Tramar Lacel Dillard, popularly known as Flo Rida, set the music industry ablaze in the early 2000s with hits like “Low,” ‘Whistle,” and “Right Round.” His music set the standard for the club scene, and his hits took over the Billboard charts. There was no question that Flo Rida’s music career was on fire, but over time it seemed like it began to smolder. He slowly began to disappear from the scene, and his song production dwindled. So where did he go? We dug deep to figure out what happened to the 2000’s rap sensation.
Who is Flo Rida?
Flo Rida was born in 1979 and as his name would imply, in Carol City, Florida. He has seven sisters, with the youngest one being his twin. His interest in music started early as some of his sisters sang in a local gospel group, which sparked his lifelong love of music. In the ninth grade, he joined a three-man amateur rap group called GroundHoggz, and the group stayed together for eight years before Flo Rida decided to pursue a solo career in 2001.
He teamed up with some other big names in the rap scene and by 2007, Flo Rida’s name was popping up all over the charts too. His first official single, “Low,” featured singer-songwriter T-Pain, and became an instant hit the world over. At the time of its release, “Low” broke the record for digital download sales and rose to the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it sat for 10 consecutive weeks. The single was eventually featured on the soundtrack of the hit movie Step Up 2: The Streets.
Flo Rida’s early career
His fame continued with the release of his debut album in February 2008. The album, which he titled Mail on Sunday, featured an extensive roster of successful musicians, including T-Pain, Rick Ross, Timbaland, and Will.I.Am. While music critics gave it mixed reviews, listeners seemed to love it and the album debuted in the top five of the Billboard 200 Albums chart.
Mail on Sunday was succeeded by the album R.O.O.T.S (Route of Overcoming the Struggle), which was released the following year in 2009. Flo Rida collaborated on it with several top musicians, including Ne-Yo, Pleasure P, Kesha, and Nelly Furtado. The album, though much better received critically, did not perform as well on the charts as its predecessor. He did manage to snag another number-one hit, this time on the Kesha-assisted “Right Round.” The song broke the record for highest digital download sales, which was also set by Flo Rida.
Flo Rida’s career hit another high in 2012 after the release of his fourth and last album to date, Wild Ones. The album featured some of his most notable singles, including ”Wild Ones” featuring Australian singer Sia, and “Whistle,” which became his third number-one song. His 2014 single “G.D.F.R.,” featuring Sage the Gemini and Lookas, was a sleeper hit and became a worldwide club banger months after its release. The rapper has sold over 80 million records worldwide, and is one of the highest-selling rap artists ever.
Where is Flo Rida now?
Ten years after the release of his debut single “Low”, Flo Rida caught up with Billboard to recount the way the song’s success propelled him to becoming a huge star.
“[Low] was a very versatile record, so it took me to being not just the typical urban artist, but to being a pop star as well. It set the tone for me to be able to do all kinds of records like the “Right Round”-es and the “Elevator”-es, and with different producers like Timbaland wanting to work with me. Now that I look back, I’m like, “Wow, I’ve had big records, but that record was just insane.” It was really just one of those things where everybody was just giving me access to everything.
The “Whistle” rapper has been teasing new music for the last couple of years, often reigniting anticipation through his social media. He recently performed at 2021’s Eurovision Song Contest, representing San Marino alongside Italian singer Senhit. The performance of their song “Adrenalina” scored a total 50 points, earning them the 22nd place in the final.
Most recently, the 42-year-old rapper opened a distillery with his business partner Victor George Spirits in 2020. Old Sistrunk Distillery was created to make its own brand of vodka. Its opening date got pushed back due to the pandemic, however.
According to his Instagram, he likes to spend his downtime on the beach, by the pool, and hanging with other celebrities. His social media is full of photos with fellow rappers such as Flavor Flav, and other celebrities such as The Rock.
These days, Flo Rida continues to go on tour and participate in various concerts and events. While he may not be dropping new music, he is still definitely representing his older stuff. He still holds a spot as one of the top 10 best-selling rappers of all time, so it’s no wonder this beloved artist needs a break. Yet with a music career as hot as Flo Rida’s has been, we doubt he will stay out of the spotlight for long.