1. Brandy and Snoop Dogg are first cousins.
2. Rap is not the only talent that Philly rap veteran Beanie Sigel hones on the regular -- he also has a passion for oil painting.
3. Before Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr., was known to the world as Lil Wayne, his rap moniker was Shrimp Daddy.
4. Surprisingly, a young Lauryn Hill was booed at the Apollo’s amateur night.

5. Azealia Banks, Nicki Minaj, Jean Grae, Dana Dane, Kelis, Bridget Kelly, Eartha Kitt, MC Serch, and Slick Rick were all once students at the Fiorella LaGuardia High School of Music & Art in New York City.
6. The Chicago Bulls’ ball boy position was once filled by Windy City’s own Common.
7. Future is the cousin of Rico Wade, a member of the three man Atlanta production team Organized Noize. Organized Noize not only produced TLC's hit 'Waterfalls' but were the backbone of legendary Dungeon Family collective that includes Outkast and Goodie Mob. In fact, Wade gave the 'Honest' creator his rap name and Future sports a "Dungeon Family" tattoo on his forearms.
8. In high school, Tupac was a ballet dancer and proud of it.

9. Jay Z, The Notorious B.I.G., Busta Rhymes and DMX attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School together in Brooklyn, N.Y.
10. Don’t let his bowties fool you, soulful crooner Aloe Blacc was once a rapper.
11. Q-Tip once went by the rap moniker MC Love Child.
12. 'The Cosby Show' gave Alicia Keys her first acting gig at the tender age of 4.

13. Mariah Carey almost appeared on Courtney Love's 'Nobody's Daughter' album opener 'Samantha.'
14. Very few have stacked more records than Aretha Franklin. She has 90 albums that include solo efforts, compilations and live LPs.
15. Trick Daddy suffers from lupus.
16. ‘Use Your Heart’ by SWV was The Neptunes official production debut (they wrote the song too).
17. Kaine of the Ying Yang Twins has cerebral palsy. D-Roc was born with a pre-mature left hand.
18. D’Angelo and Angie Stone once dated and have a son together, Michael.
19. R&B pretty boys from the '90s Al B.Sure and Christopher Williams are cousins.

Al. B Sure Christopher Williams
Facebook
loading...

20. Queens folks, don’t get upset. Nas strictly reps the borough, but he was born in Brooklyn. Bonus fact: He also wrote a line or two on Will Smith's 'Gettin' Jiggy Wit It.’
21. Nerd alert! Erykah Badu studied quantum physics.
22. ‘This Is How We Do It’ singer Montell Jordan is now a megachurch pastor.

23. Stevie Wonder was in a coma for four days after a car accident in 1973.
24. Ne-Yo's former stage name was "GoGo."
25. "More cheddar bay biscuits please!" Before Nicki Minaj hit the rap charts, she got tired of hearing that request during her days as a Red Lobster waitress.

See 100 More Hip-Hop Facts That Will Surprise You

More From TheBoombox