“It’s hard to figure out what to say about George Floyd, so I’m not going to say it yet,” Chappelle opens, flipping through a black notebook, later adding, “I got to tell you, this is like the first concert in North American since all this s— happened, so like it or not, it’s history. It’s going to be in the books.”
Those are the words of Dave Chappelle as he kicks of his new Netflix special "8:46" where he explicitly touches on the George Floyd murder among other African-Americans who have fallen victim to the same apprehension methods leading to ones death.
The special was filmed on June 6 in Yellow Springs, Ohio, with coronavirus-era social distancing guidelines in place for attendees, including face masks and temperature checks. The comedy legend had not performed on stage in 87 days until the special, though he has since performed similarly intimate gigs around the Dayton area.
Chappelle dives deep into topics of police brutality and Floyd’s death in the set. The Emmy winner also criticizes political commentator Candace Owens, saying, “I seen Candace Owens try to convince white America, ‘Don’t worry about it. He’s a criminal anyway.’ I don’t give a f— what this n— did. I don’t care what this n— did. I don’t care if he personally kicked Candace Owens in her stanky p—. I don’t know if it stanks, but I imagine it does. If I ever find out, I’ll let you know for sure. I’ll tell like Azealia Banks. I’ll tell.”
“8:46” references the length of time Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin held his knee against Floyd’s neck, ultimately leading to his death. It is also, as Chappelle reveals, the time of day he was born, according to his birth certificate.
The 27-minute video came with the disclaimer “From Dave: Normally I wouldn’t show you something so unrefined, I hope you understand,” with a link to the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit organization aimed at ending mass incarceration and racial inequality. Its founder, Bryan Stevenson, was the central character in the 2019 film “Just Mercy,” starring Michael B. Jordan and Brie Larson.
To check out Chappelle's special it is streaming free of charge on Netflix's "Netflix is A Joke" Youtube channel below!