Dillard was born in the 187th Street projects of Carol City, Florida. His single mother raised him and his seven sisters, some of whom sang in a local gospel group. As a teenager, Dillard worked with local rap group 2 Live Crew and formed his own amateur group with some friends called the Groundhoggz. His work with 2 Live Crew member Fresh Kid Ice attracted attention of DeVante Swing, a member of the band Jodeci. However, he was rejected by several of the major labels, so he sought many other jobs outside of music. After graduating from high school in 1998, he studied international business management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for two years and attended Barry University for two months. He returned to Florida to continue pursuing his music career after receiving a phone call from a representative of the independent label Poe Boy Entertainment. Dillard signed with Poe Boy in 2006, and as Flo Rida he began affiliating with other Florida rappers, such as Rick Ross, Trina, T-Pain, and Trick Daddy. A promotional street single entitled "Birthday", featuring Rick Ross, was his first significant release. He made his debut guest appearance with the song "Bitch I'm from Dade County" on DJ Khaled's album We the Best, which featured Trick Daddy, Trina, Rick Ross, Brisco, C-Ride, and Dre.
Music career
Rehearsing for the 2008 MuchMusic Video Awards in Toronto.
Flo Rida received worldwide acclaim and popularity with the chart-topping success of his first single, "Low", featuring T-Pain. It was his first official single from his debut album Mail On Sunday and the soundtrack to the movie Step Up 2 The Streets. "Low" reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "Elevator", featuring Timbaland, "In the Ayer" featuring will.i.am, and "Roll" featuring Sean Kingston followed and all charted on the Hot 100 and other charts.
After the success of Mail on Sunday, Flo Rida made guest performances on other R&B, rap, and pop singles, including "Move Shake Drop" by DJ Laz, "We Break the Dawn" by Michelle Williams, the remix of "4 Minutes" by Madonna, "Running Back" by Australian R&B singer Jessica Mauboy, "Feel It" by DJ Felli Fel, and the remix of "Speedin'" by Rick Ross. During the summer of 2008, he did live performances on the Fox dance competition program So You Think You Can Dance in the US[7] and 2008 MuchMusic Video Awards in Canada. He appeared on the albums We Global by DJ Khaled, Gutta by Ace Hood, and The Fame by Lady Gaga, among others.
R.O.O.T.S. (2009)
According to, Billboard magazine, Flo Rida began recording his sophomore nine months after Mail On Sunday. The album is titled R.O.O.T.S. and was released on March 31, 2009. The first single "Right Round" was released for airplay in January of 2009. "Right Round" jumped from number 58 to the top spot in one week in late February. It the song broke a record for the most digital one week sales in the U.S., with 636,000, beating the previous record he had set himself with "Low". The second official single was "Sugar", which featured R&B singer Wynter Gordon. The song reached at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other singles were "Jump" featuring Nelly Furtado, The promotional single for the animated film G-Force and "Be On You" featuring Ne-Yo, which reached #19 on the Hot 100.
The Only One (2010)
Flo Rida announced on Twitter in March 2010 that his next album would be titled The Only One. The buzz single "Zoosk Girl", featuring T-Pain was leaked online on March 28. J-Rock produced "Zoosk Girl". "Club Can't Handle Me" is confirmed to be the first official single. It will also be the from the soundtrack for Step Up 3-D. Flo Rida also made a guest
appearance on iYiYi, a song by Australian Pop/R&B artist, Cody Simpson.
All my life
Flo Rida Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All my life, had to hustle just to make a way
All my life, riding dirty on the highway
All my life and it all changed in one day
All my life it's the moment I been waiting on
The hood never caused but they all was hard
His kind never represented love at all
Where every time I see my daddy it was just a mirage
Now my mammy need a mechanic when the car wouldn't start
I couldn't understand it, even told it to god
Now my family in jeans, headed straight to the top
Access granted with this empty can of starch
No not the Bentley liquor store got robbed
Yellow tape was the moon every night on the block
Surrounded by the stars them dirty cars
Dreadlocks in the grill try to camouflage
Gotta make it out for real for I be at large
I wrote XXL in the view of my squad
Got a record on the shelf they say I'm good at the mall
Gotta learn to help myself no sugar to borrow
Cause
[Chorus: x2]
A four course meal every first of the month
Everybody in the projects family home
Don't know you till the DJ like I want some
But before thanksgiving, was a catholic nun
Crabs in the bucket dirty 11 to 1
Without the struggle probably never would'a heard of Lebron
Try and juggle in the casket wit ya sister Lavonne
Suicide, live lavish at the tip of my tongue
Only thing come to ratchet was the 23rd song
Yeah it could of been tragic for the boy from the scums
Yeah he got the craft-matic no rest till I won
Life took a stab at him couldn't punch him alone
Born near the savages kinda made me numb
Two doors from where the dope boi magic was slung
It was real not a fancy, they'd kill ya for crumbs
Only reason why I rap, keep from being a bum
Cause
[Chorus: x2]
Sitting here, reminiscing,
Of all the nights I had to grind
Taking chances with the system,
I put my whole life on the line
All my life know it ain't been sweet
All my life I been in the streets
All my life up against concrete
All my life mama gave me the speech
All my life somebody died every week
All my life ducking the police
All my life without soda I weeped
All my life no first class seats
[Chorus: x2]
In Flo Rida's song "All My Life", the artist reflects on his life growing up in the hood and the struggles that he had to face. He talks about the hustle he had to do just to make a way in life, riding dirty on the highway, and how it all changed in one day. He speaks about the purple scars of the ghetto, how he had to take care of his family, and how he has made it as a rapper. Flo Rida reminisces about the nights he had to grind, the times he had to take chances with the system, and how he had to put his whole life on the line.
