Redfoo talks LMFAO hiatus, sports interests

NEW YORK (AP) — LMFAO's Redfoo is still party rocking, but these days, he's doing it without his partner-in-fun, Sky Blu.

Redfoo says he and Sky Blu — who is also his nephew — are taking a break as they focus on their own interests, personally and professionally.

"I feel like we've been doing this for so long, five or six years. And we're kind of like saying, well, let's just do what's natural and just kind of explore that, instead of like forcing it all the time," Redfoo, 37, explained in a phone interview earlier this week.

For the wild-haired Redfoo, his explorations have not only taken him to record new music solo, they have also opened up a world in sports.

Earlier this month, he was in the stands at the U.S. Open rooting on new BFF Victoria Azarenka, who lost to Serena Williams for the women's championship. He's also been performing on some dates with the Fierce Five of women's gymnastics as the gold-winning Olympic team tours the nation, and he's been spending time on the tennis courts in Las Vegas as a coach for a junior player.

Redfoo said he recently began coaching Ayaka Okuno, practicing several hours a day with her in Las Vegas.

"I kind of use the Phil Jackson approach which I teach her some vague things — I teach her how to think for herself on the court," he said. "She's really good at self-analyzing."

He's also planning his own line of tennis clothing and sponsoring the United States Tennis Association's Party Rock Open in Las Vegas starting Sunday.

Tennis isn't his only love, though. He's performed on the USA Gymnastics tour, and he is also trying to make a tune for the New England Patriots.

"I'm actually working on a song for them, because they asked me to write a song for their season," he said of the Krafts, who own the team.

But it will likely be some time before he writes anything for LMFAO. Although he's been recording, he didn't know when he and Sky Blu might unite musically, adding that they are going in "different directions."

"I think that we naturally just started hanging with two different sets of people, two different crowds, but we're always family," he said. "He'll always be my nephew, I'll always be his uncle."

As for his solo material, Redfoo says he won't be straying far from hits like "Sexy and I Know It" and "Party Rock Anthem."

"All the music that I'm going to make is always going to be LMFAO-ish ... I love all the topics that we talk about," he said. "I was really passionate about bringing party music to the world, so I will always be making some kind of party music."

___

Online:

http://www.lmfaomusic.com

___

Nekesa Mumbi Moody is the AP's Global Entertainment & Lifestyles Editor. Follow her at http://www.twitter.com/nekesamumbi