Sugar (Flo Rida song)

"Sugar"
Single by Flo Rida featuring Wynter Gordon
from the album R.O.O.T.S.
Released	March 17, 2009
Format	CD single, digital download
Recorded	2008
Genre	Electropop hip hop R&B
Length	4:12 (album version) 4:01 (radio edit)
Label	Poe Boy, Atlantic
Writer(s)	Flo Rida, The Jackie Boyz, Jeffrey Jey, Maurizio Lobina, Massimo Gabutti
Producer(s)	DJ Montay
Flo Rida singles chronology
"Shone" (2009) "Sugar" (2009) "Cause a Scene" (2009)
Wynter Gordon chronology "Sugar" (2009) "Dirty Talk" (2010) Music sample "Sugar"

"Sugar" is a song by American rapper Flo Rida, featuring American pop/dance singer Wynter Gordon. The song's chorus samples the song "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" by Italian electronic music group Eiffel 65.^[1] The song was written by Flo Rida, The Jackie Boyz, Jeffrey Jey, Maurizio Lobina, and Massimo Gabutti, and was produced by DJ Montay for Flo Rida's second album, R.O.O.T.S.. The song was released as the album's third official single in March 2009 as a digital download.

The single became the second top 10 single from R.O.O.T.S., debuting at #25, and peaking at #5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100,^[2] fueled by high sales from digital downloads. The single has also been successful in other countries, reaching the top ten in Canada,^[3] and on other Billboard subcharts.^[2] Following the song's success in the U.S., the song was released May 25, 2009, in the United Kingdom.^[4]

Critical reception

On reviews for the album, the song received a mixed reception, due to criticism on the use of the sample of "Blue (Da Ba Dee)". Billboard magazine reviewed the single positively, said "'Sugar', rides an unlikely interpolation of 'Blue (Da Ba Dee)' by Eiffel 65", but consider it one of the highlights of the album. However, AllMusic said that the song is "shameless enough to incorporate elements of Eiffel 65's Euro-trash earworm 'Blue (Da Ba Dee)'", but chose it as a track pick.^[5]

Meanwhile, in the UK, noted urban writer Pete Lewis of the award-winning 'Blues & Soul' stated "Flo Rida finally proves once-and-for-all that he's no one-trick-pony, with the melodic uptempo single 'Sugar' effectively relying on a familiar Euro-dance sample to bring the party".^[6]

Music video

Flo Rida beside his imaginary girl portrayed by Wynter in the music video for "Sugar."

Flo Rida on the set of "Sugar".

A music video for the song was filmed on April 10, 2009 in South Beach, Florida. It opens with a female doctor followed by Flo Rida walking into an operation room with a quick shot of Wynter then Wynter and Flo Rida standing beside one another. It then cuts to Wynter performing set choreography interspersed with female dancers then her dancing solo with flashes of Flo Rida in the operation room with the same female doctor spotted earlier in the music video. The next primary scene showcases Flo Rida in front of other men each seated in a hut on the beach as they spot the doctor in a white bikini walking out from the water. Flo Rida moves out of his seat and progresses forward to greet the doctor but then confusingly realises that she is not actually there. Next Flo Rida and the doctor are seen to be next to each other on the same beach, she following with her arms on him as he raps. They walk to a store in the shape of another hut where Flo Rida purchases ice cream for the both of them. He turns around, confused again as the doctor doesn't appear anywhere in sight. The next scene displays the pair with the doctor seducing Flo Rida then comforting him with food. He then turns her way and once again, she doesn't appear. The final vision incorporates Flo Rida woken up by the doctor in the operation room & being escorted out, yet she then raises her arm and directs him to follow her back into the room by seductively holding up a bunch of grapes. Flo Rida looks at the camera, smiles and closes the door as the video comes to a close.

Chart performance

"Sugar" made a "Hot Shot Debut" at number twenty-five on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Flo Rida's highest debut on the chart. The song made a jump to number seven in its sixth week on the chart, selling 127,000 downloads, a 61% increase from the previous week and has reached a peak position of #5.^[7] In Canada it made a "Hot Shot Debut" at #8 on the Canadian Hot 100.

The song debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 35 from album downloads alone and has so far peaked at number eighteen. This marked "Sugar" Flo Rida's then-third highest charting single in the UK, and with 18 weeks inside the top 100 UK singles chart, it is his fourth longest chart runner behind only "Low" (75 weeks), "Right Round" (24 weeks) and "Elevator" (20 weeks).^[8] It has so far peaked at number 20 in Australia.^[9]

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2009) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[10] 20 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[11] 28 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 40 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[13] 21 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[14] 8 Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[15] 5 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[16] 19 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[17] 7 France (SNEP)[18] 9 Germany (Official German Charts)[19] 37 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[20] 25 Hungary (Dance Top 40)[21] 30 Ireland (IRMA)[22] 14 Japan (Japan Hot 100)[23] 46 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[24] 13 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[25] 39 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[26] 26 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[27] 18 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[28] 31 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] 40 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[30] 18 US Billboard Hot 100[31] 5 US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[32] 19 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[33] 100 US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[34] 10 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[35] 8 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[36] 9

Year-end charts Chart (2009) Position Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[37] 106 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[38] 132 US Billboard Hot 100[39] 58

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/Sales
Canada (Music Canada)[40]	Gold	40,000^^
Japan (RIAJ)[41]	Gold	100,000^^
United States (RIAA)[42]	Platinum	1,000,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. "Sugar by Flo Rida Songfacts". songfacts.com.
2. Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - Flo Rida
3. "Flo Rida and Wynter - Sugar". acharts.us.
4. "Radio1 Rodos Greece ::: UK Forthcoming Singles ::: Charts, DJ Promos, Dance, Lyrics, Free Mp3 Samples Downloads". radio1.gr.
5. AllMusic ((( R.O.O.T.S. (Route of Overcoming the Struggle) - Overview )))
6. Stephen Clark - Design. "FLO RIDA: Let It Ride". bluesandsoul.com.
7. "Flo Rida". Billboard.
8. Chart Stats - Flo Rida - Sugar
9. http://www.ariacharts.com.au/pages/charts_display.asp?chart=1U50 [Australia Singles Chart]
10. "Australian-charts.com – Flo Rida feat. Wynter – Sugar". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
11. "Austriancharts.at – Flo Rida feat. Wynter – Sugar" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
12. "Ultratop.be – Flo Rida feat. Wynter – Sugar" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
13. "Ultratop.be – Flo Rida feat. Wynter – Sugar" (in French). Ultratop 50.
14. "Flo Rida – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Flo Rida.
15. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200922 into search.
16. "Flo Rida – Chart history" European Hot 100 for Flo Rida.
17. "Flo Rida feat. Wynter: Sugar" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
18. "Lescharts.com – Flo Rida feat. Wynter – Sugar" (in French). Les classement single.
19. "Musicline.de – Rida,Flo Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
20. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
21. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
22. "Chart Track: Week 24, 2009". Irish Singles Chart.
23. "Flo Rida – Chart history" Japan Hot 100 for Flo Rida.
24. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 28, 2009" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40
25. "Dutchcharts.nl – Flo Rida feat. Wynter – Sugar" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
26. "Charts.org.nz – Flo Rida feat. Wynter – Sugar". Top 40 Singles.
27. "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200921 into search.
28. "Swedishcharts.com – Flo Rida feat. Wynter – Sugar". Singles Top 100.
29. "Swisscharts.com – Flo Rida feat. Wynter – Sugar". Swiss Singles Chart.
30. "Archive Chart: 2009-06-13" UK Singles Chart.
31. "Flo Rida – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Flo Rida.
32. "Flo Rida – Chart history" Billboard Dance/Mix Show Airplay for Flo Rida.
33. "Flo Rida – Chart history" Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Flo Rida.
34. "Flo Rida – Chart history" Billboard Hot Rap Songs for Flo Rida.
35. "Flo Rida – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Flo Rida.
36. "Flo Rida – Chart history" Billboard Rhythmic Songs for Flo Rida.
37. "Éves összesített listák - MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 (súlyozott)". Mahasz. Mahasz.
38. "Charts Plus Year end 2009" (PDF). Charts Plus. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
39. "Year End Charts - Year-end songs - The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
40. "Canadian single certifications – Flo Rida feat. Wynter Gordon – Sugar". Music Canada.
41. "Japanese single certifications – Flo Rida feat. Wynter – Sugar" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved January 27, 2016. Select 2015年10月 on the drop-down menu

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics