13 Famous Ghostwriters

By now it’s common knowledge that just because an artist performs a song, we can’t naturally assume they wrote it.

Yet the issue always creeps up again when another ghostwriter is exposed.

While you were worrying about Drake versus Meek Mill, these 13 famous ghostwriters were still cashing publishing checks and collecting royalties.

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Photo: Twitter

photo: WENN

Cam’Ron – “Crush On You”

“Crush On You” was a smash hit for Lil Kim. Thank Killa Cam for those bars.

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Sauce Money – “I’ll Be Missing You”

It wasn’t just a clever line when Diddy said, “Don’t worry if I write rhymes. I write checks.” It’s pretty common knowledge that Sauce Money penned Puff’s Notorious B.I G. tribute song, “I’ll Be Missing You.”

photo: WENN

Ne-Yo – “Irreplaceable”

By now everyone knows Beyonce uses a stable of writers, so it should come as now surprise that B’Day became Ne-Yo’s payday when “Irreplaceable” struck platinum.

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R. Kelly – “Cry/You Are Not Alone”

When he wasn’t allegedly performing lewd acts with minors, the Pied Piper of R&B was penning hits for Michael Jackson, Gladys Knight, and Aaliyah.

Jay Z – “Still D.R.E.”

A quick glance at some album credits confirms Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter was the man behind both Dre’s verses on “Still D.R.E.” and Bugs Bunny’s rhymes on “Buggin’” from the Space Jam soundtrack.

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Marsha Ambrosius – “Butterflies”

Part of the reason Michael Jackson was crowned as the “King of Pop” was because he had a great team of writers. Former Floetry member Marsha Ambrosius was behind his hit “Butterflies.”

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Pharoahe Monch – “The Future”

This might be a rare instance of some true “ghostwriting.” You’d be hard pressed to find the actual credits of Diddy’s Press Play album, but one listen pretty much confirms that Pharoahe Monch wrote those verses on “The Future.”

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Ke$ha – “Till The World Ends”

While Britney Spears’ “Till The World Ends” gets zero play on urban/contemporary radio, Ke$ha is probably still cashing checks after writing the song years ago.

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Jessie J – “Party In The U.S.A.”

You can blame Miley Cyrus for a lot of corny things but not her hit “Party In The U.S.A.” That money-making atrocity was penned by Jessie J.

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Prince – “Nothing Compares 2 U”

The Purple One has hits to spare. In addition to writing his own multiplatinum hits, Prince has written hits for Stephanie Mills, Sinead O’Connor, LaToya Jackson, and of course, Apollonia.

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Lenny Kravitz – “Justify My Love”

No one has confirmed if Lenny smashed Madonna’s cakes or not, but he definitely got paid to write “Justify My Love” for her.

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Frank Ocean – “Quickly”

The man formerly known as Christopher Breaux wrote John Legend’s “Quickly,” Alicia Keys’ “One Thing,” and “Scared Of Beautiful” for Brandy. That’s paper.