by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 19, 2023

Rapper Flo Rida Sips Celsius Drink After Being Awarded $82M in Lawsuit Against Company

According to The Associated Press, Tramar Dillard, known to the world as Flo Rida, has been awarded $82.6 million in a lawsuit he filed against the producers of Celsius Energy Drinks.

He claimed in court papers that Celsius Holdings Inc. violated the conditions of a contract the parties signed back in 2014.

The rapper, who hails from Florida, and his production company, Strong Arm Productions, sued the Boca Raton, FL-based company alleging that they hid money from him and did not honor the initial endorsement he signed. The lawsuit was filed in Broward County court in May 2021.

“Basically, I helped birth this company, and all we was looking for was some trustworthy people who acted as if they were family,” Dillard told the media outlet. “And then when it comes down to the success of today, they just forgot about me.”

According to the paperwork filed, Flo Rida was signed on as a brand ambassador for Celsius from 2014 to 2018. While under contract, the rapper stated that he played a pivotal role in launching a new era for the company’s brand development, growth, and expansion. He introduced the energy drink to millions of consumers around the world. Based on his involvement with Celsius, his attorneys asserted that the partnership helped the company grow its product portfolio. After introducing a new powder and product line named Celsius Heat, in conjunction with Flo Rida’s partnership, the company has sold and collected revenues for its powder form products since the collaboration.

Yet, the attorneys for Celsius stated that the company achieved its greatest success after the Flo Rida endorsement deal ended. They alleged that other business decisions were the reason that sales and stock value increased.

An attorney for the performer, John Uustal, said Flo Rida wanted the 1% ownership he was promised and would be willing to forgo the award and accept the stock instead.

“He (Dillard) loved the product, and it’s been a very successful four-year relationship,” Uustal said. “There were some benchmarks. He was supposed to get stock when certain things happened. And there became a dispute about whether those benchmarks had been reached. So that’s what this was about.”

The rapper took a sip from a Celsius can after receiving news of the award. He still wants to work with the company and even owns some stock.

“I’m still a owner in the company,” Flo Rida said. “And when you basically planted the seed for something that is successful, you can’t help but have unconditional love.”


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