Celebrity Stans

Artists recount finding out about their most shocking celebrity fans.

DJ Khaled - I remember when I performed at the BET Awards, 'All I Do Is Win' and I seen will.i.am and Black Eyed Peas singing the whole song. I remember Rihanna, one time I was at a concert in Miami. I think it was a Lil Wayne show. They brought me out to do “I’m So Hood” and I seen her singing. That’s when I realized that we’re making amazing music.

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DJ Khaled - I remember when I performed at the BET Awards, 'All I Do Is Win' and I seen will.i.am and Black Eyed Peas singing the whole song. I remember Rihanna, one time I was at a concert in Miami. I think it was a Lil Wayne show. They brought me out to do “I’m So Hood” and I seen her singing. That’s when I realized that we’re making amazing music.

Nelly - Right now, it’s probably Taylor Swift. That’s probably been a great surprise for me. It feels real good that a lot of people from various ranges of entertainment appreciate you. I think that’s what you really want.

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Nelly - Right now, it’s probably Taylor Swift. That’s probably been a great surprise for me. It feels real good that a lot of people from various ranges of entertainment appreciate you. I think that’s what you really want.

Yung Joc - It’s like two people: MC Hammer and Kid from Kid ‘N Play. Kid, I swear on everything I love, Kid busts out and sings four of my records that I’ve never even released that was on the very, very first music I ever put out before “It’s Going Down” really even popped. So that threw me. MC Hammer pulls me on stage, stops his song and we started performing to my song. That was one of those surprising moments.

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Yung Joc - It’s like two people: MC Hammer and Kid from Kid ‘N Play. Kid, I swear on everything I love, Kid busts out and sings four of my records that I’ve never even released that was on the very, very first music I ever put out before “It’s Going Down” really even popped. So that threw me. MC Hammer pulls me on stage, stops his song and we started performing to my song. That was one of those surprising moments.

Ashanti - I remember I was in the bathroom, I think at the Grammys or the American Music Awards, and Kelly Osbourne came into the bathroom and said, ‘Ashanti, I f*ckin’ love your music.’ And I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, thank you so much, so nice to meet you.’ So that really threw me for a loop.

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Ashanti - I remember I was in the bathroom, I think at the Grammys or the American Music Awards, and Kelly Osbourne came into the bathroom and said, ‘Ashanti, I f*ckin’ love your music.’ And I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, thank you so much, so nice to meet you.’ So that really threw me for a loop.

Trey Songz - I remember Maxwell saying he was a big fan of me a while back and that was very surprising. But to know that…Stevie Wonder being a fan of my music and actually singing “I Invented Sex” at the BET Honors. That was amazing. Every day it’s somebody new, man. Like I said, I’m just blessed at this point in my life… so many beautiful things going on.

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Trey Songz - I remember Maxwell saying he was a big fan of me a while back and that was very surprising. But to know that…Stevie Wonder being a fan of my music and actually singing “I Invented Sex” at the BET Honors. That was amazing. Every day it’s somebody new, man. Like I said, I’m just blessed at this point in my life… so many beautiful things going on.

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Drake - Richard Branson honoring my music was pretty crazy with the Virgin thing. Sir Richard Branson. Roger Ebert, yea, he liked the ‘two thumbs up, Ebert and Roper.’ He liked that. I mean, anybody like that is crazy to me. I mean, Michael Jordan knows my music. They tell me Obama’s heard my music before. That’s crazy. It’s special.

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Drake - Richard Branson honoring my music was pretty crazy with the Virgin thing. Sir Richard Branson. Roger Ebert, yea, he liked the ‘two thumbs up, Ebert and Roper.’ He liked that. I mean, anybody like that is crazy to me. I mean, Michael Jordan knows my music. They tell me Obama’s heard my music before. That’s crazy. It’s special.

