Comedian Chris Rock and DJ Diplo faced a challenging escape from the Burning Man festival amid a disaster caused by heavy flooding in Black Rock City, Nevada. The 58-year-old Rock and 44-year-old Diplo’s ordeal began when they were forced to walk six miles through muddy conditions before hitching a ride with a kind-hearted fan who offered them a lift on the back of his pickup truck.
Diplo documented their journey on Instagram, capturing a video of Rock and a group of people crowded in the truck’s bed, where Rock humorously expressed his desire for a cold brew coffee.
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Diplo shared the video with the caption, “I legit walked the side of the road for hours with my thumb out cuz i have a show in dc tonight and didnt want to let yall down. Also shoutout to this guy for making the smart purchase of a truck not knowing it was for this exact moment.” Diplo, who had a show scheduled in Washington, D.C., later updated his Instagram Story with footage of himself walking barefoot to catch a plane, emphasizing that despite the odds, they were determined to make it to their commitments.
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Meanwhile, Rock also provided insights into their Burning Man experience through his Instagram Stories, mentioning the challenges attendees faced due to flooding, including issues with port-o-potties and supply deliveries. The situation at Burning Man became increasingly dire as attendees were instructed to shelter in place, conserve essential resources like food, water, and fuel, and refrain from driving, except for emergency vehicles.
Organizers of the festival posted updates on social media, confirming the closure of the airport and entrance to Black Rock City. They urged people not to travel to the area and warned that access to the city was closed for the remainder of the event.
Despite the adversity, Diplo managed to fulfill his DJing commitment in Washington, D.C., and clarified his absence from Burning Man in a video, humorously addressing those who doubted his location.
“For those of you who didn’t think I wasn’t at DC, I just got done DJing for 3 hours after walking f***ing for four hours out of the desert and taking a flight,” he said in a video. “Mud still on my face. I’m in f***ing DC, I’m in a f***ing Four Seasons. Why would I be at Burning Man still, you idiots?”