American rapper Nelly has revealed how pop superstar Taylor Swift once paid him $50,000 for a brief concert appearance, with the money delivered in a McDonald’s takeaway bag at his request.
The 51-year-old rapper shared the experience during a recent interview on The Breakfast Club, recalling how Swift unexpectedly contacted him to perform his 2002 hit song, Hot in Herre.
According to Nelly, Swift explained that she and her friends had prepared a dance routine to his song and wanted him to join them during an upcoming concert in Houston, Texas.
He said the singer admitted she had a limited budget but offered him $50,000, a private jet, and luxury hotel accommodation.
At the time, Nelly was in St. Louis, while Swift was preparing for performances in Houston.
Recalling their conversation, the rapper said Swift offered to arrange his transportation and accommodation before mentioning the payment.
“I said, ‘Can you put that in a McDonald’s bag?’ I said, ‘But I would’ve done it for free,’” Nelly recalled.
He explained that Swift subsequently sent a private jet to transport him and his children to Houston, where a presidential suite had been reserved for their stay.
However, the biggest surprise came when a member of Swift’s management team handed him a McDonald’s bag containing $50,000 in cash, just as he had jokingly requested.
Nelly said he was amused that the singer had taken his unusual request seriously.
Despite the payment, he maintained that money was not his motivation for accepting the invitation, explaining that he would have performed without charging her.
The rapper added that he barely used the hotel accommodation because he returned to the airport shortly after his performance.
Nelly and Swift have performed together on several occasions, including a September 2015 concert in St. Louis, where they performed Hot in Herre alongside the American pop group Haim.
Swift’s representatives have not publicly responded to Nelly’s account.
