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# Dave Chappelle Describes the First Time He Met Kanye West and It's Amazing

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by 

[Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/)


## Melissa Locker


Jun 16, 2014 3:53 PM UTC

by 

[Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/)


## Melissa Locker


Jun 16, 2014 3:53 PM UTC

In advance of a string of shows at Radio City Music Hall, Dave Chappelle has been hitting the late night talk show circuit – and it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

During a stop-over on _The Tonight Show_, Chappelle recounted that time he was mistaken for member of The Roots, the show’s house band and let Jimmy Fallon thank him for abruptly departing for South Africa and leaving a gaping hole in the comedy scene: “In the meantime I got famous. So thank you for that,” Fallon quipped. “That helped.”

But the best story to emerge from the appearance was the first time Chappelle met a then-unknown rapper named Kanye West. Chappelle gave West his first appearance on television as a musical guest on _The Dave Chappelle Show_ back in 2003\. “You could tell that he was going to be a star,” the comedian said on [_Fallon_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4SYIfhzMmU#t=369). “I didn’t know him until he did the show.”

While making the show, Chappelle, West, Jay Z, Common and [Talib Kweli ](http://entertainment.time.com/2013/06/19/talib-kweli-on-the-burdens-of-being-hip-hops-outspoken-conscience/)were listening to Jay Z’s just-released _Black Album_ at Chappelle’s studio. On track 12 of the album (“Lucifer”), Jay says, “Kanyeezy, you’s a genius. You did it again!” Chappelle said that at that point, “Kanye stood up. First time he spoke all day, and he goes, ‘Stop the record! And rewind that.’ ”

Later, West took a phone call during which he announced, “‘Hello? No, I can’t. Because I’m at the edit for the _Dave Chappelle Show_, watching sketches that no one’s seen before.’ ” West paused for a moment before declaring, “‘Cause my life is dope and I do dope s–t,” before hanging up the phone.


Time may pass, but Kanye remains the same.

**MORE**: [Dave Chappelle Will Return to NYC Spotlight at Radio City Music Hall](http://time.com/139611/dave-chapelle-new-york/)

**MORE**: [Dave Chappelle Says He Never Quit His Comedy Central Show](http://time.com/2858180/dave-chappelle-comedy-central-show/)

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