imported>BattyBot: /* top */ Removed/fixed incorrect author parameter(s), performed general fixes

2025-05-07T02:06:51Z

top: Removed/fixed incorrect author parameter(s), performed general fixes

New page

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Dave Chappelle's Block Party
| image = Dave Chappelle's Block Party (movie poster).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Michel Gondry]]
| writer = [[Dave Chappelle]]
| producer = Dave Chappelle Michel Gondry
| starring = [[Kanye West]] [[Mos Def]] [[Talib Kweli]] [[Common (rapper)|Common]] [[The Fugees]] [[Dead Prez]] [[Erykah Badu]] [[Jill Scott (singer)|Jill Scott]] [[The Roots]] Dave Chappelle
| cinematography = [[Ellen Kuras]]
| music = Corey Smyth
| studio = [[Bob Yari|Bob Yari Productions]]
| distributor = [[Rogue Pictures]]
| released = {{Film date|2005|09|12|Toronto International Film Festival|2006|03|03|United States}}
| runtime = 103 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = $3 million<ref name="mojo">{{cite web|title=Dave Chappelle's Block Party|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=blockparty.htm|work=Box Office Mojo|publisher=IMDb.com, Inc|access-date=27 May 2012}}</ref>
| gross = $12.1 million<ref name="mojo"/>
}}
'''''Dave Chappelle's Block Party''''' (also known as '''''Block Party''''') is a 2005 American [[documentary film|documentary]]-[[concert film]] starring [[comedian]] [[Dave Chappelle]] at the height of his early mainstream success and cultural influence. Directed by [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]]-winning filmmaker [[Michel Gondry]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Dargis |first=Manohla |date=March 3, 2006 |title=A Comedian's Ultimate Goal: Rock the Block |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/2006/03/03/movies/03chap.html?gwh=7C65520517087B03ADEAEB85471F3B27 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> the film captures Chappelle organizing a free [[block party]] concert in [[Brooklyn]] on September 18, 2004,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Walsh |first=Peter|date=2014-09-18 |title=Dave Chappelle Throws Epic Brooklyn Block Party: Today in Hip-Hop - XXL |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/today-in-hip-hop-dave-chappelle/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=XXL Mag |language=en}}</ref> inspired by the 1973 concert documentary ''[[Wattstax]]''. Despite intermittent rain, the concert continued uninterrupted, featuring performances from a lineup of hip-hop and R&B artists, including [[Fugees|The Fugees]] in their first reunion since their 1997 breakup, [[Kanye West]], [[Mos Def]], [[Talib Kweli]], [[Erykah Badu]], [[Jill Scott (singer)|Jill Scott]], [[The Roots]], [[Common (rapper)|Common]], [[John Legend]], [[Kool G Rap]], and [[Dead Prez]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-04 |title=One Rainy Day in Brooklyn |url=https://www.theringer.com/2021/03/04/movies/dave-chappelle-block-party-making-of-history-anniversary |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=www.theringer.com |language=en}}</ref>

The film premiered at the [[2005 Toronto International Film Festival]] before its wide release on March 3, 2006. It was dedicated to the memory of music producer [[J Dilla]], who died from [[lupus]] one month before the film's release. Block Party received widespread critical acclaim, praised for its vibrant atmosphere, historic musical moments, and Chappelle's ability to merge comedy with hip-hop culture. The film holds a 92% rating on [[Rotten Tomatoes]] and has been recognized by publications such as ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', ''[[The A.V. Club]]'', and ''[[IndieWire]]'' as one of the greatest concert films ever made.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shteamer |first=Tim Grierson,Sam Adams,Eric Hynes,David Fear,Jason Newman,Kory Grow,David Browne,Jon Dolan,Andy Greene,Hank |date=2021-11-25 |title=40 Greatest Rock Documentaries |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-lists/70-best-music-documentaries-24757/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The 30 greatest concert films of all time, ranked |url=https://www.avclub.com/30-greatest-concert-films-ranked-1850918892 |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=AV Club |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brock |first=Ben |date=2014-07-17 |title=The 10 Best Concert Movies Ever |url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/the-10-best-concert-movies-ever-274407/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=IndieWire |language=en-US}}</ref> It is widely recognized for facilitating one of the last major Fugees reunions, often cited as one of hip-hop’s most significant reunions.<ref>{{Cite web |last=LeDonne |first=Rob |date=2016-09-20 |title=Hip-Hop's 10 Best Reunions |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/hip-hop-reunions-best-run-dmc-tribe-called-quest-7511165/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref> Artists such as [[J. Cole]] have described attending the event as a defining experience.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-06-27 |title=J. Cole Remembers Chappelle's Block Party |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/j-cole-recalls-dave-chappelles-block-party-the-most-awesome-show-247395/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>