The lyrics of the song depict the harsh realities of life growing up in the hood. Flo Rida talks about how the ghetto scars have left a permanent mark on him, but despite these experiences, he never lost hope. He speaks about his mother's struggles, having to take care of their family, and how he had to hustle to make ends meet. Despite all the hardships that he faced, Flo Rida persevered and made it in the music industry, which is what he has been waiting for.
Overall, "All My Life" by Flo Rida is a reflective song that talks about the struggles that one has to face in life, especially growing up in the ghetto. It is a song that speaks about hope and perseverance and how one can overcome the challenges and make it in life.
Line by Line Meaning
All my life, had to hustle just to make a way
Throughout my entire life, I've had to work hard and put in extra effort in order to create opportunities for myself and achieve success.
All my life, riding dirty on the highway
I've spent my entire life recklessly driving on the road, fully aware of the risks and dangers associated with my actions.
All my life and it all changed in one day
Suddenly, everything in my life transformed and I was given a chance to turn things around.
All my life it's the moment I been waiting on
Finally, the moment that I've been longing for and dreaming of has arrived.
The hood never caused but they all was hard
Living in a rough neighborhood didn't directly cause my struggles, but it did contribute to the difficulty of my life.
His kind never represented love at all
The people in my community were not known for being compassionate or loving towards one another.
Purple hearts in the hood, them ghetto scars
The hardships and pain that I've experienced in my neighborhood left a lasting impact on me, like scars.
Where every time I see my daddy it was just a mirage
I rarely saw my father and even when I did, it was like an illusion, because he wasn't really there for me.
Now my mammy need a mechanic when the car wouldn't start
My mother had to struggle to make ends meet, even when it came to fixing our car.
I couldn't understand it, even told it to god
I was confused and frustrated by the hardships that my family faced and even questioned why God would allow this.
Now my family in jeans, headed straight to the top
Despite our struggles, my family is dressed in casual clothes and on the path to achieving success and prosperity.
Access granted with this empty can of starch
Even with limited resources, I was still able to gain access to important opportunities and make something of myself.
No not the Bentley liquor store got robbed
It wasn't the expensive car that got robbed, but rather a common liquor store.
Yellow tape was the moon every night on the block
Police crime tape was a common sight on the streets where I grew up, like how the moon is visible at night.
Surrounded by the stars them dirty cars
Despite the unpleasant surroundings, I was surrounded by great talent and potential, represented by the shining stars.
Dreadlocks in the grill try to camouflage
People in my community would try to disguise or blend in with their surroundings in order to avoid trouble, such as hiding their dreadlocks in a car's grill.
Gotta make it out for real for I be at large
If I don't achieve real success, I'll be seen as a criminal and possibly face a life on the run.
I wrote XXL in the view of my squad
I wrote my thoughts and aspirations in a popular music magazine in the presence of my close friends.
Got a record on the shelf they say I'm good at the mall
I've had a music album released and I've received praise for my work from strangers.
Gotta learn to help myself no sugar to borrow
I have to rely on myself and not expect any handouts or assistance from others.
A four course meal every first of the month
At the beginning of every month, my family would be able to enjoy a luxurious meal with several courses.
Everybody in the projects family home
Despite living in a public housing project, the sense of community made it feel like everyone was part of a big family.
Don't know you till the DJ like I want some
People didn't acknowledge your presence until the DJ played your music.
But before thanksgiving, was a catholic nun
In the past, Thanksgiving was a religious holiday that was celebrated like other Catholic holidays.
Crabs in the bucket dirty 11 to 1
There were many people in my community trying to climb to the top, but only a few would succeed.
Without the struggle probably never would'a heard of Lebron
Lebron James, a famous basketball player, wouldn't have become successful if he hadn't faced hardships and challenges.
Try and juggle in the casket wit ya sister Lavonne
You can't do anything after death, including trying to balance responsibilities and relationships like taking care of your sister.
Suicide, live lavish at the tip of my tongue
The idea of suicide was always looming in my thoughts, but I still dreamed of living a comfortable and extravagant lifestyle.
Only thing come to ratchet was the 23rd song
The only chance to escape from the harsh reality of my life was through listening to music, specifically the 23rd song.
Yeah it could of been tragic for the boy from the scums
I could've faced a tragic fate as someone from a rough and impoverished background.
Yeah he got the craft-matic no rest till I won
I finally got a comfortable bed, but I knew I couldn't rest until I achieved success.
Life took a stab at him couldn't punch him alone
Life inflicted pain and hardships on me, but I persevered and didn't let it defeat me on my own.
Born near the savages kinda made me numb
Growing up around violent and dangerous people desensitized me to the pain and suffering that I witnessed.
Two doors from where the dope boi magic was slung
I lived two doors away from the spot where drugs were being sold.
It was real not a fancy, they'd kill ya for crumbs
The danger and consequences of being involved in drug trade were very real and even small disagreements could result in someone's death.
Only reason why I rap, keep from being a bum
The only way to avoid living in poverty and becoming a failure was through pursuing a career as a rapper.
All my life know it ain't been sweet
I knew that my life was never going to be easy or full of sweetness.
All my life I been in the streets
I've always been living and surviving on the streets.
All my life up against concrete
I've always had to confront tough obstacles and barriers, like concrete.
All my life mama gave me the speech
Throughout my entire life, my mother would give me speeches of encouragement and advice.
All my life somebody died every week
Death was a common occurrence in my neighborhood and someone would die every week.
All my life ducking the police
I spent my entire life dodging and avoiding the police.
All my life without soda I weeped
I've spent my entire life without access to simple pleasures like soda and it would make me feel sad.
All my life no first class seats
I've never had the luxury or privilege of traveling first class during my entire life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LADAMON DOUGLAS, TREMAR DILLARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind