Miley Cyrus surprises SXSW crowd
Miley Cyrus surprised the audience Thursday during a South by Southwest event featuring a slew of rappers, including her producer Mike WiLL Made-It.
Cyrus appeared to be the only woman on the stage, which was packed with nearly 20 people jumping up and down, left and right. Rappers including Future, Riff Raff, the duo Rae Sremmurd and the group Two-9 - who all also performed - were onstage at The Fader Fort alongside Cyrus. Others ranged from hype men to cameramen to people shooting toy guns full of water and confetti into the audience.
Cyrus sang -- well, rapped -- her portion on the song "23," Mike WiLL Made-It's 2013 hit that also starred Wiz Khalifa and Juicy J. She also performed her anthemic "We Can't Stop," which Mike WiLL Made-It produced.
She also recited some of Nicki Minaj's part on Rae Sremmurd's song "Throw Sum Mo."
Since Cyrus marked a breakthrough with the hits "We Can't Stop" and "Wrecking Ball," she has been supported by rappers. The Grammy-nominated "Bangerz" featured collaborations with Pharrell, Big Sean, Nelly, Future and French Montana; and she also appeared on albums by Snoop Dogg and will.i.am.
Mike WiLL Made-It, who has worked with Rihanna and 2 Chainz and executive produced Cyrus' "Bangerz," was headlining the show. He was excited throughout the set, and before he performed "23" -- a song that references Air Jordan sneakers -- he said he would give sneakers away to the "most pumped person in the crowd."
Then he threw blue ones into the audience.