The music video cameo adds a much-needed star power punch to trash music, but—little-known fact—it can also be a purposeful complement to a decent record as well. Most cameos aren't all that shocking: basketball star likes rapper part 2,032, celebrity couple banks off of celeb status part 3,084, etc. But there are also the random celebrity cameos that genuinely shake the ground we stand upon.
OK, maybe nothing that radical, but still, the more unexpected cameos are fun reminders that the entertainment industry is not just a machine for self-perpetuation of celebrity and self-congratulation—although it is that too—but a chance for artists to show their good (or bad) tastes, or a place for a yet-to-be-famous actor to look back on with bemused embarrassment. Here, we take a look at some of the more strange and unexpected celebrity cameos from the past 25 or so years of popular music culture.