"The biggest enemy of an artist is apathy" - Dave Chappelle On His Comeback & Unrest

Dave Chappelle has never shied away from speaking truth to the copious ills that plague our country, whether they be political, cultural or particularly, racial. This past weekend found the titan of comedy receiving honors from Russell Simmons' Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation at the Art For Life benefit in Long Island, where he took a moment to speak on the current social climate and how his comeback had little do with how emotionally charged that climate is these days. But that didn't stop him from explaining the duty of comedians and artists alike to remain engaged, particularly in times of unrest, where creatives often speak volumes to spark poignant dialogue and assist in the healing process. Speaking with the Associated Press, Chappelle explains:

"This is a very surprisingly emotionally charged time, so people like me, I think, are very relevant and necessary in sorting through all this information and emotional content. And when we are at our best, hopefully we are doing a great service to many people."

Then during his acceptance speech, the mythical funny man dropped this jewel to bring it all home and tie-in the pains of our time:

"The biggest enemy of an artist is apathy. A kid gets killed by the police and I buy a T-shirt and before I can wear that one, there's another kid (killed) and I'm running out of closet space."

By no means is this an indication of any more material (after all, his Radio City residency should be enough to hold us over for ages to come) but it does provide a golden standard from a master for all else to uphold. And we certainly hope the world of comedy takes heed. Stay tuned for all things Dave Chappelle in the months ahead and keep you ear to the ground for the next time he surfaces.

h/t Associated Press