Flo Rida Awarded $82.6M for Breach of Contract Case

Screengrab from "My House" video via YouTube

Flo Rida is celebrating after being awarded $82.6 million in damages on Wednesday by a Florida jury that agreed with his claim that energy drink maker Celsius violated an endorsement deal with him.

"I just want to say God is good in Jesus' name," said the rapper at a press conference outside the courthouse moments after his legal victory, before taking a sip of one of the company's signature beverages.

Flo Rida, 43, whose real name is Tramar Dillard, added that he sued Florida-based Celsius Holdings Inc. because he played a significant role in its rise from an obscure beverage company to an industry powerhouse.

“I carried them on my back,” he said. “I put them in my videos. They were with me everywhere I played.”

Rapper Flo Rida sips from a Celsius energy drink moments after winning a lawsuit against them and awarded millions. @nbc6 @official_flo pic.twitter.com/V89VVkcAWz

— Sheli Muñiz (@SheliNBC6) January 18, 2023

Flo Rida was a brand ambassador for Celsius from 2014 to 2018 according to the civil complaint originally filed in 2021. 

During that time his lawyers argued the musician was integral to the company's growth, noting that it was $50 million in debt when the deal began and had grown into a multibillion-dollar company with his help, as he introduced millions around the world to the brand.

In return for his endorsement, which included prominent product placements in his videos — his 2015 Billboard top 10 platinum single "My House" was shown in court as an example —Flo Rida was promised a percentage of stocks and bonuses worth millions once Celsius achieved a benchmark in sales revenue.

His attorneys argued that Celsius had met those key sales metrics during the five-day trial and that their client was entitled to additional stock amounting to a 1 percent stake in the business, which was worth at least $75 million in their estimation.

Celsius' lawyers said the benchmark was reached only after its endorsement deal with Flo Rida expired and attributed the company's increased sales to internal moves.

The argument did not seem to hold much sway with the jurors, who awarded him the victory on the second day of deliberations.

Snoop Dogg, Sade Among 2023 Songwriter Hall of Fame Inductees

Snoop Dogg

The Songwriters Hall of Fame has released the names of the seven inductees that make up its class of 2023, and it includes several hip-hop and R&B powerhouses.

Gangster rapper turned entertainer extraordinaire Snoop Dogg, New Jack Swing pioneer Teddy Riley and soul music icon Sade made the cut.

They will be officially inducted at the organization’s 52nd Annual Induction and Awards Gala on June 15 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, along with the "Queen of Latin Pop," Gloria Estefan, Electric Light Orchestra founder Jeff Lynne, Glen Ballard — a writer who co-wrote some of Alanis Morissette's and Michael Jackson's biggest hits — and frequent Taylor Swift collaborator Liz Rose.

"The music industry does not exist without songwriters delivering great songs first. Without them there is no recorded music, no concert business, no merch . . . nothing, it all starts with the song and the songwriter," Nile Rodgers, the hall's chairman, said in a statement.

"We are therefore very proud that we are continually recognizing some of the culturally most important songwriters of all time and that the 2023 slate represents not just iconic songs but also diversity and unity across genres, ethnicity and gender, songwriters who have enriched our lives and, in their time, literally transformed music and the lives of billions of listeners all over the world."

For more info on the inductees, the process used to determine their worthiness for the hall and their official bios click here.

Mimi and Missy to Headline Second Annual Lovers & Friends Fest in Las Vegas

Las Vegas will be the center of the R&B music universe for the second year in a row, at least for a day, this May.

Usher announced the lineup for his Lovers & Friends music festival Tuesday, putting the world on notice that some of the genre's biggest acts and their hip-hop brethren are headed to Sin City.

"We’re back at it! Lovers & Friends Festival in Vegas Saturday, May 6, 2023. Time to “Get Ur Freak On,” wrote the self-declared "King of R&B" on Twitter, alongside an image of the festival's lineup.

Standing out among the loaded list of performers, which features over 45 acts, are some marquee names, including first-time headliners Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott and Pitbull.

Along with the festival's host, Usher, they give this second edition of the annual event some serious star power.

🎧We’re back at it! Lovers & Friends Festival in Vegas Saturday, May 6, 2023 👈🏾
Register now for presale tickets, available on Friday, January 20th at 10AM at https://t.co/DIKuR9PIOh pic.twitter.com/EuLXrbj0At

— Usher Raymond IV (@Usher) January 17, 2023

The bill is rounded out by fellow music luminaries Christina Aguilera, Chris Brown, Boyz II Men, and an astonishing array of chart-topping acts from previous decades to the present including Ginuwine, 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, Nelly, Master P, T.I., Flo Rida, Summer Walker, Bryson Tiller, Shaggy, Eve and Omarion.