fans who have watched the show. And for people who have never even seen the show, I think they’ll enjoy listening to this as like a body of music.”
He continued, “There are bits and pieces of songs you’ve been hearing for three seasons of Lil Dicky, the musical artist. Sometimes you’ll hear 20 seconds of it, but I might have a full three minute version of that song that’s unreleased. I want to get that out to the world. It’s a really strong body of work that I’m super proud of. I was surprised when I took a step back and looked at the inventory of stuff that have made it into the show — ‘Oh, my God, there’s like a great album here of work that can live on its own.’ So that’s what I’m working on now.”
The running joke of Lil Dicky‘s semi-autobiographical FX comedy Dave is the character’s outsized ego — something that the real-life Dave Burd may have in common with his fictionalized counterpart. In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter about the show’s recently aired season 3 finale, Dicky discusses the episode’s celebrity cameos, crediting one in particular with validating some of his massive sense of self-confidence. Warning: Spoilers ahead!
Among the guest stars who appear in the season’s final episode is Rachel McAdams, carrying over from a previous multi-episode storyline that sees Dave meeting his “dream girl” while the real-life woman with whom he’s developed a relationship slips away, Brad Pitt, who gives Dave advice about love and stardom before apparently being grievously injured by one of Dave’s oddball splurges, and Drake, who represents everything Dave wants to be (since the borderline delusional aspiring rap star hasn’t apparently paid much attention to Drake’s lyrics while “looking for love”).
According to Dicky, Drake was a fan of the show before appearing on it. As Dicky puts it, “Drake is like the top of the mountain top musically and as a rapper. I had met Drake and he pulled me aside and told me the show is one of the more important shows of our generation and I knew he was a fan.”
Hopefully, the Certified Lover Boy has some advice for the fictional Lil Dicky or I fear the show’s protagonist may never grow up and find the love he’s been looking for… Something Dicky says is contingent on him learning some self-love first. “Until you actually love yourself and remedy yourself of that void, how can you possibly take on the love of another person?” Yup, it’s a funny show — but it also makes you think.
