On October 3, Thursday at 7:00 p.m., Kean students lined up outside the Wilkins Theater for the University’s annual Homecoming Concert.

With Reeboks, jerseys and other popular Y2K gear, the Kean Cougars were ready to party with Flo Rida. Fortunately for them, the popstar made it a night to remember for students full of dancing, screaming and even fun fan interactions.

However, Flo Rida is more than just a ruler in the 2000s party music scene and in a short after-concert interview with him, he showcased some vulnerability and talked about some of the most impactful moments in his career and how he was able to overcome any obstacles along the path.

Flo Rida popped off as soon as he stepped on the scene in 2007 with his debut single “Low,” a classic song that has stood the test of time.

“I think [the most impactful time in my career] it was when I put out my very first record, I was the type of guy who would have been fine having my record played on the local radio station,” he explained. “It took me from a national audience to an international audience instantly.”

As a Florida native, Flo Rida has committed to sharing a piece of where he’s from through his music and with the state having some of the biggest party venues in the country, you could say Flo Rida brings the party to the world.

“It’s organic for myself, growing up in Miami where it’s a gumbo of different cultures, it’s a party city and so instantly when you hear my music it just reflects where I come from,” he said. “Bass music, that up-tempo music, it just gets the party going.”

Although Flo Rida isn’t lacking in hit songs and popular collaborations and the current climate of the US music industry is fast-paced and full of newer sounds, there has been a resurgence of artists from the early 2000s like Janet Jackson, Usher and even Kesha coming back and rejoining the industry with more music and big tours. Flo Rida is one of them as he’s released tons of new singles and collabs just this year and has performed across the world in Dubai, Canada and at the famous Coachella music festival in California.

“I stay in the studio a lot, I’m always up late night sometimes not getting sleep just studio my craft but it’s all about having relationships, there may be an artist that you’ve collaborated with that just keeps you relevant,” Flo Rida said. “But more than anything in one place it may not seem like the needle is being pushed but in another it is, like out of the country for myself internationally there’s always something going on.”

Other than his whopping success, Flo Rida took the chance to be a bit candid and speak on the side of him not many people see, the part of him that may have a creative down or may need a break to get back on track mentally.

“I think the creative block… when I can’t really do anything I always go back into the crate of things that I’ve created, with music you can just explore and do something with nostalgia so creativeness is really always flowing,” he stated.

Flo Rida has made a solid name for himself in the music scene and his identity is unwavering, this could all be because of his outlook on life and what outlets he uses to maintain a positive mental attitude.

In honor of World Mental Health Day on October 10th, Flo Rida was able to explain and give advice to students on someways to best preserve their mental health.

“I’m a faith-driven person so I always make sure, as a Christian that I’m always reading my Bible and things like that,” he elaborated. “And I think when you have a great circle of people around you, that’s even more important.”

So with wise words from Flo Rida to getting down in the Cougars Den, Kean’s 2024 Homecoming was truly a night to remember for every party involved.

To have the King of the East Coast party scene as Kean’s 2024 Homecoming performer is nothing short of an honor and Flo Rida and his crew as well as every attendee there that night have made an everlasting connection with each other.