Idris Elba Opens Up On Life Before Fame: Being A DJ, Selling Weed To Dave Chappelle

Idris Elba has quickly ascended the rungs of stardom. The actor is famous for being the main character of the BBC's movie "Luther" and 2013's summer movie, "Pacific Rim."

He also played the role of a drug dealer in "The Wire," and the character of Heimdall in "Thor."

However, before he broke into the limelight with HBO's movie "The Wire," Elba was just an unknown actor trying to make ends meet. From being a DJ to being a comedy club bouncer, Elba did what he could to support himself and his wife.

Unfortunately, this did not amass so much revenue. As a result, the actor resorted to selling weed to up-and-coming and successful stand-up comedians. In a recent interview with Sirius XM's "The Jess Cagle Show," Elba revealed the name of one of his famous clients, Dave Chappelle. Read on to get more details about the disclosure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xZXyOQ7Dgk

While he spoke to co-hosts Julia Cunningham and Cagle about his days as a dealer, he pointed out that he used to sell pot to Dave Chappelle. He also mentioned that this was just one of his many side hustles.

"I was running with cats. I mean, I was DJ'ing, but I was also pushing bags of weed; I was doing my work. I had to," he added. "I know that sounds corny, but this is the truth."

He also added that he was able to make an impression on the comedian owing to his appearance and accent.

"I meet the comedians [now] that kind of remember the English guy. Tall English guy with the funny accent and the little hair. David Chappelle remembers me cause he used to buy weed from me! Anyway, moving on."

Before this, Chappelle had previously admitted to buying weed from Elba. Their first meet was at Caroline's on Broadway, where he initially encountered Elba, who was working as a club doorman.

"Idris Elba — the famous actor — used to be a security guard at Caroline's. I used to buy weed from him," Chappelle confessed on "The Rogan Experience."

The actor's big break came when he got wind of an HBO casting for "The Wire," which explored the lives and activities of drug dealers in Baltimore.

Although he intended to play the character of Avon Barksdale, the leader of the crew, he was given the role of Stringer Bell, an aid who assisted Barksdale in running the biggest drug ring in Baltimore.

Even with all his long list of achievements, the actor still expresses humility while talking about his part in one of the critically acclaimed TV series of all time.

"That really is more about the writing of The Wire than it is the performance," he said of the legacy of his character. "You know, Stringer Bell is a great character that was written. I happened to play him, but it could have been anyone playing that role."

He added per Us Weekly, "Listen, I think I brought Stringer to life my way, but The Wire isn't a classic because of Stringer Bell. The Sopranos was a classic because of Tony Soprano."

For this year, the actor would appear in "Beast," a thriller where he'd be playing a father running away from a lion, and "Three Thousand Years Of Longing," where he would be starring alongside Tilda Swinton.  

He would also be playing Knuckles in "Sonic The Hedgehog 2" coming April. 

"Having a year of films that are all very different excites me," he says. "I don't want people to be like, 'Oh, this is an Idris Elba film, so I'm going to expect that.'… I feel very privileged to be considered an actor that has a lot of range."

He admitted to taking on the role in "Sonic The Hedgehog 2" because he grew up with that entertainment. He added that the part scores him bonus points with his seven-year-old kid. "He is just coming into his own and likes to hear his old man in some of these animations. I love that." 

In his interview with Vanity Fair, the actor disclosed that he might be leaning away from acting soon to make music. Music was more than a side hobby; it's an interest that he hoped to showcase to a broader audience someday.

"Some may think, Well, it will be the death of your acting if your music's shit," he began. "I have dealt with the internal struggle of that over the years. So now I am at peace and I have chosen: This is what I am doing, and I am going to do it. Some will love it and some will hate it."

https://youtu.be/Vo6XYUJ7Eys