Las Vegas Weekly

April 9, 2009 · 1:16 PM

Flo Rida and Teairra Mari’s Vegas video shoot is more work than play

By Melissa Arseniuk

Flo Rida and Teairra Mari get ready for yet another take during the day-long shoot for Mari's latest music video featuring Flo Rida, "Cause a Scene."

Photo: Melissa Arseniuk

Rap videos often showcase the glitz, glamour and luxurious things in life: Fancy cars, beautiful women, and extravagance as far as the eye can see.

Rap video shoots, however, are hardly glitzy, glamorous or luxurious – even when accomplished artists like Flo Rida or up and coming R&B songstress Teairra Mari are involved.

The two were at Rain nightclub on Tuesday shooting a video for their collaboration, “Cause a Scene.”

“This video, ‘Cause a Scene,’ is definitely going to be a problem,” Flo Rida said. “I look forward to this video being number one.”

While there is no release date scheduled, the music video is expected to be released in two or three weeks.

Flo Rida, who shot to fame last year with his single, "Low," had nothing but good things to say about his costar.

“She’s a lovely, sexy lady,” he said. “She’s talented, has a great voice, (and) I look forward to her being an icon in this game.”

The feeling seemed to be mutual, as Mari sang similar praises.

“He’s a great, stand-up guy,” she said when asked about Flo Rida. “He’s really nice; he’s talented; he has great energy. … He made me step my game up.”

Making A Scene

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Mari, 21, explained the storyline for the “Cause a Scene” video shoot: “The story is I talk to (my love interest) Jackie on the phone … and he’s sounding sleepy … when really he’s fully dressed … and then me and my girls end up goin’ to the club and one of my girls spots him out … and then I cause a scene.”

Tuesday’s shoot involved several scenes shot in and around Rain. A busy club scene was staged in the VIP area behind the main bar; a crowd shot was set-up near the main entrance; and the dance floor was used as a set for other shots, using backdrops to disguise the location.

The shoot began just before noon and cameras continued to roll past midnight. Indeed, it was a long and totally unglamorous day.

Mari endured several wardrobe changes, make-up touch-ups, and hair restylings during the day-long filming. Meanwhile, dozens of extras lounged in the club’s VIP booths between takes, many sending countless text messages to pass the time.

Compared to the others, Flo Rida had it easy. He showed up around 10 p.m. and left just before midnight. Still, the 27-year-old rapper worked hard during his two hours on location, patiently performing and re-performing for the cameras.

Dressed in dark jeans, sunglasses and a t-shirt from his Parlay Adore clothing line, the muscular rapper sizzled on set. Mira, meanwhile, heated things up in a snakeskin top, gold sequins shorts and metallic stilettos.

After well over a dozen takes, Flo Rida was finally relieved of his acting duties. Instead of retiring to his hotel room or calling it a night, however, the Florida native had to hightail it over to the Wynn to perform at Blush.

And Mari still had work to do. Instead of going to the Wynn with her co-star, she remained at the Palms to shoot the final scene.

The petite siren later reunited with her collaborator and co-star, however, when she other members of the cast and crew celebrated with a post-shoot party at Blush.

She said she always enjoys her time in Las Vegas.

In addition to dining at favorite restaurants like Tao, Little Buddha and Nobu, she said clubbing and a little retail therapy are always high on her Vegas to-do list.

“I love the nightlife,” she said, “and the shopping is great because they have all kinds of sparkly girlie things.”

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