Award shows are supposed to be a celebration of familiarity. Hundreds of your favorite public figures gather in opulent theaters and arenas on either coast, sometimes collecting awards and taking Twitter selfies for national television audiences in the same venues where fans and critics fawn over them.
Except that in June, at the BET Awards at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, the American celebrity culture was infiltrated by an Englishman. When it was Pharrell’s turn to take a bow for being “Best Male R&B/Pop Artist,” two names synonymous with black entertainment in America were on stage to present the award. Washington Redskins wide receiver and part-time rapper DeSean Jackson and actor Boris Kodjoe were up there doing the presenting, and ostensibly, were being recognized for being recognizable.
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Daniel Sturridge was standing on that same stage as well, positioned to Kodjoe’s left. He didn’t appear to entirely be out of place. His outfit, which reflected a more refined street goth style, could’ve made him a rapper, but his height, build, well-groomed appearance and clear taste for high-end wears agitated for recognition as an NBA star. Couple that with his actual presence at the BET Awards—the only non-ESPY award show to consistently have the highest concentration of black NBA and NFL stars—and Sturridge could’ve easily been received as an impostor.
Yet the Birmingham-bred Liverpool FC player has been biding his time and building his relationships through starring as an elite striker in England. For Sturridge, presenting a BET Award to Pharrell in Los Angeles is another way to engage with the African American artists and entertainers who he’s a fan of. Part of that means befriending rappers and actors when they stop by Sturridge’s end of Europe, and then receiving some hospitality when the time comes to take the party stateside.
While in New York City for a leg of Liverpool FC’s summer tour of the United States, Sturridge sat down with Complex to discuss his journey. One night, his escapades included a awkward stop at an L.A. club with Brandon Jennings and Drake, which he shared in detail below.
I know this isn’t your first trip to America, you were out here for the BET awards a little while back. Who have you been hanging out with since you have been coming here?
No one in particular that I would say.
Really? I know you have a few friends around here.
I’m quite friendly with a few people, but I wouldn’t say there is anybody of significance that I would say. No I mean, in terms of, I’ve not been chilling with famous people. So called famous people. I have bumped into Drake, who I am good friends with his best friend Chubbs.
How do you know Chubbs?
When they [Drake and Chubbs] first came to England when I was at Chelsea so this was a good three years ago. Three and a half years ago. They came into the changing rooms and they met the players and whatnot. Chubbs is from Jamaica. My family is from Jamaica. We had a connection in terms of we had the same roots, we had the same background, and stuff like that.
It was one of those instances where you have a connection with them and you keep in contact with them. When I go to L.A., I speak with those guys. I saw Drake perform in Liverpool and went backstage and chilled with Chubbs. Chilled with Drake and we talked about music we talked about sports. Myself and Drake did. It was a cool vibe to be fair. I think Drake is a very nice guy. A lot of people talk bad about him, but in my opinion he is the leader of my generation in terms of music, in how he merges different genres. Nowadays hip-hop isn’t just hip-hop—you have to be an artist. You can’t just be hip-hop. Singing he does upbeat, slow stuff, raps, if you ask him to do either of them he will do them happily.
I’ve hung out with Chubbs and Drake was there with us [at the club]. Drake was there and Brandon Jennings was there. And I didn’t know who Brandon Jennings was to be honest, which was quite weird.
And did he know who you were?
No, this is the funny thing that I’m with my mate Pete, who is basically someone who deserves a shout out by the way, he’s my boy Peter Mills. I go to see Pete, I’m with Pete. To the SLS. And as I’m coming back to the hotel where I am staying. I see Pete goes, "Come to Katana." So I’m like, “Cool.” He’s like, “Drake is here.”
I go up there I speak to Chubbs because that’s my boy. I’m shaking hands and I see Brandon Jennings. And I’m like “You’re cool,” but I didn’t know who he was.
We’re talking about football, or soccer to you ,and he was like, “I don’t care about soccer. I’m thinking, “Who is this guy telling me he doesn’t care about soccer?” Turns out he is a basketball player, and I felt bad. I was like, “Jeez, he’s really famous and stuff and he doesn’t know who I am and I don’t know who he is.” But we are just at the same table with the same people. Chilling. I have no clue who he is and he has no clue who I am. And he’s disrespecting soccer and I am just like “basketball?”
Do you know if he realized…
I don’t think he knew. Maybe they [Chubbs and Drake] said, “Yeah he plays soccer.” But I didn’t know he played basketball. I was like, “Right” I left and I was like, “Damn, as if Brandon Jennings was chilling there and I didn’t know who he was.” It was weird. I kind of knew his face though and I was like, “I know this guy from somewhere, but I don’t know where.” Later, I presented the [BET Award to Pharrell] and he came in and I saw him, chilled with him. He’s a good guy.
Do you follow NBA?
I’m a basketball fan. I love watching the Heat. LeBron’s my guy.
So now you like watching the Cavs.
Now I'll watch the Cavs. That’s my team.
You’re the classic LeBron fan.
I’m a fan of individuals. Just like in the U.S. people will be fans of individuals in football—or soccer to you. I hope people follow me just like they follow Liverpool. You know like, musically. There is YMCMB. It’s a team. People choose Drake out of YMCMB. They might not like Birdman or Lil Wayne. At the end of the day, these people give you platforms.
Other then that, you bump into people [in the United States]. You go out, you see, in the U.S. the culture is so different, you go out and see people rapping in the club. In the nightclub and everyone is scattered about, in different areas of the club and they are all on the mic. Like, J. Cole performed. There was one night where J. Cole was in there, Fabolous was in there, Young Jeezy was in there, Usher was in there.
It’s like they do impromptu concerts.
Pretty much, which was strange for me, because I’m from England and we don’t see English artists—English artists don’t do that. For me coming here, I’ve been here a few times now, the vibe is just different. I love the U.S. culture, it’s definitely me. I definitely will live here one day.
