The essence of a block party is that it is a shindig by residents for residents of a particular ‘hood and usually includes plenty of good vibrations and libations. But in Dave Chappelle’s Block Party, there is neither a bucket of fried chicken nor a jug of Kool Aid in sight. What Chappelle does provide in abundance is tunes from socially-conscious hip hop and R&B artists. And although he is an outsider to the particular block on which the party takes place, Chappelle playfully ingratiates himself to local residents and businesses that are affected by his gig.

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Recorded in September 2004 when Chappelle’s popularity was at a peak due to the phenomenal success of his weekly sketch comedy show, Dave emcees a gathering of his musician friends at the intersection of Quincy and Downing in Brooklyn, NY who perform live before an eager crowd of mostly 20-somethings and a selection of Buckeyes bussed in for the event. The audience withstood strong winds and rain to groove to the sounds of the likes of Kanye West, Mos Def, Erykah Badu as well as witness the reunion of the Fugees.   MORE >>>

The documentary and concert film also follows Chappelle around Brooklyn as he spreads the word about his event and doles out trips to the Big Apple to some of the residents of his adopted heartland home. The film is its most intriguing when the spotlight shifts from the musicians in performance mode to the offstage interaction between the artists and Chappelle as well as when the anonymous voices from Middle America share their experiences and reflections. Throughout it all, Chappelle entertains with his unique comedic flow.