It’s not just a documentary that follows Dave Chappelle from his hometown of Dayton, Ohio to the urban streets of Brooklyn, New York. It’s not just a film about a concert that he organized. It’s about who came—audience and performers—how they got there, what they offered, and what they learned.
For viewers (like me) who sat down to watch this Block-umentary, expecting to be entertained by the same Chappelle who had us tossing our heads back with guilty laughter while watching hilarious skits that mocked racial issues in America on the Chappelle Show, we are not greeted by the same Dave. While his comedic talents are sprinkled throughout “Block Party,” Chappelle’s main goal in this project was not to get a laugh. Instead, this concert was about togetherness, about uniting people that would probably never, without Chappelle, have experienced a free rap, hip-hop and soul concert on a rainy NYC day.
While the artist performances are scattered throughout the film, I realized that I was just as eager to watch the stage, as I was to see the crowds bopping their heads to the beat, or the rehearsal footage, and backstage conversations. As Duane Dudek, from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Review, admits, “the mix of interviews, performances and shtick may make for a loosey-goosey movie, but its ‘wish-you-had-been-there; quotient is of f the chart.” From the beginning of the film, when Chappelle meanders down ho-hum streets in Dayton, Ohio handing out his Block Party golden tickets to anyone –old ladies on the street, a college marching band—the viewer senses that feel-good, let’s-all-get-together-for-a-positive-experience vibe. And the viewer…wants one of those golden tickets.
For viewers (like me) who have sometimes been put off by rap music that can seem to be centered on not-so-admirable language or topics like “everybody in the club getting’ tipsy” or having “99 problems but a bitch ain’t one,” Block Party will remind us of a part of that genre that aims to inspire, create hope, and preach l-o-v-e. A well-known critic of race and popular culture, Michael Dyson says, that “had more support been given to so-called positive hip-hoppers and to revolutionary rappers who detested body bags and beer bottles; who encouraged black men to ‘be a father to your child’; who advocated love and respect for black women; who sought black communities; the gangsta rap tide might have been stemmed.” In “Block Party,” Chappelle supports and is in awe of artists who want to educate their audiences with music that serves as a messages of compassion, respect, making smart choices, and even, sometimes, religious ideals. The crowds at Chappelle’s block party sang along with choruses of unity and strength, not bitterness and hate.
With all the goodness that this film promotes, some spectators might so closed-off to anything but classic Chappelle shtick, that they will miss the deeper meaning of “Block Party.” Kevin Carr from 7(M) Pictures whines, “ultimately, if you’re a fan of the bands featured in ‘Block Party,’ you’ll like the movie. It’s really more about them than anything else. However, if you were hoping for some laughs and clever bits from a funny guy, you’d be better off renting an old DVD of ‘Chappelle’s Show’.” Perhaps the diverse crowd that Chappelle assembled was also anticipating a typical stand-up routine from the famous comedian when they arrived on Quincy Street in Brooklyn, but when they realized Chappelle had put together a different kind of concert, they stayed because unlike Kevin Carr, they knew it was something special. However, even though Carr didn’t get a one hour and fifty minute stand-up routine, “Block Party” is not at all devoid of humor. For example, Chappelle’s wit is effortless when describing the run-down house that the concert stage will be constructed in front of, and the house’s hippy owners. He admits, “because they bought it, it kind of has some sort of meaning – but, if I was a location scout, and we needed a crack house…I might refer that place.” “Block Party’s” intent might not be to solely keep us in stitches, but it is surely not a too-heavy, feel-bad-about-the world film.
In “Block Party,” I found Chappelle more honest and relatable than I had ever imagined him before. While touring the run-down neighborhood where the concert takes place, he stops in a Salvation Army. After attempting to play the piano, he explains, “Every comic wants to be a musician. Every musician thinks they're funny. It's a very strange relationship that we have. Some musicians are funny. Some comedians can play. I'll give you an example: Mos Def - funny guy; Jamie Foxx - good singer and piano player. So you never know, you never know what kind of talent a person has. I am mediocre at both, but I've managed to talk my way into a fortune. Life, is a funny and unpredictable thing!” Viewers will appreciate his humble, optimistic outlook on life’s experiences—good and bad. Sometimes we get lucky, and sometimes things work out, but we’re all in this together, and we can all learn from each other. Dave’s random encounters and conversations with interesting, strange, endearing strangers who are united through the block party event is captivating. While the artist performances are inspiring, the footage of their rehearsals, casual dialogue, joking around, and hopeful attitudes about society make them the viewer wish they were our friends. Though “Block Party” is a departure from the type of entertainment Chappelle is known for, it proves to be his best, most impactful work yet.
