Rapper Kendrick Lamar performs at the Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 16, 2017, in Indio, California.
We all hear trivia about our favorite rappers. But more than the standard facts about where they grew up or what their original rap name was (hello J. Cole—excuse me, Blaza), what really grabs us are those wild things that no one else seems to know.
So we've decided to compile a dozen crazy, you'd-never-have-guessed facts about your favorite rappers to share with you. From Lil Wayne to Jay Z, Kendrick to Cardi B, we dug deep to find out a bunch of little-known information—including some things the artists would probably rather keep hidden. Sources are listed, so you can check our work.
Kendrick Lamar Was Originally Signed to Def Jam
Years before Kendrick Lamar was discovered by Dr. Dre, he almost had the backing of another rap titan. As a 17-year-old, circa 2006, Lamar was signed to the Jay Z-run Def Jam. The future star even ran into Jay briefly in a meeting.
"I remember was Jay walking in the room, 'Yo, what’s up?' And walked back to the elevator and we was like 'Damn, that’s Jay,'" Lamar told MTV. "So he doubles back, goes back to his office next door and he’s playing my music. Put me in the studio and that was just one of those situations where I wasn’t ready."
The Notorious B.I.G. Wasn't the First Biggie Smalls
The Notorious B.I.G. referred to himself frequently as "Biggie Smalls." However, he never released an album under that name. The reason? There was already a Biggie Smalls. Or, more properly, a "Biggy Smallz."
There was an L.A.-based rapper, real name Tim Bigelow—referred to as "white/Latino," though not much else is known about him—who had been using that name since 1991, when he started his career at the ripe old age of 12. He was still in his teens when the Notorious B.I.G. was releasing his debut album.
When Christopher Wallace was first starting out in the rap world, he was still upset about having to change his rap moniker—you can hear him complain about the situation in some early interviews. "On the cover, it will say the Notorious B.I.G.," he told Funk Flex in a 1994 convo in response to a question about his name. "Because some lame little 14-year-old 'Cruisin'' calling himself Biggy Smallz. He don't know the true meaning, but it's all good—we trying to make some paper."
Strangely enough, the lesser-known Biggy actually knew 2Pac. In fact, he merits a shout-out at the beginning of Pac's "God Bless the Dead"—which would cause much confusion and become grist for many baseless conspiracy theories, since the much more famous Biggie was at that point very much alive.
2Pac Inspired a Britney Spears Hit
Tupac Amaru Shakur has inspired countless things, including a Broadway musical and a half-million dollar bronze statue. But nothing created in his memory is as strange as a duet between Britney Spears and Madonna.
Songwriter Penelope Magnet, who wrote Brit's "Me Against the Music," said that the track was an homage to Pac's 1995 album Me Against the World.
"It was important to recognize Tupac in the title to me," she explained. "I loved him and Big. Tupac had an album entitled Me Against The World hence 'Me Against the Music.' The electricity of that era breathed life into Brit’s record."
Kanye West Was Supposed to Break His Jaw Again
Everybody knows the breakthrough moment of Kanye West's career. He shatters his jaw in a car accident but turns tragedy to triumph by recording his first major hit "Through the Wire" while his jaw is wired shut.
But a lesser-known part of the story is that after all of that, Yeezy was supposed to get his jaw re-broken so it could heal correctly. "They didn't put it in the right place," he explained at the time. It's unknown whether he ever underwent the procedure, but the whirlwind that the success of "Through the Wire" started means it's unlikely he ever got the surgery.
Migos Used to Have a Very Different Name
Migos were together long before "Bad and Boujee," or even "Versace." The trio started years prior, under a different name. They changed the group's name to "Migos" in 2010. Their first moniker? Polo Club.
Nas Almost Lost "Made You Look" to Ricky Martin
Nas' 2002 banger "Made You Look" is one of his most popular songs. But it almost didn't happen. Producer Salaam Remi was actually working on a track for Ricky Martin, intending to use the most iconic of break beats, the Incredible Bongo Band's "Apache."
As he was slowing down the sample to check some details, he noticed that the beat sounded even better at a slower tempo. So he jettisoned the Ricky Martin idea, and "Made You Look" was born.
Lil Wayne Didn't Know the Word "Heir"
Lil Wayne's torch-passing duet with Jay Z, "Mr. Carter," was a highlight of Tha Carter III. But there was a particular moment on the track that was puzzling to Weezy.
On Jay's verse, he talks about sharing "mic time with my heir." It was that last word that confused Wayne. Weezy said later, "I didn’t even get it. I was like, 'Why is he saying "air"? Is he just talking about the air?'"
Phonte Coleman Appeared in 'The Color Purple'
Phonte Coleman is best known as a member of the beloved group Little Brother, one half of Foreign Exchange, a critically acclaimed solo artist, and as Drake's favorite rapper. But his introduction to show business came long before that.
When he was six years old, Phonte auditioned for—and got—a role as an extra in a movie called The Color Purple—you may have heard of it.
Fat Joe Won Amateur Night at the Apollo Four Weeks in a Row—While Wearing a Top Hat
Everyone knows that Fat Joe is a veteran in the game—his first album (back when he was Fat Joe da Gangsta) came out back in 1993. But less known is an important early-career event that gave him a hugely-needed boost in visibility.
The thing that really made Joe's career take off was when he won Amateur Night at the Apollo four times in a row. And his outfit for the performances was quite exceptional—he wore a top hat and was carrying a cane.
Cardi B Credits Bobby Shmurda for Blowing Her Up on Social Media
We all know that Cardi B started gaining momentum via social media. Her unfiltered Instagram posts revealed a star in the making. But what you may not know is that one of the main reasons she got so many followers is pretty strange. Cardi credits Bobby Shmurda with being possibly the first celebrity to re-post her videos, and in turn for getting her a ton of social media followers.
"You know who got me a lot of followers, because they re-posted my videos like three times?" she asks in an early video. "Bobby Shmurda... They got my page lit. That's why I fuck with them heavy. Shout out to GS9 and the Shmoney Gang."
Ice Cube Turned Down "Jump Around"
Ice Cube has been involved in plenty of iconic songs, from "Fuck tha Police" to "It Was a Good Day." But in 1992, he missed the chance for another one. DJ Muggs offered him (and Special Ed, and the producer's own group Cypress Hill) a new beat. They all turned Muggs down, so instead he turned to his friends House of Pain. And—you guessed it—"Jump Around" was born.
Dr. Dre's Ghostwriter Shouted Himself Out on "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang"
Dr. Dre's iconic "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" was The Chronic's debut single, and quickly became one of the most popular and most well-regarded songs of the decade. But Dre's rap has a secret hidden inside it.
NWA affiliate the D.O.C. wrote much of The Chronic (and before that, a fair amount of Straight Outta Compton and Eazy E's first solo album). So when he was working on the lyrics to "'G' Thang," the longtime ghostwriter decided that he wanted some recognition.
"I said, 'For the last line [of Dre's verse], let's put my name on there,' because otherwise I wouldn't get to be in the song," he told L.A. Weekly's Ben Westhoff. "That's why Dre says: Like my nigga D.O.C./No one can do it better."