A Florida jury ruled in favor of a lawsuit brought forth by rapper Flo Rida against Celsius energy drinks and awarded him a total of $82.6 million in damages.
On Wednesday, a jury found Celsius guilty of breaching an endorsement deal with Flo Rida that ran from 2014 to 2018. The jury also found the brand fraudulently hid information from him.
In a statement, Flo Rida, whose legal name is Tramar Dillard, thanked the jury, judge and his attorneys, and said he gained a “new respect for the judicial system.”
“This was a long journey, but we prevailed. From the start, I only wanted what I worked for, nothing more, nothing less,” he said in the statement, adding that he was “instrumental in the Celsius that you know and love today.”
The rapper, known for songs including “Right Round” and “Whistle,” filed the lawsuit in 2021 and claimed Celsius owed him millions in added stock and royalties under the terms of their deals.
During closing arguments, Flo Rida’s attorney John Uustal said his client had not sought a specific dollar amount in his lawsuit but the 1% ownership he was promised.
In a separate statement, Uustal said that he and his client relied on the jury to navigate the “complicated legal issues” involved in the case
“We said we’d trust the jury to do the right thing, we’d trust the verdict, accept the decision of the jury,” the statement said. “I’m glad, in this case, the jury concluded that Flo Rida should get what he worked for.”