Miami’s favourite son Flo Rida has spent the past year basking in the afterglow of having given the world of rap a much needed shot in the arm - remember his worldwide smash Low? Course you do. RealMusic Blog touched base with Mr Rida when he was in London recently and managed to rap a lil’ with the man himself about how he got started, his influences, working with Michelle Williams and his new album…
How did you get started in your musical career?
“Initially it started off in my household - my sisters had a gospel singing group. As I got older I recall my cousin collecting hip-hop tapes and they had instrumentals. I’d listen to them, then go to my aunt’s garage and record over these instrumentals. I wound up perfecting my craft because I had a nice flow, but the lyrical content wasn’t too clever. After that I joined a rap group around my hood and we started taking it seriously, going to studios and recording professionally, doing shows and gigs. Then I met Tracy Pierce from The Blind Boys of Alabama, he got hold of my demo and got it into the hands of DeVante Swing. I ended up going to LA for four years but I stayed in touch with my people in Miami - Poe Boy Entertainment heard my demo and I worked with them for a couple of months and eventually got a deal with Atlantic Records.”
Who were some of your musical influences growing up in Miami?
“I liked 2 Live Crew, I was always a fan.”
You actually toured with them - how did that come about?
“I opened for Scarface at a nightclub in Miami and one of the guys who knew Fresh Kid Ice was there and needed a ‘hype man’. So they brought me in and I went on the road with them to Hawaii - they had these girls doing crazy things on stage. So I started performing throughout the States with them before I could really start doing my own shows.”
When you dropped the single Low, did you anticipate that level of success or was it a complete surprise?
“Well prior to that my first single was called Birthday and then I had a record called Jealous. When I recorded Low I thought it could be big, but never to the magnitude that it took me.”
Since then you’ve been featured on numerous tracks - who have you enjoyed working with the most?
“I enjoyed working with Michelle Williams - I’m a fan of Destiny’s Child. I also recently did a song for Tierra Marie and Lady GaGa - I definitely enjoyed that.”
What artist and producer would you like to work with most, if you could have your pick of the bunch?
“I’d like to work with Outkast because Andre 3000 produces beats you know.”
We hear you’re working on tracks for the new album - how’s it progressing and when’s that gonna drop?
“Well, we’ve actually finished the album and it drops March 31st worldwide. This album is definitely representing, with my struggle, the things I went through. You get the chance to know Flo Rida as a person, what my thoughts are personally, as well as the big club bangers - it’s a well-rounded album.”
We also hear that it’s going to be called R.O.O.T.S. - which stands for what?
“Routes of Overcoming the Struggle. And it’s definitely inspired by the fact that I had a chance to go to Africa. It was around the time that Barack Obama was announced president, so that definitely inspired my album.”
What would you say to those who might claim your music is too commercial?
“I don’t just make music to please people - I make it because I love it. I always see people smiling and having fun to my music in the clubs. Everyone has a take on what they think my music is and I don’t have a problem with that because the majority love me.”
Your new single is Right Round which features a sample from You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) by 80s UK band Dead Or Alive - did you know it?
“I heard it early on growing up but it was brought to my attention by people at my record company.”
Are there any UK artists that you currently rate?
“I really rate Estelle, I think she’s got it going on.”
Finally, what’s the most-played song on your mp3 player right now?
“My album, going over the different choruses and verses then trying to learn them so that when I perform them on stage I can remember them.”
Flo Rida’s single Right Round is out March 23rd; album R.O.O.T.S. is out March 30th.
(Andrew John)
