She rapped with Ludacris at the State Fair, TikTokers helped make sure she would be able to cherish it

[MUSIC PLAYING] NINA MOINI: Well, time now for a brand-new Thank you, Stranger, our series about how strangers can make our lives a little brighter. This one looks back at the Minnesota State Fair and the Ludacris and T-Pain show at the Grandstand. Our producer Ellen Finn talked to Alex Campbell from Minneapolis about her experience.

ALEX CAMPBELL: Well, it was my first Grandstand show that I've ever been to, and I'm not from Minnesota originally at all. So the State Fair as a whole, being as big as it is, was a huge shell shock to me the first time that I went. So this was the first time where I saw it was T-Pain and Ludacris, and I was like, we have to get tickets.

T-Pain is my celebrity crush. I love Luda. So it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I made a sign, even though signs aren't supposed to be allowed. But I thought it would be OK because I was in the front row, so I wasn't covering anyone's view.

And I decided to make my little sign the day of. I went to Jo-Ann Fabrics and bought iron on letters and the whole deal. We were planning to go to the fair beforehand, and he's like, when do you want to leave? I'm like, once I finish this sign. It's very important. It said, Luda, let me wrap the verse to "Baby."

[JUSTIN BIEBER AND LUDACRIS, "BABY"] And I was like, baby, baby, baby

ALEX CAMPBELL: I'm a karaoke queen, and that is one of my go to songs. I was like, I know this rap like the back of my hand. I'm ready for this moment. We saw him read it from the stage, and we were like, yeah! Luda was like, yo! And he mentioned-- he was like, yo, to the security guy to try to get his attention, but he did not pay attention.

And the guy who Luda was rapping with, he also saw the sign. So he sat down at the edge of the stage and held the mic out until security grabbed it and just handed it to me. So I was just like, let's go.

It was very much full of adrenaline. I blacked out, 100%. The spirit of Ludacris and Justin Bieber took over me in that moment. But it was so cool. And he was cheesing up there, Ludacris. And I was like, I hope that he's proud.

[CHEERING AND CHANTING]

We were just walking out of the fair covered in sweat from the concert, trying to find our lift home. And I was like, man. It would be so cool to have a video of what happened. So I was like, if anyone recorded the Jumbotron, just like by chance. And I was like, if I tag the State Fair, maybe I'll find a video.

Hello. If you are at the Minnesota State Fair, and you were at Ludacris and T-Pain, and you have a video of me rapping with Ludacris, please post it, please.

And so I posted it. It was a super short, like 10 second video. And then all of a sudden, my phone started blowing up, and people were like, you ate that. That was so good. I saw you.

ELLEN FINN: Alex's TikTok video got more than 9 million views.

ALEX CAMPBELL: And then people started tagging me because they were posting the videos, too. So now, I have six different POVs of people who saw it and filmed the screen where they got the view of the Jumbotron. And I was like, I do not recall. I was going like this like I was rapping.

[LAUGHTER]

I did not expect it. I shared it with my co-workers. I like sent it to my sister because she loves Luda. And I was like, I rapped with Ludacris. And so now, it's a whole joke that I'm going Hollywood, and I'm waiting on my call. I'm like, I need to go on tour with him now. I feel like the internet people can be really mean sometimes.

There's one way or the other. So it was really nice seeing such a positive response to it and reading all the comments. And I feel like it was a big indicator of how awesome the people in Minnesota are. The number of people who are just like, someone get this girl her video. So and so posted it. Go take a look. And now I have all those videos. It was so kind to watch and remember.

For a first time experience going to a Grandstand show, everyone was so awesome. The people that I was standing next to-- had never met them before, and they were like, we're going to get you to rap with Luda. And they were holding up the sign with me. It was just such an awesome experience, and I have a really good and happy memory surrounding it. And I don't know that that would have happened in other places.

[JUSTIN BIEBER AND LUDACRIS, "BABY"] But I just keep on saying

Baby, baby, baby

NINA MOINI: So fun. I loved that. That was Alex Campbell talking to MPR producer Ellen Finn. To see a video of Alex rapping to the song "Baby" at the T-Pain Ludacris Grandstand show, go to our website, mprnews.org.