Do You Know Who I Am?!
The irony of Mick Jagger singing "You Can't Always Get What You Want," at the height of the Rolling Stones' popularity in 1969 was that Jagger and co. could indeed get whatever they wanted. All they had to do was put it in a concert rider. These days the Stones' wildest demand is for a backstage snooker table, but not all stars are so modest. From chaffeur instructions to specific food requests, these asks give new meaning to the phrase "high maintenance."
Jay-Z
Jay-Z is used to riding in style, and he expects nothing less when he's playing a show. Jay asks that his venue transportation be a late-model black Mayback (either a 57 or 62 model, preferably). Once backstage, Jay likes to sip on some of the finest of alcoholic beverages, including two bottles of $300 champagne and two $200 bottles of 2004 Sassicaia, which is described as a "red Italian wine from Bolgheri region." Quite the highbrow tastes for Mr. Z.
Beyonce
Beyonce's demands are pretty modest, but she is very specific about her poultry needs. In its own section on Bey's rider is a "Juicy Baked Chicken" with the instruction, "Please season with fresh garlic, season salt, black pepper, and Cayenne pepper HEAVILY SEASONED!!"
Kanye West
Does it surprise anyone that Kanye West is rather particular when it comes to his green room requests? 'Ye is big on skin care, requesting that hand sanitizer, Nivea Intensive Lotion, Neutrogena face scrub, and Carmex lip balm be waiting for him upon arrival. He's a big Pepsi guy, and explicitly states there are to be "NO COKE PRODUCTS" among his refreshments. Finally, when it comes to his chauffeurs, West only rides with drivers who are wearing 100 percent cotton, "no man-made fibers."
Katy Perry
When Katy Perry is on tour she wants her dressing room outfitted in a very specific way. It's to be draped in cream or soft pink linens and adorned with fresh flowers, but "ABSOLUTELY NO CARNATIONS." And if you're one of Perry's drivers, don't assume she wants to be your friend. Her rider notes that drivers are not allowed to "start a conversation with the client," and are not to make eye-contact with her via the rear-view mirror.
Mariah Carey
Who drinks Cristal with a bendy straw? Mariah Carey that's who, so if you plan on booking her, you better provide both backstage.
Jennifer Lopez
Aside from her all-white dressing room accents, Jennifer Lopez has a few food and drinks on her list of demands. Fruit is a big one — mango, green seedless grapes, pineapple, cantaloupe, papaya, watermelon — and that apple pie she wants better be a la mode. Also, J.Lo needs her Evian water served at room temperature. No excuses.
Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber isn't one for controversy, and his celebrity rider is right in line with that reputation (mixed nuts, fruit, and bottled water don't really tip the diva scale). However, Biebz is big into plain white shirts and socks. If you want to book the pop star, you'll need to buy dozens of packages of crew neck and V-neck T-shirts, tank tops, and low-rise socks ranging from size extra small to extra large.
Britney Spears
Britney Spears does not tolerate phone calls. If her dressing room phone gets an incoming call, she charges the venue a $5,000 fine. As for catering requests, Britney's list not surprisingly includes a few junk food items like Doritos, KFC, Pop Tarts, and Captain Crunch. Don't worry, she asks for a vegetable tray too.
Christina Aguilera
No one likes traffic, but Christina Aguilera refuses to get stuck in gridlock, which is why she requires a police escort to and from the venue. When Christina arrives at the venue (in a timely manner, of course), her dressing room is supposed to be stocked full of everything from Oreos to soy cheese to Nesquick to Flintstones Chewable Vitamins.
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