On Wednesday, Flo Rida was awarded over $82 million after winning his lawsuit against energy drink company Celsius, per the Law & Crime Network.
The rapper, whose real name is Tramar Dillard, accused the company of owing him money from an endorsement deal he initially signed with them in 2014, and renewed in 2016. Flo Rida filed the lawsuit against Celsius in 2021, and alleged that the company failed to honor the promised stock options and bonuses as he helped boost the profile of its products. He was initially seeking $30,000 in damages, but was ultimately awarded $82,650,450 after jurors sided with him in the lawsuit.
As the case unfolded, Flo Rida’s team argued that the contracts he signed were vague and were designed to stop him from cashing on the promised bonuses. "He's entitled to 500,000 shares of stock via the contract, and entitled to 250,000 shares of stock if certain things happen—one of those yardsticks is that a certain number of units of products need to be sold, but unfortunately the contract doesn't specify which type of unit—is it a box, is it a drink?” attorney John Uustal told Insider. “And there's no timeframe or deadline.”
In an interview earlier this week, Flo Rida reiterated that the lawsuit was not about money but the promises Celisus failed to uphold. “It’s about my passion,” the rapper said. “It’s about my team. It’s about my dedication. It’s about something that I started years ago and just to see it come full fledged like this–I hate for it to be this way.”
As part of his defense, Flo Rida argued that he helped Celsius achieve further success in the competitive energy drink market. “By way of background, Flo Rida maintained a successful endorsement partnership with Celsius which was highly effective in opening new doors for Celsius and its products,” the plaintiffs wrote in the original complaint.
