It’s been a wild road for , the YouTube sensation turned Professional Rapper turned full-blown TV icon. With his brand new series Dave earning both acclaim and commercial fanfare, Dicky has taken to Instagram to count his blessings and reflect on where it all began. Which is to say, the days of firing off comedically-tinged videos on YouTube, namely his first-ever upload and breakout single, the viral “Ex-Boyfriend.” 

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Given that Dicky has become a household name at this point, it’s hard to imagine a time when he was a young artist looking to capitalize on the strength of a self-deprecating storytelling single. On the seven-year anniversary of that fateful upload, the man himself took to Instagram to reflect on his road thus far. “7 years ago today, I put out my first song and video,” he writes, alongside a throwback screen-cap from the video. “Ironically, also today, I finally just finished and handed in the season finale of one of the biggest shows on television.”

“Thank you everybody for believing and seeing something in me,” he continues. “You changed my life and gave me my purpose, and I will never take it for granted.” He also vows that the season finale of Dave, all but guaranteed to see a second season at this point, will be nothing short of mind-blowing. Check out his full message below, and stay tuned for more news on LD — including his upcoming and highly-anticipated new album, which is beginning to feel like a post-Dave inevitability.