Filmed at a pivotal moment in Chappelle's career, ''Block Party'' was released after he made the decision to leave ''[[Chappelle's Show]]'' and withdraw from the public eye.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kameir |first=Rawiya |date=2020-06-07 |title=Revisiting Dave Chappelle's Block Party, A Celebratory Concert Film and Reclamation of Black Fandom |url=https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/revisiting-dave-chappelles-block-party-a-celebratory-concert-film-and-reclamation-of-black-fandom/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref> The film was a box office success, debuting at #6 in its opening weekend, grossing $6 million from 1,200 theaters, and ultimately earning $12.1 million worldwide against a $3 million budget. Its DVD release sold over 1.24 million copies, generating $18.8 million in revenue. The documentary also earned several accolades, including a [[Black Reel Award for Outstanding Original Soundtrack]].

==Plot==
[[File:Broken Angel House.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The Broken Angel House, the site of the documentary, in May 2007]]
The film follows Chappelle during the summer of 2004, ending on September 18, 2004, when he threw a [[block party]] on the corner of Quincy Street and Downing Street in the [[Clinton Hill, Brooklyn|Clinton Hill]] neighborhood of [[Brooklyn]], [[New York City]]. The film features nearby sites, including the [[Broken Angel House]] in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn as well as areas in [[Fort Greene, Brooklyn]] and [[Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn]]. The film was produced before Chappelle's highly publicized decision to walk away from a $50 million deal to continue his hit ''[[Chappelle's Show]]'', and gained prominence after the announcement.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

Chappelle invited several [[hip hop]] and [[neo-soul]] musical artists to perform at the party, including [[Kanye West]], [[Mos Def]], [[Jill Scott (singer)|Jill Scott]], [[Erykah Badu]], and [[The Roots]] along with The [[Central State University]] Marching Band. [[Lauryn Hill]] was also scheduled to perform at the party, but since [[Columbia Records]] refused to release her songs for use in the production, she decided instead to reunite [[The Fugees]] for the occasion. In addition, Chappelle performed comedy [[monologues]] and [[Sketch comedy|sketches]] in between the musical acts. A pre-fame [[J. Cole]] was in attendance and can be seen in the crowd watching the hip hop duo [[Black Star (rap duo)|Black Star]] perform.

==Performers==
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Dave Chappelle]]
* [[Kanye West]]
* [[Mos Def]]
* [[Talib Kweli]]
* [[Jill Scott (singer)|Jill Scott]]
* [[Erykah Badu]]
* [[The Roots]]
* [[Common (rapper)|Common]]
* [[Big Daddy Kane]]
* [[Kool G Rap]]
* [[The Fugees]]
* [[Bilal (musician)|Bilal]]
* [[Dead Prez]]
* [[Cody Chesnutt]]
* [[John Legend]]
* [[Central State University]] Marching Band
* [[A-Trak]]
{{div col end}}

==Soundtrack==
{{Infobox album
| name = Dave Chappelle's Block Party
| type = live
| artist = Various Artists
| cover = Blockpartysndtrk.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2006|3|14}}
| recorded = September 18, 2004
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = {{flat list|
* [[Progressive hip hop]]
* [[neo soul]]<ref name="avclub"/>
}}
| length =
| label = [[Geffen Records|Geffen]]
| producer =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[Allmusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}} [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r822883|pure_url=yes}} link]
| rev2= ''[[The A.V. Club]]''
| rev2Score = B−<ref name="avclub">{{cite news|last=Rabin|first=Nathan|authorlink=Nathan Rabin|date=March 29, 2006|url=https://www.avclub.com/music-in-brief-4212-1798209164|title=Music in Brief 4212|newspaper=[[The A.V. Club]]|accessdate=March 29, 2006}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[HipHopDX]]''
| rev3Score = 3.5/5 [http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/reviews/id.613/title.dave-chappelle-dave-chappelles-block-party-soundtrack link]
}}
A compilation of "music from and inspired by" the film was released on March 14, 2006.<ref>{{cite web|title=Soundtrack: Dave Chappelle's Block Party|url=http://www.soundtrack.net/albums/database/?id=4033|work=Soundtrack.net|publisher=Autotelics, LLC.|access-date=27 May 2012|author=Matt Millstein|date=15 July 2006}}</ref>

