Flo Rida, the platinum-selling hitmaker, has been granted $82 million in damages as a result of a lawsuit he filed against the energy drink giant Celsius regarding unpaid endorsements.
The victory was secured on Wednesday, January 18, by the rapper known for his chart-toppers “Low” and “Right Round.”
In 2014, Flo Rida entered into an endorsement agreement with Celsius, which was renewed in 2016. In 2021, he filed a lawsuit against the brand, alleging non-fulfillment of stock options and other bonuses outlined in his contract.
These bonuses were tied to specific sales targets, but Flo Rida’s legal team argued that the contract was ambiguous, hindering his ability to claim them. According to lawyer John Uustal, “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? And there’s no timeframe or deadline,” as reported by Insider.
Flo Rida also claimed lack of access to Celsius’ financial information and failure to be notified when the company achieved set goals. Celsius’ lawyers argued that the statute of limitations had elapsed for Flo Rida’s complaint and that their deal with him had terminated in 2018.
During the trial, Flo Rida’s attorneys contended that Celsius had met crucial sales thresholds entitling him to additional stock, equating to a 1 percent stake in the business. They insisted that his promotion had contributed to the company’s success and growth.
On the contrary, Celsius’ lawyers asserted that they had not breached the agreement and that Flo Rida had been paid more than his due. They emphasized the non-fulfillment of sales thresholds and accused Flo Rida of pursuing an unjustifiably large cash payout.
Flo Rida maintained that the agreement was not expired and stressed his role in catapulting the brand to profitability, supported by a viral courtroom incident where he danced to his own music.
The jury sided with Flo Rida, awarding him $82 million, with over $27 million accounting for 250,000 shares in Celsius.
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