LMFAO

LMFAO is an American electronic dance music duo consisting of uncle and nephew Redfoo^[1] and SkyBlu.^[2][3][4] Its members are the son and grandson of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jr.. RedFoo and SkyBlu grew up in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, where they formed the group LMFAO in 2006 and later became part of the electro house scene. LMFAO started building a local buzz through its shows and radio play. In 2010, they were featured on David Guetta's smash hit "Gettin' Over You", which charted all over Europe and the United States, including reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart.

LMFAO was best remembered for their hit song "Party Rock Anthem", which reached #1 in the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United States. "Party Rock Anthem" also reached the top five in Italy and Norway, and was the third best-selling digital single of 2011 with sales of 9.7 million copies worldwide; it is also LMFAO's biggest throughout their career. Following the song's release, LMFAO officially announced that they have gone on hiatus.

History

Early years and Party Rock (2006–2010)

LMFAO began their career in 2006 as part of the electro house club scene in Los Angeles, which at the time featured DJ/producers like Steve Aoki and Adam Goldstein.^[5] The duo started building a local buzz through its shows and radio play.^[5] Once it had recorded some demos, Redfoo's best friend will.i.am introduced them to Interscope head Jimmy Iovine who gave the green light for them to be signed to Interscope/will.i.am Music.^[5] Interscope A&R and will.i.am manager Neil Jacobson told HitQuarters that the demos sounded like "finished records" and that so little artist development work was needed it was essentially a "turnkey operation" for the label.^[5]

LMFAO released Party Rock EP on the iTunes music store on July 1, 2008 and released its full album on July 7, 2009. The album charted at number 33 on the Billboard 200 and number two on the U.S. Dance Chart. Los Angeles Times described Party Rock as "14 virtually interchangeable odes to night life."^[6] Its first single was "I'm in Miami Bitch", which was released in December 2008, and peaked at number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 37 in Canada. In early 2009, a little known DJ/producer 'DJ Inphinity' created a bootleg using the Silvio Ecomo remix of DJ Chuckie's 2008 hit "Let the Bass Kick" and the a cappella of LMFAO, creating "Bass Kick in Miami". The bootleg was spread across the internet and became a massive success at the Miami Winter Music Conference 2009. Weeks later the song became the theme song for the E! television show Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami and "Get Crazy" was used for the television show Jersey Shore in 2009. LMFAO were a featured storyline on MTV's The Real World: Cancun in August 2009, which covered the group's appearance in Cancun during 2009 Spring break. That same year, LMFAO was featured in The Crystal Method's song "Sine Language".^[7]

International breakthrough, Sorry for Party Rocking, and Rockin' Eve (2010–2012)

In 2010, LMFAO was featured in David Guetta's song "Gettin' Over You", which was an international hit, peaking in the top ten in eleven countries and at number one in three of them, including in the United Kingdom. It also peaked at number 31 on the U.S. Hot 100 and at number 12 in Canada.

In March 2011, LMFAO released their official music video "Party Rock Anthem" featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock, which has over 1.21 billion views.^[8]

The duo then recorded their second album, Sorry for Party Rocking late in 2010 and released it on June 17, 2011, in the U.S. The first single taken from the album, "Party Rock Anthem", was released on January 25, 2011. It features British singer Lauren Bennett formerly of the girl pop group Paradiso Girls and producer GoonRock, and showcases the Melbourne Shuffle dance style in its popular video. The song is so far the most successful of their career, peaking at number one in the United States,^[9] Canada, the UK, and over ten other countries, as well being in the top ten in many others. The second single from Sorry for Party Rocking, "Champagne Showers", was released on May 27, 2011 and features English singer-songwriter Natalia Kills.^[10] The third single, "Sexy and I Know It", was released on October 3, 2011 and reached number one on the iTunes charts worldwide and number one on the Australian and Canadian Hot 100.

Also in 2011, LMFAO embarked on their first Asian tour. They performed in Singapore, Manila, Taipei, and Kuala Lumpur, among other cities.^[11] On June 30, 2011, LMFAO performed a set on the Isle of MTV 2011 Malta Special on the Fosos (Granaries) in Floriana, Malta, in front of a crowd of 50,000, together with Far East Movement and Snoop Dogg.^[12]

Furthermore, the group LMFAO focused on growing its Party Rock clothing line and was one of the opening acts for American singer Kesha's "Get Sleazy Tour", along with Spank Rock and Natalia Kills, for the third and fifth legs of the tour in 2011. On August 13, 2011, it opened for Kesha at the St-Jean-sur-Richelieu hot air balloon festival in Quebec, Canada, attracting close to 100,000 fans.

On August 29, 2011, LMFAO filmed a video for its new single "Sexy and I Know It" in Venice Beach, California.^[13] Pornographic actor Ron Jeremy is featured in the video, which focuses thematically on male genitalia. Actors Simon Rex and Wilmer Valderrama, Andrew Furr (as Shufflebot) and mixed martial artist Alistair Overeem also make cameo appearances. The song achieved success similar to that of "Party Rock Anthem", topping charts all over the world. "Sexy and I Know It" became the duo's second number one in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The group guested on the first elimination show of the 13th series of Dancing with the Stars on September 20, 2011, which was broadcast live.

In October 2011, LMFAO's song "Party Rock Anthem" was used in a Halloween house light show when a Southern California man timed lights to the popular song. After the YouTube video of the house went viral, even receiving news coverage, the duo visited the house and recorded a Kia commercial featuring the house.^[14] In December 2011, the group played "Party Rock Anthem" on live national television broadcast of "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve".

2012–2015: Super Bowl XLVI, indefinite hiatus

LMFAO performing with Madonna at Super Bowl XLVI's halftime show on 5 February 2012.

On February 5, 2012, the group appeared with Madonna at Super Bowl XLVI during the Bridgestone Halftime Show. It performed during her song "Music", which contained a mash-up with "Party Rock Anthem" and "Sexy and I Know It". During the commercial break they also appeared in a Budweiser ad featuring their remix of Madonna's single "Give Me All Your Luvin'", which is included in the video game FIFA Street and the deluxe edition of her album MDNA.^[15] Also, in 2012 Redfoo was sued by a previous management company for $7 million, claiming a breach of contract.^[16]

On September 21, 2012, the duo released a statement announcing their hiatus. Redfoo said, "I feel like we've been doing this for so long, four or five years" and that he and SkyBlu would not be performing together anytime soon as they would be taking their careers in different directions.^[17] Once the news surfaced that band members Redfoo and SkyBlu had split, the group went to MTV News to set the record straight. SkyBlu said, "Well, you know, first of all, we're not breaking up. I know that for sure. We're family and stuff, so it's always love ... It's interesting because somebody will say one thing [and] it's just like high school, then all of a sudden [it's] 'They're breaking up. They're fighting.'"^[18] However, it has been revealed by SkyBlu that their plan is for fans to see the band as individuals and then come back stronger than ever.^[19]

In 2015, the band alleged that Muskegon-based Pigeon Hill Brewing Co.'s LMFAO Stout infringed on its trademarked name, according to a cease-and-desist letter sent on August 11.^[20] After weeks of litigation, the Pigeon Hill Brewing Company announced that both they and the band LMFAO have reached an agreement resulting in the brewery retaining its trademark for its LMFAO Stout.^[21]

Influences

Redfoo has cited Michael Jackson and Madonna as the group's two greatest influences.^[22] LMFAO is also influenced by a vast range of other artists, including rappers like Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg, hip hop groups like The Black Eyed Peas, Run D.M.C. and the Wu-Tang Clan, R&B artists like James Brown and rock bands such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Steel Panther^[23] as well as DJ AM, who helped introduce them to the electronic music scene.^[24] The Australian dance style the Melbourne Shuffle features heavily in the "Party Rock Anthem" videoclip, fused with US hip-hop dance elements. In 2007, LMFAO attended the Winter Music Conference in Miami, Florida, which the duo says was an experience that inspired their musical and creative style.^[25]

Business interests

A "Shuffle Bot" cosplayer in Nicosia, Cyprus

Redfoo is a former day trader and has been featured on business television CNBC's Mad Money with Jim Cramer.^[26]

Shuffle Bot

The Shuffle Bot is a character best known for his appearances in the LMFAO music videos. The Shuffle Bot is portrayed by American disc jockey, dancer, and rapper Andrew Furr, who won an online shuffling contest that promised the winner a place alongside hip-hop dance group Quest Crew who had joined the LMFAO's troupe as winners of a dance contest on MTV's America's Best Dance Crew.

Discography

Studio albums

• Party Rock (2009)
• Sorry for Party Rocking (2011)

Tours

Opening act

• Kesha – Get Sleazy Tour (United Kingdom, North America—Leg 3 dates) (2011)

Headlining

• Sorry for Party Rocking Tour (2012)

Awards and nominations

See also

• Gordy family
• The dictionary definition of LMFAO at Wiktionary

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to LMFAO.

• Official website