Flo-Rida and the Economy: An Analysis of Flo-Rida’s “Right Round” [April Fools ’09]

Perhaps one of the most prolific poets of our time, Flo-rida's lyrics speak the people's voice in today's turbulent economic times. As Flo-rida goes, so goes the country.

By Professor Edgar Scambold
Head of Topical Auditory Research Department
Lincoln Technical Institute

This is a special April 1, 2009 edition.

As the head of Lincoln Technical Institutes' prestigious Topical Auditory Research Department my job is to scrutinize popular culture and see what it is saying about us. In my youth, I myself trudged through analyses of musicians such as The Beatles, Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen who were okay…I guess. But I was always yearning desperately for an artist who would truly observe and present a meaningful statement about the state of the world.

My wish was finally fulfilled in 2008 when a young artist named Flo-Rida shook up the scene with his brilliant dissection of American Foreign policy regarding Israel and the Middle East in his auditory masterstroke “Low.” Now we are treated to a new piece entitled “Right Round” which vividly discusses our brittle economy and the seductive nature of money. I have gone through the song and have accurately dissected exactly what Mr. Rida was conveying:

You spin my head right round, right round
When you go down, when you go down down…

With the brilliant subtlety he is widely celebrated for, Mr. Rida touches upon the current state of the economy by merely sampling Dead or Alive's hit 1985 song “You Spin Me” as a poignant allusion to a similar time of recessed economy that now mirrors our own. Lyrically Rida addresses the economy as a murky, confusing and depressed entity by emphasizing not once, not twice but three times the word “down.”

Hey!
Hopped out of that house with my swagger
Hop in that with dough, I got places to go!

With a powerful exclamation of “Hey!”, Rida demands the listener's attention as a call to arms. While earlier recognizing the perils of the economy, Rida now chooses to endorse the housing market's growth potential with confidence by energetically “hopping” into the fray ready to spend some capital on a new house. Rida argues that this could be an incredibly opportune time for the buyers market and he intends to lead the way.

People to see, time is precious
I look at my crowd and they out of control

With a powerful metaphor, Rida directs a slight jab at Wall Street (referred to as “My Crowd”) as out of control. Despite their faults, Rida insists that we simply don't have time to blame anyone but instead need to move forward and focus on improvement rather than punishment. Rida also implores increased relations with the international community (or as he refers to them “people to see”) who are also hurting economically.

Just like my mind where I'm going
No women, no shorties, no nothin but clothes
No stoppin now, my Pirellis on role
I like my jewelry, that's always on gold

In another barb, Rida addresses the downfall of the U.S. Automakers by referencing the Italian tire company Pirelli. This stringing remark represents the realization that foreign automakers are “on a role” while U.S. automakers are stuck in a slump. As a side note, Rida points out that the gold market is another promising sector to look into.

I know the storm is comin
My pockets keep tellin me it's gonna shower

Rida again voices his concern about further economic decline but feels confident that with new oversight in place the “storm” can be turned into a positive “shower” that refreshes the American consumer's pockets with wealth. It is indeed one of the most beautiful sentiments of hope I've ever heard.

Call up my homies that's home
Then pop in the night cuz it's meant to be ours
We keep a fade away shot cuz we ballin
It's platinum patron that be ours
Lil mama, I owe you just like the flowers
Girl you to drink with all that and power clubs

Earlier Rida addressed the home buyer's market, now he chooses to send a message to those who are selling homes. He urges the homeowners or “homies that's home” to stick in there for the immanent up tick that will eventually come once the buyers start buying. He accurately compares this eventuality to a fading jump shot in basketball: it may take longer to get into the basket because of the high arc but it will eventually make it in.

From the top of the pole I watch her go down
She got me throwin my money around
Ain't nothin more beautiful to be found
It's goin down down.
From the top of the pole I watch her go down
She got me throwin my money around
Ain't nothin more beautiful to be found
It's goin down down

Here Rida begins to discuss the tempting lure of an unchecked shock market on Wall Street. Wall Street is described as a “beautiful,” almost feminine, entity who charms investors into “throwin money around” carelessly. But Rida then warns of the inevitable downfall of excessive and unchecked spending by again invoking the multiple use of the word “down.”

Hey!
Shawty must know I'm not playin
My money love her like a numba one fan
Don't look at my mouth, let her talk to my fans
My Benjamin Franklins
A couple of grands, I got rubber bands
My paper planes makin a dance
Get ready all night, that's part of my thing
Keep building castles that's made out of sand
She's amazing, the fire blazing
Hotter than Cajun
Girl won't you move a lil closer?
Time to get paid, it's maximum wage
That shotty belong on a poster
I'm in a daze, that bottom is wavin' at me
Like damn it I know you
You wanna show like a gun out of holster
Tell me whatever and I'll be your roper ..

Rida thrusts quite deeply into the idea of the danger of unrestricted practices of Wall Street in this segment. Rida yet again uses the strong metaphor of Wall Street as a seductive feminine entity with the line “My money love her like a numba one fan.” However he indicates that Wall Street's obsession with money, while amazingly profitable, is like a precariously unpredictable fire with the line “She's amazing, the fire is blazing, hotter than cajun.” Rida acknowledges that both investor and market will get burned if unchecked with “maximum wages.”

In the line “I'm in a daze, that bottom is wavin' at me” Rida proceeds to perfectly describe the market hitting rock bottom while maliciously waving at us on the way down, like a mischievous sprite, and eventually leaving us in a daze. He echoes his frustration but ultimate acceptance in the double-edged nature of the unrestricted stock market in the line “Damn it I know.”

I'm spendin my money
I'm out of control
Somebody help me
She's takin my bank roll.
But I'm king of the club
And I'm wearin the crown
Poppin these bottles
watchin these models
Watchin they asses crashes go down down
down down, down down [this line x4]

I have no idea what Flo-Rida is trying to convey with this final section and I believe that only he truly knows. I have speculated endlessly with my colleagues and the only conclusion we have come to is that this could be the beginning of an exciting, yet perplexing avant-garde phase for this exciting artist. I wish him all the best and look forward to his future works. Be sure to read my article next month on the bold statements about the Natalee Holloway case made in Britney Spears' “If You Seek Amy.”