The Backstreet Boys have soundtracked a lot of formative memories for fans over the years — including Drake. In a video interview with Billboard that went live Wednesday (June 24), the members of the boy band recalled the special moment they shared with Drizzy a few years ago in Toronto, which apparently included the rapper revealing his first kiss had been to one of their songs.
Sitting down with Billboard‘s Jerah Milligan, Nick Carter, Howie D, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson were chatting about times when it finally dawned on their respective children how famous their parents actually are. That’s when the subject of Drake first came up, with Richardson saying, “For my kids, probably the coolest thing that ever happened is when we were on the DNA Tour.”
While stopped in Champagne Papi’s hometown, Richardson recalled that “we went to a restaurant, and it just happened to be Drake’s” go-to place to eat. “The maître d’ is like, ‘Excuse me, Drake is here, and he would love — when you’re finished — he would love to be able to come over and say hi,” the 1990s pop icon continues, mimicking the look of shock on sons Mason and Maxwell’s faces. “My kids were like, ‘Dad!'”
“He told a story about, like, his first kiss was to one of our songs,” Richardson adds, explaining how that conversation led to Drake joining Backstreet on stage in Toronto to help perform “I Want It That Way.” “He was like, ‘Could I come through?'”
The conversation with Billboard comes shortly after the group released “Bottle Up” for Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie. The guys are also gearing up to return to The Sphere in Las Vegas to resume their Into the Millennium residency celebrating more than 25 years of their 10-week Billboard 200-topper, Millennium.
“We’re taking people on a journey,” McClean tells Milligan of what fans can expect in Vegas. “Taking people down memory lane, taking you back to 1999, asking everyone to wear white … there’s two shows happening at once. We’re doing our normal concert like you would see if you saw us at a normal arena show, but then you have this film happening behind you. It’s a lot to take in.”
Plus, the members answered some “This or That” questions, including one that might polarize boy-band fanatics everywhere: *NSYNC or O-Town?
“We’re friends with them all, just so you know,” Carter says cautiously before choosing. “I’ma say O-Town.”
“I’ll say *NSYNC, I’m closer to those guys,” offers McLean in agreement with Howie D, who says, “I went to college with Chris Kirkpatrick, so I have to say that.”
Watch the Backstreet Boys’ full interview with Billboard above.
