Chance the Rapper and Denzel Washington became fast friends upon meeting for the first time.
The three-time Grammy winner appeared on the Wednesday (July 9) episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, and around the 13-minute mark, told guest host Anthony Anderson about meeting Washington. The encounter happened when the two-time Academy Award winner was performing in Broadway play Othello alongside Jake Gyllenhaal.
Chance called himself “one of the biggest Denzel Washington fans” and called the entertainer “our greatest film actor.”
“I’m not as familiar with the theater, but after seeing him in Othello, I think he’s one of the great stage actors,” he continued.
Following the performance, Chance joked that he “hung around” the theater “trying to look famous,” so someone would escort him to meet Washington. Although Chance wasn’t initially noticed, it was one person who approached and said that Gyllenhaal wanted to meet him.
Backstage, Chance saw a group of “elderly Black folks,” who he instantly knew were “Denzel’s people.” Another actor, who was also waiting for Washington, introduced Chance to the group just as Washington appeared.
Chance called himself “shell-shocked” from standing close to Washington in the moment. “I got to see him all my life through a glass screen and then then I got to see him a two feet away pretending to be Shakespeare,” he said.
When the artist decided to finally introduce himself to Washington, the actor surprised him and asked, “And who is these negroes?”
“Now, I haven’t been called a ‘negro’ in a long time,” Chance joked. “But not by Denzel. So I’m like, ‘Uh, I’m Chance the Rapper. I’m a huge fan.’ He goes, ‘Chance the Rapper? Alright. You’re kind of famous, aren’t you?’ To which I reply, ‘Yeah.'”
But it was Washington who wanted to go outside and “See who’s more famous,” to which Chance obliged. “My body’s just in fight or flight mode,” Chance continued. “I say, ‘You ain’t said nothing but a word.’ And I get up. I’ve also never used that phrase before but I’m going. We’re playing off each other at this point.”
The two exited the theater and went out front where there were “thousands of fans,” but Washington hilariously used the moment to see if Chance was as “famous” as he said he was. “While they’re applauding him, he beckons me outside and I come and I stand in front and they’re all screaming, and he goes, ‘Do you know this negro?'” Chance recalled.
But the crowd knew exactly who Chance was and are likely anticipating his upcoming album, Star Line. Also on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the artist performed his new single, “Tree.”
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