Justin Bieber hopes pal Ed Sheeran doesn't do 'something stupid' to 'mess up' his career

Justin Bieber knows all about fame, fortune and success. And so does Ed Sheeran. The pair also happen to know how to make beautiful music together, as evidenced by their collabo on Bieber's smash "Love Yourself," which Sheeran co-wrote. To hear Justin tell it, they're not exactly besties, but they got to know each other a bit during the sessions and JB now considers Ed something of a friend.

According to the NME, while speaking to BBC Radio 1 Live host Nick Grimshaw this week during an interview in his Los Angeles home, Bieber, 22, said, "I really appreciate his music. I appreciate who he is as a person. He's an inspiration to a lot of young people - he makes awesome music that people are inspired by and that people laugh to, cry to and I think it's important in music to have those people who bring the emotion out of you... There's something about him that just makes you like him. He's very likeable and very, very talented."

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Watch Justin Bieber Cover Tupac's 'Thugz Mansion'

Bieber, who has had a well-documented string of public mishaps and misbehaviors, also tapped into his own experience in the spotlight when talking about his hopes for Sheeran, 25, who is taking a well-deserved break now after a massive world tour in support of his last album. X. "Let's hope he doesn't... we gotta make sure he doesn't do something stupid to mess it all up," Bieber said.

The well wishes for Sheeran came during the same session where Bieber played some of his hits, as well as surprise covers of 2Pac's "Thugz Mansion" and Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car."

Justin Bieber also recently apologized for a super awkward interview: