The Complete History of Lmfao: from 'Sexy Dudes' to Party Rock Anthem Fame
Casual listeners often assumed the duo were brothers or college friends who met on the party circuit. Their real connection ran directly through American music royalty. Redfoo is the son of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy and writer-producer Nancy Leiviska. Sky Blu is Berry Gordy's grandson, the child of Berry Gordy IV. That made Redfoo Sky Blu's uncle, despite Redfoo being just eleven years older.
Growing up in the orbit of Detroit's legendary hitmakers provided an unparalleled masterclass in pop songcraft, arrangement, and hook construction. They did not inherit an automatic pass to fame, however. Rather than pursuing soul or contemporary R&B, the pair gravitated toward the burgeoning electro-hop movement emerging from European clubs and West Coast underground scenes. They paired heavy 808 kicks with 130 BPM synthesizer riffs, designing tracks specifically for sweaty club dance floors.
Their musical lineage surfaced in their rigorous approach to hooks. Beneath the wild afro wigs, oversized glasses without lenses, and cardboard robot heads sat an instinctive understanding of commercial radio mechanics. When Interscope Records signed them in 2008, the label was backing producers who combined modern viral internet humor with legacy pop discipline.