The Amazing Reason Why Terrence Howard Invited Petey Pablo on 'Empire'

It's an amazing decade-old story.

ByABC News
October 2, 2015, 11:55 AM

— -- Rapper Petey Pablo appeared on "Empire" recently as Lucious Lyon's prison friend Clyde and there's an amazing reason why.

The show's star, Terrence Howard, first used the rapper's music in his smash hit "Hustle & Flow" and they met at the film's premiere in 2005. Howard had lost his wallet, so Pablo lent him $200 to get by with.

Pablo told Raleigh news station WRAL that he got a call from Howard this year, asking for his address to pay the decade-old debt back.

He also wanted some help, musically on "Empire." So the famed rapper wrote four songs for Howard's character. Then, the actor asked Pablo to be on the show.

"I'm up here with Terrence Howard [on the show]!" he said of being nervous on set. "I'm with all these people, 'Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.' And he was like [calmly], 'Just do it.'"

Now, Pablo said he hopes to be on the show again.

"I've been talking to Terrence and I'm hoping I don't die [on the show]," he said.