With all that we’ve heard about Pete Davidson in recent months, the public wasn’t aware of just how close the comedian is to Jack Harlow. It was back in January when Davidson surprised a crowd of adoring Harlow fans during the rapper’s concert in Los Angeles. The pair reportedly performed “SUVs” together and it made for a viral moment, but in a new mini-essay for TIME, Harlow revealed that Davidson was responsible for his Saturday Night Live appearance last year.
It doesn’t come as a surprise that Davidson was listed as one of TIME‘s 100 Most Influential People and along with his feature came a walk down memory lane—as well as praise—from Jack Harlow.
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The rapper wrote that his first “introduction to Pete Davidson was a Comedy Central roast of Justin Bieber” many years ago when Harlow was in junior high school. “I had never seen or heard of him. He got to the mic, made a joke about his own dad dying during 9/11, and I immediately knew he was a different breed,” the rapper wrote.
“A couple years ago, I was on FaceTime with a girl who said she and her friend were with someone who wanted to meet me. She passed the phone, and suddenly I was looking at Pete Davidson. He told me we had to meet. I agreed. After a few months of knowing each other (but never meeting), Pete successfully pushed to get me on SNL, which was a genuine dream come true for me and my family. I grew up watching the show with them and got to bring them on set. My mom was in tears. The night before the show, I went over to Pete’s apartment and he made my friend and me laugh until our stomachs hurt. I felt like I was experiencing elite comedy up close and personal.”
Harlow believes that Davidson is appealing to the world because of his “authenticity.” He added, “He doesn’t try to hide the person that he is. It’s a classic recipe for success and connection. I would consider myself truthful, but being around Pete makes me want to continue to reach even further for the realest version of myself.”
“We don’t have another one of him. He’s daring, thoughtful, and simply hilarious. And he’s only 28. An icon with so much more left to accomplish.”
[via]