2006-2012Redfoo (Stefan Kendal Gordy)
Sky Blu (Skyler Gordy)
LMFAO is a family act: Redfoo is Sky Blu's uncle. Redfoo (Stefan Kendal Gordy) is son of Motown label founder Berry Gordy and Nancy Leiviska, a music video director and writer. Sky Blu (Skyler Gordy) is Berry Gordy's grandson, through his son Berry Gordy IV and his wife Valerie Robeson. The band signed to Motown sister record label Interscope in November 2008.
Known for their 2011 smash hit "
Party Rock Anthem," LMFAO had been working to claim that territory since 2008 when they released the
Party Rock EP on iTunes. The full album
Party Rock came on July 7, 2009.
That album charted at #33 in the US despite being described by the
Los Angeles Times as "14 virtually interchangeable odes to night life." The duo's first single, "
I'm in Miami Trick," peaked at #51.
LMFAO's songs have been used extensively on reality shows. A remix of "Bass Kick in Miami" created by DJ/Producer DJ Inphinity was used as the theme song for E!'s Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami, while "Get Crazy" was used as the theme for MTV's Jersey Shore.
The duo was featured on MTV's The Real World: Cancun in August 2009. The show covered the band's appearance in Cancun during spring break 2009.
In 2010, LMFAO was featured in David Guetta's song "
Gettin' Over You." The song became an international hit, peaking in the Top 10 in 11 countries, reaching #1 in three, including in the United Kingdom. It also peaked at #31 in America.
LMFAO were a sensation in 2011 when "Party Rock Anthem," the first single from their second album,
Sorry for Party Rocking, was released in 2011. It went to #1 in many countries, including America, and was named
Billboard's Song Of The Summer.
The party didn't stop there: Another single from the album, "
Sexy and I Know It," also went to #1 in America.
The duo appeared as guests on the first elimination show of the 13th season of Dancing with the Stars, September 20, 2011.
In February 2010, Sky Blu was involved in an altercation with US politician Mitt Romney. The rapper claimed that while on an airplane during the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Romney attacked him from behind, putting a "vulcan grip" on his neck. Sky Blu was escorted off the aircraft by authorities.
LMFAO extended their brand with a clothing line called Party Rock, which was mostly T-shirts with slogans like "Sorry For Party Rockin'" and "Sexy And I Know It."
Redfoo is a former brother-in-law of Jermaine Jackson, Michael Jackson's older brother, and is also an uncle of Jermaine Jackson, Jr. He is also a former day trader and has been featured on CNBC's Mad Money with Jim Cramer.
The duo originally went with the name Sexy Dudes (or Sexe Dudes). They told Shave magazine that their grandmother's reaction to the name was the reply, "lmfao," inspiring their new name.
Redfoo grew up living with his mother but always maintained a relationship with his famous father, Berry Gordy, visiting him on vacations and living with him for a short time. He met many of the Motown stars in his youth, including Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson and Michael Jackson.
Redfoo started growing his afro in 1995 after hearing a lyric in the song "Ya Lil Crumbsnatchers" by Del the Funky Homosapien that goes, "Let my hair grow like a plant."
LMFAO went on hiatus in 2012 and didn't come back. Redfoo was able to indulge his passion for tennis, playing at a high level and even setting up a women's professional tournament called Party Rock Open that ran in 2012 and 2013. He's regularly scene at high-profile tennis events and dated the player Victoria Azarenka for a few years.
