Flo Rida playing Clutch Cargo’s in Pontiac
Written by lilD | | lild@toledofreepress.comKanye West made being a college dropout popular. But he hasn’t sold 20 million ringtones.
Hip-Hop artist Flo Rida has dominated the charts since his debut single, “Low.” On Aug. 20, he’s coming to Clutch Cargo’s in Pontiac, Mich., to show the people why he’s on top.
It wasn’t an easy road to success for Flo Rida. He sacrificed time, money and relationships to ensure his success. While sleeping in cheap motels, and even on the streets, he never stopped chasing his dream of superstardom.
“I definitely put in a lot of hard work, [and] I always kept God first, so I’m not surprised at all,” he said during an Aug. 16 phone interview.
Flo Rida
Always finding the silver lining, Flo Rida said he knows that “every little thing did paid off in some kind of way.”
Opening for Fresh Get Ice from Hip-Hop legends 2 Live Crew led to him becoming Fresh’s hype man in Hawaii. He said he knew that giving 200 percent to his music would pay off, and “the checks just keep getting bigger.”
Flo Rida is too humble to say that his single “Right Round” broke the record for one-week digital sales in the U.S., with 636,000, beating the previous record he had set with his song “Low.” But numbers don’t lie, so he doesn’t have to say a word.
Flo Rida said his upcoming album, “The Only One,” will be a double-disc; one album titled “Only One Flo” and the other titled “Only One Rida.” It will be released later this year, with guest appearances from Hip-Hop heavyweights Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane and Ludacris, plus pop idol David Guetta and artists from his own label.
Flo Rida’s track record speaks volumes as to what to expect from this album. The first single, “Club Can’t Handle Me,” is featured on the soundtrack to the movie “Step Up 3D” and is doing very well on the charts.
The decision to leave college to pursue a music career after only a couple of months seems hasty. But Flo Rida said this was his motivation to succeed. While other artists may glorify neglecting their education to pursue music, Flo Rida gives fair warning: “It’s always a price to pay for whatever decision you make.”
Even after Flo Rida decided to drop out of school, he had a plan. He knew that without college, he would have to give music every ounce of his being.
The last time Flo Rida performed in Michigan, he left the crowd practically begging for more. Flo Rida calls himself “the life of the party, a massive structure of energy that cannot, and will not, be contained.”
From using park benches as a couch and the midnight sky as a roof, to selling out shows and breaking music records, Flo Rida has maintained the same philosophy: working hard and keeping faith yields results.
“The only thing that would make me quit is losing my voice,” he said.
Pre-sale tickets for the show at Clutch Cargo’s are available at www.neptix.com.
Tags: Clutch Cargo's, Flo Rida, lilD, The Word I Heard
