Rapper Flo Rida to make Naperville 'My House' on July 4 at Ribfest
"Welcome to my house" could be the refrain of the evening for Ribfest patrons July 4 in Naperville, as rapper Flo Rida brings hits like "My House" to the 32nd annual festival.
Tickets for the show by the Miami native and four-time Grammy nominee are set to go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at ribfest.net. Tickets start at $20.
Flo Rida's performance is part of the "Last Nights at Knoch" for the longtime festival, as organizers with the Exchange Club of Naperville prepare to find a new home for Ribfest in 2020 and beyond to allow for Knoch Park renovations. Club leaders said they wanted to book major acts this year for a strong finale at the venue that has hosted the event for 30 of its 31 years.
"We knew early on we wanted to bring new headliners to Ribfest 2019," Co-chairmen Pete Paulsen and Sandy Rocush said in a written statement. "We're so grateful we were able to secure the talents of a pioneer of the urban dance genre."
Flo Rida grew up as Tramar Dillard and was influenced by gospel music as well as Miami's rap scene, which he joined as a teen in a group called Groundhoggz.
In 2008, Flo Rida released his first album, "Mail on Sunday" with the single "Low" featuring T-Pain. He followed up with "R.O.O.T.S." in 2009, "Only One Flo (Part 1)" in 2010 and "Wild Ones" in 2012, including songs such as "Right Round" featuring Ke$ha, "Club Can't Handle Me" featuring David Guetta and "Good Feeling."
Flo Rida launched his own management company, Strong Arm, with Lee "Freezy" Prince in 2009 and started a record label in 2011. He also gives back through a nonprofit organization he formed called Big Dreams for Kids, which works to inspire future leaders.
Ribfest exists to give back to charities that work to end child abuse and domestic violence, and the festival has donated roughly $16 million toward those causes in 31 years.
Also set to perform at Ribfest this year are punk rock pioneer Billy Idol on July 3 and country singer-songwriter Brantley Gilbert on July 5. The Exchange Club has not yet announced a headliner for the event's final night on Saturday, July 6.
Tickets for Billy Idol and Brantley Gilbert start at $35.