The album was released by [[Geffen Records]], and produced by Corey Smyth for Blacksmith Music Corp and [[Questlove]].

# [[Dead Prez]] – "Hip Hop"
# [[Black Star (hip hop group)|Black Star]] – "Definition"
# [[Jill Scott (singer)|Jill Scott]] – "Golden"
# [[Mos Def]] – "Universal Magnetic"
# [[Talib Kweli]] feat. [[Erykah Badu]] – "The Blast"
# [[Common (rapper)|Common]] feat. Erykah Badu & [[Bilal (musician)|Bilal]] – "The Light"
# [[The Roots]] feat. [[Big Daddy Kane]] & [[Kool G Rap]] – "Boom!"
# [[Erykah Badu]] – "Back in the Day"
# [[Jill Scott (singer)|Jill Scott]] – "The Way"
# [[Mos Def]] – "UMI Says"
# [[The Roots]] feat. [[Erykah Badu]] & [[Jill Scott (singer)|Jill Scott]] – "You Got Me"
# [[Black Star (group)|Black Star]] – "Born & Raised"

All the songs were recorded live in concert, except "Born & Raised", an exclusive new studio track from Mos Def and Talib Kweli's Black Star. Many performances, including [[The Fugees]]' reunion and [[Kanye West]]'s performance, could not be included due to legal restraints with the groups' record labels.

Chappelle's version of [[Thelonious Monk]]'s [['Round Midnight (song)|"'Round Midnight"]] was featured in the film, but was not released on the compilation.

Cody chesnuTT was featured in the film with his song ″Parting Ways″ among others, was not released on the compilation but is shown on the end credits.

==Release==
===Box office===
The film grossed $11,718,595 in the [[United States]] and an additional $333,329 overseas, giving the film a total gross of $12,051,924; based on a $3 million budget, the film was a moderate success.<ref name="mojo"/> The DVD has sold a total of 1,240,405 copies since 2006, grossing a total of $18,776,445.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dave Chappelle's Block Party|work=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]]|url=http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2006/DCSBP-DVD.php}}</ref>

===Critical response===
[[Rotten Tomatoes]] gives the film a 93% rating based on 127 reviews with an average score of 7.70/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "''Dave Chappelle's Block Party'' is a raucous return to the spotlight for the comic, buoyed by witty, infectious humor and outstanding musical performances."<ref>{{cite web|title=Dave Chappelle's Block Party (2006)|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/block_party/|work=Rotten Tomatoes|date=3 March 2006 |publisher=Flixster, Inc|access-date=19 March 2025}}</ref> [[Metacritic]], which assigns a [[Normalization (statistics)|normalized]] rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, gives the film an average score of 84 based on 30 reviews.<ref>{{cite web|title=Block Party Reviews - Metacritic|work=[[Metacritic]]|url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/block-party}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|http://www.chappellesblockparty.com}}
* {{IMDb title|0425598}}
* {{mojo title|blockparty|Dave Chappelle's Block Party}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|block_party|Dave Chappelle's Block Party}}

{{Dave Chappelle}}
{{Michel Gondry}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dave Chappelle's Block Party}}
[[Category:2005 films]]
[[Category:2005 documentary films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Michel Gondry]]
[[Category:American documentary films]]
[[Category:2005 comedy films]]
[[Category:Concert films]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:Focus Features films]]
[[Category:Central State University]]
[[Category:Fugees]]
[[Category:2000s hip-hop films]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]
[[Category:Works by Dave Chappelle]]
[[Category:English-language documentary films]]
[[Category:English-language musical films]]
[[Category:2005 musical films]]

Dave Chappelle's Block Party - Revision history

imported>BattyBot: /* top */ Removed/fixed incorrect author parameter(s), performed general fixes