Their songs have been spun countless times on the radio over the years, but Mary J. Blige and Nas — co-headlining the Royalty tour at Barclays Center on Wednesday — will never forget the first time they heard themselves on the airwaves.

Mary J. Blige:

“The first time I ever heard ‘You Remind Me,’ I was on the West Side Highway with one of my girlfriends in their jeep. It came on the radio, and I just was like, ‘Whoa!’ DJ Red Alert played it [on 98.7 KISS-FM]. Red Alert broke it, and after that, the song was just everywhere. And I was still living in the projects! It was crazy; it was an amazing moment. I just thanked God right away, ’cause I knew something had happened.”

Nas:

“I was walking around my neighborhood [in Queensbridge], and there was a bunch of older guys on the corner. I thought I heard ‘Live at the Barbecue’ — a Main Source record with me at the top — coming on, and I was trying to get these guys’ attention to listen, but they were lit . . . so I couldn’t even [let them know] that it was me. As long as they didn’t change the station, I didn’t care anyway. I just stood there with them and listened to it, with a smile on my face.”