In an eccentric recollection from his new memoir, Really, Lionel Richie claims that his late good friend and collaborator Michael Jackson had uncommon hygiene habits, which led to music producer Quincy Jones giving him the nickname “Smelly.”

Richie, 76, wrote that after Jackson went solo and have become a significant star, he was “answerable for his personal ship,” resulting in an “eccentric” day-to-day life. Richie stated he and Jones would typically joke about Jackson’s tendency to neglect altering his apparel.

“Michael would snigger, too, realizing that he was oblivious to the truth that he hadn’t modified or washed his garments for a few days or so,” Richie penned. He added that when Jackson visited him, he was typically in ill-fitting denims and a t-shirt, and would by no means put on deodorant round him.

Richie recalled as soon as gifting the King of Pop a brand new pair of denims and clear underwear, encouraging him to bathe after noticing a “foul odor.” Jackson was “candy and grateful,” however when Richie returned dwelling, he discovered the discarded, outdated “ratty denims” and underwear “simply mendacity there like roadkill” on his lounge carpet.

Richie concluded that Jackson’s quirks have been part of his endearing nature, however affirmed the pop icon’s behavior of carrying the identical pants till they have been “unwearable.”