Rick Ross - You know, Bruce, he is a fan of mine and I’m a fan of Bruce Willis.  We done kicked it on several occasions. Shout out to P. Diddy, remember me? We done partied big and it’s all good. Ain’t nothing wrong with that, a little Fruit Loops in the air. Die hard, baby! Believe that!

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Rick Ross - You know, Bruce, he is a fan of mine and I’m a fan of Bruce Willis. We done kicked it on several occasions. Shout out to P. Diddy, remember me? We done partied big and it’s all good. Ain’t nothing wrong with that, a little Fruit Loops in the air. Die hard, baby! Believe that!

Snoop Dogg - My most shocking Snoop Dogg fan would be Bill Gates. He was following me around at the Live 8 for a picture. I was like, ‘This fool got all this money and he’s chasing me around for a picture? Let me take this picture and go in his pocket at the same time.’

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Snoop Dogg - My most shocking Snoop Dogg fan would be Bill Gates. He was following me around at the Live 8 for a picture. I was like, ‘This fool got all this money and he’s chasing me around for a picture? Let me take this picture and go in his pocket at the same time.’

Bun B - Chi McBride. I haven’t really interacted with too many people outside of the hip-hop community. Unfortunately I’m not famous to where I’ve had a lot of crazy famous people come up to me and be like, ‘Yo, I love your music, I love what you do.’ Travis Barker. Big fan, like, knew the catalog, knew lyrics. Travis Barker surprised me. That’s why we do a lot of music ‘cause I so happened to be a big fan of his music. “Stay Together for the Kids” from Blink 182 is a powerful record.

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Bun B - Chi McBride. I haven’t really interacted with too many people outside of the hip-hop community. Unfortunately I’m not famous to where I’ve had a lot of crazy famous people come up to me and be like, ‘Yo, I love your music, I love what you do.’ Travis Barker. Big fan, like, knew the catalog, knew lyrics. Travis Barker surprised me. That’s why we do a lot of music ‘cause I so happened to be a big fan of his music. “Stay Together for the Kids” from Blink 182 is a powerful record.

Fat Joe - This limo driver one time, he said, ‘Yo, you wouldn’t believe the weirdest story.’ And this is back in the days, hardcore, underground Fat Joe. ‘I was driving Billy Joel around all day and he kept bumping this Fat Joe album, all day.’ I can’t confirm it. It’s just a rumor from the driver.

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Fat Joe - This limo driver one time, he said, ‘Yo, you wouldn’t believe the weirdest story.’ And this is back in the days, hardcore, underground Fat Joe. ‘I was driving Billy Joel around all day and he kept bumping this Fat Joe album, all day.’ I can’t confirm it. It’s just a rumor from the driver.

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50 Cent - To this day my most shocking celebrity fan would have probably been Ice-T. He actually enjoyed my music. He told me that he was one of the first gangsta rappers and I was the end of it ‘cause he didn’t believe any of the other guys.

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50 Cent - To this day my most shocking celebrity fan would have probably been Ice-T. He actually enjoyed my music. He told me that he was one of the first gangsta rappers and I was the end of it ‘cause he didn’t believe any of the other guys.

Rakim - I think the most surprising joint…I didn’t bump into him, but Karl Lagerfeld. He’s a fashion clothes designer. You know, when you look at him, you think that he don’t even pay attention to rap, but he said “Paid in Full” was his favorite album and I’m his favorite rapper. That’s what makes you feel extra good, when you reach people outside of your normal circumference or your normal cipher.

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Rakim - I think the most surprising joint…I didn’t bump into him, but Karl Lagerfeld. He’s a fashion clothes designer. You know, when you look at him, you think that he don’t even pay attention to rap, but he said “Paid in Full” was his favorite album and I’m his favorite rapper. That’s what makes you feel extra good, when you reach people outside of your normal circumference or your normal cipher.

Talib Kweli - I used to be surprised, but I’m not surprised no more. But when I used to be surprised, it was Rakim.

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Talib Kweli - I used to be surprised, but I’m not surprised no more. But when I used to be surprised, it was Rakim.