Fast like Twista but hilarious like the Lonely Island crew, actor and writer David Burd became rapper Lil Dicky in 2013 when he dropped the megahit "Ex-Boyfriend." Busting out of the Philadelphia suburbs, he began working on Lil Dicky, writing rhymes, cutting demos, and storyboarding videos for two years before he showed them to the public. He first saw rapping as a way to transfer musical success into television and film writing success, but when he posted "Ex-Boyfriend" and reached a million views within the week, hip-hop lover Burd realized his hip-hop dream was already a reality. In April 2019, Lil Dicky released the charity single "Earth" and a corresponding animated music video for Earth Day, with the proceeds going to environmental charities. Focused on raising awareness about climate change, the song featured vocals from over 30 high-profile guests, including Ariana Grande, Snoop Dogg, Kevin Hart, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, John Legend, and many other stars. The single reached number 17 on Billboard's Hot 100.