Remember 2011? The world was recovering from a financial crisis, neon colors were everywhere, and you couldn’t escape two words: Party Rock. Whether it was at a wedding, a sports game, or just blasting from a car radio, “Party Rock Anthem” was the inescapable soundtrack of the moment. The duo behind it, LMFAO, weren’t just a band; they were a global phenomenon that perfectly captured the peak of the electronic dance music (EDM) boom.
- Sudden Breakup: LMFAO's "indefinite hiatus" in 2012 stemmed from a back injury suffered by Sky Blu and subsequent financial and interpersonal issues with Redfoo, leading to a fractured family and professional relationship.
- Contrasting Legacies: While celebrated by many as a fun, nostalgic party soundtrack, LMFAO was criticized by others for contributing to the commercialization and perceived degradation of EDM music.
- Divergent Paths: Following the split, Redfoo pursued a high-profile but ultimately unsuccessful solo career, while Sky Blu opted for a quieter, independent musical journey, making a reunion improbable.
Comprised of Redfoo (Stefan Gordy) and his nephew Sky Blu (Skyler Gordy), the duo had music in their blood—Redfoo is the son and Sky Blu is the grandson of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy. With hits like “Party Rock Anthem” and “Sexy and I Know It,” they dominated the charts, sold millions of records, and even performed at the Super Bowl halftime show with Madonna. They were on top of the world.
Then, in September 2012, they just… stopped. The duo announced an “indefinite hiatus” and vanished, leaving fans confused. How did the biggest party on the planet end so abruptly?
The Rise of the Party Rock Kings
Before they were global superstars, LMFAO was building a buzz in the L.A. club scene. Their connections certainly helped; Redfoo’s childhood friend was will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas, who introduced them to Interscope Records. Their first album, Party Rock, gave us club hits like “I’m in Miami Bitch” and the Lil Jon-assisted “Shots”. Their music became the go-to soundtrack for reality shows like Jersey Shore, cementing their status as professional partiers.
But it was their 2011 album, Sorry for Party Rocking, that launched them into the stratosphere. “Party Rock Anthem” hit number one in over ten countries and was eventually certified Diamond in the U.S. The follow-up, “Sexy and I Know It,” also topped the Billboard Hot 100. They were a commercial juggernaut, perfectly timed for the EDM wave that was washing over pop music. For many pop and rap fans, LMFAO was their first real taste of electronic music. 1
The Party Ends: What Really Went Down
For years, the official story was that the duo simply grew apart and wanted to pursue solo projects. But the truth was a lot messier.
The real story exploded in 2016 when Sky Blu dropped a bombshell in a now-deleted Facebook post. He revealed that at the height of their fame, he suffered a debilitating back injury that prevented him from touring. According to Sky Blu, his uncle and bandmate, Redfoo, showed little sympathy.
“You never once called me to ask how I was recovering,” he wrote, claiming Redfoo continued to perform and make money under the LMFAO name without him.
Even more damaging were the financial allegations. Sky Blu accused Redfoo of trying to claim all of LMFAO’s royalties for himself, effectively cutting his nephew out of the empire they built together. This wasn’t just a creative difference; it was a deep, personal betrayal that shattered their family and professional bond. While Redfoo never publicly addressed the claims, the duo has never reunited, which seems to speak for itself.
Guilty Pleasure or Just Garbage?
LMFAO’s legacy is complicated, and fans are deeply divided. For many, their music is pure nostalgia. On Reddit, one user described them as a “guilty pleasure but so much fun,” while another said their sole purpose was to make music you could “get wasted and party to,” a goal they definitely achieved. Their songs were designed for a good time, and for millions, that’s exactly what they delivered. 2
However, critics and some EDM purists saw them very differently. Some felt they turned the genre into a “punch line” with “garbage ass music”. Retrospective reviews have called their work “objectively bad” and “cringey,” arguing they represented the worst of EDM’s commercialization. Some listeners even thought they were a joke band making fun of club culture that just got too famous to stop.
Where Are They Now?
After the split, Redfoo and Sky Blu went in completely different directions, and neither has come close to recapturing LMFAO’s success.
Redfoo tried to keep the party going. He became a judge on Australia’s The X Factor and even had a number-one solo hit there with “Let’s Get Ridiculous”. However, his 2016 solo album, Party Rock Mansion, was a commercial flop. He also appeared on Dancing with the Stars (he was the first eliminated) and, in a surprising twist, pursued a career as a professional tennis player, making his debut on the ITF Men’s World Tennis Tour at age 49. 3
Sky Blu, on the other hand, retreated from the mainstream. He rebranded himself as 8ky 6lu and focused on independent music, releasing albums like Rebel Music. He founded a creative collective called Big Bad University but took a nearly decade-long break from music before resurfacing in 2022. His solo career has been much quieter, suggesting a deliberate move away from the industry that broke his band apart.
Given the bad blood and their wildly different paths, a reunion seems highly unlikely. LMFAO was a supernova—a bright, chaotic, and unforgettable party that burned out as quickly as it started, leaving only a nostalgic echo behind.
- http://musicchartsarchive.com/artists/lmfao ↩︎
- https://www.reddit.com/r/EDM/comments/10u6ub0/anybody_miss_lmfao_as_much_as_i_do/ ↩︎
- https://toofab.com/2025/02/07/redfoo-lmfao-tennis/ ↩︎
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