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.