Iconic comedian Dave Chappelle created a cultural staple in his comedy sketch project, Chappelle Show, but he walked away from the opportunity and Hollywood’s limelight in the early 2000's. 

After retreating from the public eye for nearly 10 years, Chappelle made a strong return by securing lucrative financial deals with Netflix. In February, he called off his request to fans to stop watching the Chappelle Show after he and Comedy Central executives came to an agreement about proper attribution and compensation, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

During a recent chat on Joe Rogan's podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, Chappelle revealed what motivated his return to stand-up comedy. The 47-year-old entertainer also shed light on the rise and fall of Chappelle Show.

"You're the first guy to beat the system. You're the first guy to get f*cked over by the system, go public with it and then get your money," Rogan told Chappelle.

“I still can’t wrap my mind around it. But I do have to shout out Chris McCarthy at ViacomCBS. When we were working this out, his approach was someone who was actually trying to resolve something. It was amazing, man,” the comedian said in response.

Last year, the Half Baked actor told his large fanbase to boycott Chappelle Show because Viacom was airing old episodes without giving him royalties. He suggested that comedy helped him express his resentment without sounding entitled or privileged to fans.

“It wasn’t a court of law. I don’t believe I would have got anything in a court of law,” the 47-year-old said. “I think in the court of public opinion it was a good time for me to say my piece, and through the years it wasn’t something I would harp on. It was something I was actually reluctant to talk about.” 

Other subjects discussed on the podcast include Chappelle once having Idris Elba as his weed man and Elon Musk's recent Saturday Night Live appearance.