Flo Rida is a lot richer after coming out on the successful side of a lawsuit he launched against Celsius energy drinks. However, he may not necessarily be satisfied with the outcome.
The jury trial awarded the rapper $82 million after it found Celsius to be in breach of contract.
Flo Rida originally signed an endorsement deal with Celsius in 2014. He went on to renew the collaboration a year later. However, he eventually filed a lawsuit in 2021, claiming Celsius owed him money and stock options.
Celsius responded by claiming their endorsement ended in 2018, which Flo Rida denied. He also claimed that the energy drink company wasn’t providing him with accurate information on how his sales were doing.
“I got a chance to really sit back and check out all my business. And this one in particular, I checked it out,” Flo Rida told CNBC.
“They were telling me that, you know, one of the products that I was endorsing, I wasn’t selling. And then I got a chance to really look at it now, and I was doing more than well,” he added.
In addition to financial compensation, Celsius apparently agreed to give Flo Rida shares in the company for their years-long collaboration, though he claims this never materialized.
In his attorney’s closing arguments, it was noted the Flo Rida wanted the 1% ownership he was promised over a dollar amount.
Flo Rida even took the stand during the jury trial and expressed feelings of betrayal, particularly over the fact that Celsius tried to stiff him and hide the success of the brand thanks to his influences, he alleged.
“I did everything as far as doing my part and with all due respect the parties that be, I trusted them and they didn’t do their part,” the rapper said on the stand.
Though he wasn’t awarded any shares, Flo Rida was given a monetary figure that’s much higher than what he was owed in shares. Flo Rida said Celsius promises him 250,000 shares, which would’ve been approximately $27 million. What he got in the end was nearly triple that.
Regardless, Flo Rida seems satisfied with the outcome. He reacted to the jury’s decision by posting a picture of himself taking a sip of Celsius to social media. He did have something to cheers, after all.
Sources: Forbes, Law and Crime, Celeb Magazine,