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Hip-hop artist Flo Rida, whose real name is Tramar Dillard, was awarded $82.6 million by a South Florida jury on Wednesday after winning a lawsuit against Celsius Energy Drinks.
Dillard and his production company Strong Arm Productions sued Boca Raton-based Celsius Holdings Inc. in Broward County court in May 2021 after alleging the company breached a contract with him and then attempted to hide money.
The rapper and singer said the company failed to honor terms set out in an endorsement deal.
“Basically, I helped start this company and all we were looking for was some trustworthy people who acted like they were family,” Dillard told The Associated Press. “And when it comes to today’s success, they just forgot about me.”
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Rapper Tramar Dillard, known as Flo Rida, appears in a Broward County courtroom on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was awarded $82.6 million on Wednesday, Jan. 18 after a South Florida jury found that the creators of Celsius Energy dr (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
The civil suit showed that Dillard was a brand ambassador for Celsius from 2014 to 2018. During those years, he played a “key role” in ushering in a new era for the “brand development, growth and expansion of the company,” leading to millions of contacts around the world, the AP reported.
Dillard and his attorneys argued that the partnership paved the way for Celsius to expand its product portfolio, including a powder product and a new line called Celsius Heat in conjunction with Flo Rida’s partnership.
Since then, the company has consistently sold and generated revenue for its powdered products.
Attorneys for Celsius argued in court and in previous filings that the company’s greatest success came after Dillard’s endorsement deal ended, adding that “other business decisions” resulted in higher sales and stock values.
Celsius can still appeal the verdict.
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Attorney John J. Uustal holds a can of Celsius powdered drink that was part of an endorsement deal between Flo Rida and the company Tuesday, January 17, 2023, at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida). Sun Sentinel via AP)
Attorney John Uustal said Dillard wanted the 1% interest he had been promised and was willing to accept the shares in lieu of the money awarded by the jury.
Uustal said Dillard loved the products and described the four-year partnership as “very successful”.
“There were some benchmarks. He was supposed to get stocks when certain things happened. And there was a dispute about whether those benchmarks were being met,” Uustal said. “So that’s what it was about.”
Dillard said he would like to put the litigation behind him and work with the company again in the future. He said he still drinks Celsius products and even owns stock in the company.
FILE – Singer Flo Rida performs at halftime during an NFL football game between the New York Jets and the Denver Broncos on Sunday, September 26, 2021 in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
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“I’m still an owner of the company,” Dillard told the AP. “And when you’ve basically planted the seed of something successful, you can’t help but have unconditional love.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.