Nelly recalls Taylor Swift’s unusual way of paying him $50K for a three-minute performance

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Taylor Swift once paid rapper Nelly $50,000 for a surprise performance during her 2011 'Speak Now' tour, handing him the cash in a McDonald’s bag, as he recalled on 'The Breakfast Club'.

Nelly also revealed how Swift arranged the performance at short notice after asking him for a “really big favor” in Houston, Texas.

Nelly recalls Taylor Swift’s unusual $50,000 payment for surprise performance

Nelly revealed that Swift called him “out of the blue” in 2011 and asked him to join her onstage in Houston, Texas. The rapper, who had known the pop star “for a long time,” recalled that she explained how she and her friends had made a routine to his song 'Hot in Herre' the previous evening and wanted him to fly in from St. Louis.

Although Swift, now 36, admitted that she did not “really have a budget” at the time, she did not want to “disrespect” the rapper. She offered him $50,000 for the performance, alongside transportation on her private plane and accommodation in a presidential suite at the Four Seasons.

However, Nelly had one unusual request regarding the payment. “I said, ‘Can you put that [money] in a McDonald’s bag?’” he recalled. His request was fulfilled when Swift’s manager, Robert Allen, handed him a McDonald’s bag containing the cash.

The 'Ride Wit Me' hitmaker explained that he would not have performed for free, although money was not “an issue” for him. He also revealed that he never even saw the luxury hotel room because he headed straight to the airport after the performance. Nevertheless, he found the entire experience hilarious, adding, “I’ll take it.”

Nelly performed 'Just a Dream' during the 2011 appearance, which was part of Swift’s 'Speak Now' tour. He subsequently joined her onstage during the 'Red' tour in 2013, performing 'Hey Porsche' for the audience. In 2015, he also performed 'Hot in Herre' during a stop on her '1989' world tour.

Nelly calls himself a Swiftie and defends Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding guest list

The professional association between Nelly and Swift continued over the years, with the pop star occasionally attending his shows. She also joined him for a performance of 'Dilemma' at an event in 2016. During Wednesday’s appearance, Nelly enthusiastically confirmed that he considers himself a Swiftie, saying, “hell yeah.”

The rapper and his wife, Ashanti, also attended Swift’s July wedding to NFL star Travis Kelce at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. Nelly defended the couple’s massive, star-studded guest list, explaining that someone with a longstanding career like Swift’s naturally makes many friends.

“People forget how long she’s actually been in the business,” he said, adding that she had been at the top of her profession for years. He also praised Kelce, suggesting that Swift’s husband might go down as the greatest tight end of all time.

The wedding celebrations also featured performances from Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw. An industry insider had previously described the extensive guest list, saying, “I’ve heard Taylor invited so many people it’s going to be bigger than the Met Gala.”

Swift and Kelce announced their engagement on August 26, 2025, after dating for two years. Their July wedding brought together several personalities from the entertainment and sports industries, including Nelly and Ashanti.