Skip to content
1 min left · finish 2:56 PM
Email
I
Rockford Current
Illini CurrentRockford: Forest City comeback, Rock River life
Good morning, Columbus☀️57°F · Clear
BusinessCommunityArtsSchoolsGovernment
+5 more
SportsReal EstateTechnologyDiningHealth

Advertisement · Why this ad?

  1. Home
  2. /Arts
  3. /Nelly Recalls Taylor Swift Paying Him $50,000 in a McDonald’s Bag After 2011 Concert
Arts

Nelly Recalls Taylor Swift Paying Him $50,000 in a McDonald’s Bag After 2011 Concert

Elena Martinez
Elena Martinez
Elena Martinez
Reporter · Decatur, IL

Elena holds a Bachelor's in Arts Administration from Columbia College Chicago and has spent the last 4 years covering the vibrant arts scene in Central Illinois. She believes in the power of storytelling through the arts and frequently writes about local artists and cultural events.

More from Elena →
Reporter · Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 9:49 AM · 1 min read
Text size
Typeface
Line spacing
Theme
Focus mode
Email
Nelly Recalls Taylor Swift Paying Him $50,000 in a McDonald’s Bag After 2011 Concert — Rockford Arts news

Nelly has shared an unusual memory involving Taylor Swift, a surprise concert appearance, and $50,000 delivered in a McDonald s bag. During an October 29 appearance on The Breakfast Club, the rapper recalled how Swift invited him to join her onstage during her 2011 Speak Now World Tour stop in Houston, Texas. The invitation came after Swift and her friends created a dance routine to Nelly s hit Hot in Herre. She offered him $50,000 to perform, along with private jet transportation and accommodations. Nelly explained that he jokingly asked for the payment to be placed inside a McDonald s bag. To his surprise, that is exactly how the money arrived. Swift also arranged for a private jet to bring Nelly and his children from St. Louis to Houston. Although Nelly said he would have performed for free, Swift insisted on paying him. The two performed his 2010 hit Just a Dream together. Their musical connection continued in later years, with Nelly joining Swift during her Red Tour in 2013 and th

#culture

Also covering Illinois

WheatonGlen EllynDowners GroveLa GrangeWinnetka
I

Rockford Current

Part of the Illini Current Network

Rockford: Forest City comeback, Rock River life. Hyper-local community news covering 40 Illinois cities.

Sections

BusinessCommunityArtsSchoolsGovernmentSports

Latest Stories

Authorities investigating death in Cherry Valley neighborhoodDOJ pushes to isolate Alaska ballots in Peltola probeSouthern California doctor sentenced to prison for $45 million Medicare fraud scheme1 dead, 6 injured in shooting at Spirit Halloween store inside California mallDuo sentenced in prostitution scheme at southern Illinois massage parlors

About

Illini Current publishes independent community news across Illinois. Local reporters. Non-partisan. Community-first.

RSS FeedNetwork Directory

© 2026 Illini Current — illinicurrent.com

PrivacyTerms

A product of Edina Automation LLC

You're offline — showing the last loaded page
HomeSearchSaved