In the last four years, the Mobile, Alabama, native has been a rapper whose diverse music has made waves in the industry. Although she always liked music, it became her passion when she was 15. It was something therapeutic for her because she was able to express her reality at the time. In 2018, people began noticing her music, especially after her single "Beef FloMix" went viral on TikTok and other social media platforms.
By 2020, her fanbase grew and she started touring, but it was abruptly cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This didn't stop her hustle because she released her debut mixtape Ho, Why Is You Here? in July 2020, which was met with praise. Since then, she's maintained her momentum and dropped follow-up projects You Still Here, Ho? in 2022 and Fine Ho, Stay earlier this year.
As the latest guest on Revolt TV’s original podcast “Caresha Please,” the music artist didn’t hold back about her upbringing, rise to fame, goals, love life and more. See seven memorable moments from her interview below.
1. She didn’t meet fans until after her first successful year
Flo Milli didn’t start to gain nationwide attention as a musician until the pandemic in 2020 when the world was locked down. This gave her a unique experience as she couldn't enjoy the fruits of her labor like many new breakout artists when they arrive on the scene. Due to safety rules and regulations at the time, she wasn't able to meet her supporters until outside opened back up in 2021.
“Oh my gosh, it was traumatic. I'm not gonna lie. Like in a good way and bad way ‘cause I guess I always had been working towards that. And when it finally happened, I didn't expect it to happen that way,” the emcee told Yung Miami. “I just could remember I was actually on a tour, driving from city to city and in the middle of the tour they were like, ‘Go home.’ Everything's shut down. Everybody [is] leaving the radio stations. I'm like, what the f**k? It’s an apocalypse, what the f**k going on? So I thought that was going to last for like two weeks. Ended up lasting for years so I just was like, ‘Wow.’ So, I had to figure out a way to continue to connect with my fans on the internet.”
2. The music industry was an unexpected grimy place
After signing her record deal with RCA Records, she moved from the sidelines to the mainstage. Learning how the industry is from behind the scenes was enlightening in a different way than she thought it would. Something that has stood out to her is the amount of disingenuous people she’s crossed paths with, which caused her to believe “only the strong survive.”
“I learned the industry is a dirty place,” the 24-year-old said. “It's kind of one of those industries where it's not that much structure, a lot of f**k s**t can go on and you just got to have the right people around you. That's what I feel is important to have the right people around you. Make sure you can trust everybody around you.
“It's not a lot of loyalty in this s**t and people kind of will cross you to get what they want or what they want, you know? I guess the moral aspect of it is not really there and I wasn't brought up like that if I’m being honest,” she added. “I don't like being a bad person to get what I want or stepping on toes and s**t.”
3. She snuck off to sign her record deal
It took Flo Milli’s mom a while to jump on the bandwagon of her rap career because she wasn’t certain a music profession was promising. This caused the “Never Lose Me” rapper to sneak off to New York with a friend of hers to meet with different labels interested in adding her to their roster of artists. She was determined not to let anything deter her from reaching her dreams.
“I hit one of my friends up, I was like, ‘Hey, I don't want to go out here by myself because I don't know these people. So you want a free trip to New York?’ And then we just kind of snuck off and went,” she explained. “And then [for] three days I was out there just meeting up with labels and my mom just hit me up like, ‘Where you at?’ And I told her and she cussed me clean the f**k out.
“She's proud of me now, but I didn't tell her cause I just felt like she was going to try to stop me,” Flo Milli continued. “I felt like she was going to try to be that protective mom like, ‘Uh-uh, you don't need to sign nothing.’ So, I was just like, nah, this my chance.”
4. Lil Wayne is a rapper she would like to collaborate with
When asked what musicians she would like to work with “dead or alive,” she revealed that her dream collaborations would be with the late icon Michael Jackson for something “groovy” and Lil Wayne. She explained that the New Orleans lyricist is someone she admires and aspires to be like as an artist.
“I love Lil Wayne. I felt like as a kid listening to him, he really puts your mind on a roller coaster,” the Tru Religion brand partner mentioned. “When he rapping, he just … it's just back-to-back metaphors. I love the metaphors. You know he smart as hell, so I love that and I kind of try to do that in my music, make people think and stuff like that.”
5. Her mom was the reason she attended college
Although Flo Milli’s time in college was short due to her deciding to pursue music full-time and her songs gaining traction, how she got into college wasn’t because she applied. It was due to her mom submitting applications on her behalf to ensure she had a chance at higher education.
“So my mom, she literally was like, ‘You need to get off your ass. You need to go to college.’ I was like, ‘Mom, no. I want to be a rapper.’ And then she was not hearing it and so she went online and applied for a bunch of colleges for me. So, I don't even know how I got here and my momma did it,” she admitted. “And then next thing you know, I was just at this community college and I was going, but I only went ‘cause my mom wanted me to go. And then my songs started blowing up a few months into me going to college.”
6. She believes colorism narratives are projection
Colorism has been plaguing the Black community since slavery. It has been a divisive tool contrived by white people that unfortunately still lingers today. Some fans have voiced Flo Milli would be more successful if she wasn’t dark-skinned. She disagrees because she is successful and can be seen everywhere. Plus, she was raised in a house full of love and never felt she wasn’t good enough because of her skin tone.
“I feel like it's different for me to digest because I feel like I've made it so far. And coming from where I come from, where I am now is an accomplishment so it was triggering a little bit to get on the internet and be ridiculed for that,” the mom-to-be admitted.
“That's why I was like, ‘Damn, is it just a thing? Y'all making it a thing?’ It was interesting to go through, but I don't know. I definitely think part of it is like projecting for sure,” she added.
7. She doesn't know how to cook much food
Despite being a Southern girl who loves to eat, the songwriter doesn’t have cooking skills that will keep her alive unless she wants to eat breakfast all the time.
“Um, damn, this embarrassing. F**k no, I actually don't [know how to cook],” she revealed. ”I mean, I know how to cook like breakfasts, simple s**t, but all them gourmet meals and s**t. I don't know how to do all that.”