Dave Chappelle Raises Money For DC’s Duke Ellington School Of The Arts

Dave Chappelle’s latest comedy special, The Closer, premiered on Netflix today (October 5). Before the Stan Lathan-directed show hit the streaming platform, Chappelle made a visit to Washington, DC.

According to WRC-TV, the legendary comedian was in his hometown on Monday to help raise funds for his high school alma mater. Dave Chappelle reportedly hosted the private Angelika Pop-Up event which served as a premiere for The Closer and a fundraiser for the Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

“I started doing stand-up in Washington, D.C., 34 years ago,” said Chappelle. “When I was a beginner I was also a student at the Ellington School. That school informed me artistically. It gave me the courage to pursue my dreams. It gave me the context to think of myself as an artist.” 

Stand-up comedian and hometown celebrity Dave Chappelle celebrated the eve of his Netflix special, “Dave Chappelle: The Closer,” in Northeast D.C. on Monday, where he spoke about his newest work and the education that supported him exclusively to News4. https://t.co/Qq685LQWTx

— NBC4 Washington (@nbcwashington) October 5, 2021

The Duke Ellington School of the Arts is naming a theater after its famous alumnus. Chappelle is quoted saying, “My entire career was predicated on what I learned. I do not have any formal education beyond Ellington, and look what I was able to achieve. I’m so grateful for that place.”

Named after iconic jazz bandleader Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington, the Ellington School produced numerous well-known entertainers and scholars. R&B singers Johnny Gill, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Ari Lennox as well as actor Corey Hawkins, actress Samira Wiley, and cultural writer Michaela Angela Davis attended the DC school as students.

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Dave Chappelle Presents “The Sixth Chapter” Of His Netflix Stand-Up Comedy Series

The Closer is Dave Chappelle’s sixth stand-up special for Netflix. Previously, the 48-year-old Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recipient presented 2017’s The Age of Spin, 2017’s Deep In The Heart of Texas, 2017’s Equanimity, 2017’s The Bird Revelation, and 2019’s Sticks & Stones on the streaming service.

Dave Chappelle has won five Emmy Awards during his four-decade career. Equanimity and Sticks & Stones won Outstanding Variety Special in 2018 and 2020, respectively. Chappelle was also awarded Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special for Sticks & Stones.

Plus, Dave Chappelle pulled off a threepeat at the Grammy Awards by winning Best Comedy Album in 2018 (The Age of Spin), 2019 (Equanimity & The Bird Revelation), and 2020 (Sticks & Stones). Tiffany Haddish broke the streak in 2021 with Black Mitzvah.