When Dave Chappelle accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2019, he noted in his speech he would fight anybody that got in “a true practitioner†of the art form’s way. Seemingly, one of the “true practitioners†Chappelle is willing to go to battle for is rapper Fat Joe, whose new one-man stand-up show the comedian will introduce, per TMZ. The show will be produced by Roc Nation and Magic Lemonade and directed by filmmaker Chris Robinson — and focus on the rapper’s life, warts and all. It’ll touch on topics like Fat Joe getting kidnapped in Angola; the death of his friend and Terror Squad collaborator Big Pun; and the time he served in jail for tax evasion in 2013. No word yet on whether it’ll cover his stint as the spokesperson for a multilevel marketing scheme called Market America.
“The world will be getting Fat Joe at his most authentic, vulnerable, and comedic self on that stage,†the rapper said in a statement. “I’ve always taken pride in my storytelling, but we’re about to take it to the next level. I’m grateful to Dave Chappelle, Roc Nation, and Magic Lemonade for their support in sharing my story and helping make this one-man show the biggest event ever.â€
This news was announced in time to coincide with the rapper’s birthday (he turns 52 today). Some people mark these occasions by throwing parties. Others cut cakes. Fat Joe, evidently, celebrates by revealing plans to perform ambitious shows with next-to-no experience in the medium. Happy birthday, Fat Joe!