Flo Rida says he was planning to drop the Chris Brown-assisted track “Sweat” from his new album R.O.O.T.S. way before the singer’s scandal began on Feb. 8, despite a report last week that the move was done to avoid controversy.
Since Brown’s arrest in connection with the beating of his girlfriend Rihanna, he has lost several endorsements and his records have been banned from some radio stations.
A story surfaced last week that Rida had removed “Sweat” because of the public fallout and that he had reportedly explained, “I recorded a great song with Chris. But I won’t be releasing it now because of what’s going on with him and Rihanna. It could have been my next #1.”
Flo Rida told UsMagazine.com that he never made that statement. “I think someone must have got it twisted,” he said, explaining that the song wasn’t the only one cut from his upcoming second album.
“It’s not just that record, there were other records that couldn’t make the album that I wanted to make the album as well, but that was the process — this was way before me ever hearing anything about [Brown and Rihanna's alleged altercation],” he told the magazine. “This was way before, at least a month. I had been done with this record.”
Asked if he would work with Brown in the future, Rida said, “He’s a talented artist, so I looked forward to working with him. And I thought it was a hot song.”
A spokesperson for Flo Rida confirmed that “Sweat” will not be on the album, due March.
