Lil Dicky has taken a lot of flak over the years for his comedic approach to hip-hop. He’s been seen as a gentrifier and interloper, an opportunist, and even as problematic for some of his antics over the years. This has given him plenty of content for his semi-autobiographical FX show Dave, but while the show benefits from being able to laugh at the critics and Dicky himself, it also gives Dicky the platform to prove one thing about his artistry: He can rap like nobody’s business.
He pointed out as much in a new story in The Hollywood Reporter, addressing the criticism from rap gatekeepers while also noting that many of his contemporaries and inspirations have mad respect for his mic skills. Of the detraction, he says it mostly comes from “elitist, hipster journalists who thought that it was their place to speak on behalf of hip-hop,” while the praise comes when “I’m meeting the all-time great rappers and they’re telling me, like, man, I’m a rapper’s rapper.” According to THR, some of those names include 50 Cent and Busta Rhymes, while his show has featured comedic turns from Young Thug, Doja Cat, Rick Ross, and Killer Mike.
Speaking with Uproxx about Dave‘s third season, now airing weekly on FX, Dicky talked about how splitting time between the show and music has forced fans to wait for more of the latter. “I just know that my fans are starving for music,” he said. “I’m well aware of that. And the show takes up so much of my time that I didn’t want people to think that I’m just an actor playing a rapper now. I just want to remind people that I do make music. And I love music, and I think it’s really cool and unique to the show. And I don’t think any other show could do that.”