Lil Dicky has been on the receiving end of many jokes and insults throughout his career. Though the critique sticks with him, the 35-year-old revealed that he revels in the fact some “all-time great rappers” have called him a “rapper’s rapper.”
The Cheltenham Township, Pa. rapper addressed a lot in his Wednesday (April 12) interview with The Hollywood Reporter, whether it be his identity, past controversies, or how he handles negativity. “I feel like I’m the comedic voice of my generation,” he began. “I’m not like, ‘Oh, I’m the f**king best rapper alive,’ or ‘I’m the funniest guy in the world.’”
He went on to throw shots at his naysayers, calling them “elitist, hipster journalists who thought that it was their place to speak on behalf of hip-hop.” While their voices may be loud, he listens more to his peers and predecessors. “I’m meeting the all-time great rappers and they’re telling me, like, man, I’m a rapper’s rapper.” The “Save Dat Money” rapper did not name anyone specifically with regards to that comment but did reveal that noted “Hip-Hop Historian” LeBron James reached out to offer praise for season one of his popular FX show Dave.
Elsewhere in the conversation, Lil Dicky discussed the backlash he received from working with Chris Brown on the 2018 record “Freaky Friday.” While he understands the vitriol, the comedian is thankful for what the song did for his career.
“I love that song,” Dicky said. “I still love that song. It went to No. 1 in multiple nations, and without that song, I don’t know that I could have made [a charity single] like ‘Earth,’ where I raised, like, $3 million [to fight against climate change]”
He continued, “I know that my heart is good. I really do. I don’t lose sleep at night about my heart. And you can never be perfect, and sometimes I’ll still be dumb and unaware, but I really do care so much about doing the right thing. […] And listen, I get why someone wouldn’t like a Lil Dicky song, but I’d never be ok with someone being like, ‘That guy’s an asshole,’ or ‘That guy’s a piece of sh*t.’”