Pitbull
Armando Christian Pérez (born January 15, 1981), better known
by his stage name Pitbull, is an American born rapper, singer-songwriter and
record producer. His first recorded performance was from the Lil Jon album
Kings of Crunk in 2002, after which he released his debut album in 2004 titled
M.I.A.M.I. (short for Money Is a Major Issue) under TVT Records. Since then, he
has released two other albums under the label: El Mariel in 2006 and The
Boatlift in 2007. He then released Rebelution in 2009, which included singles
"I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" and "Krazy". The latter
peaked at No.30 on the Hot 100 and No.11 on the Hot Rap Tracks charts while
"I Know You Want Me" peaked at No.2 on the Hot 100 and peaked within
the top ten spots of charts in the UK, Canada, Italy, and the Netherlands.
The song reached No.1 in France and the European Hot 100 on the week ending August 29, 2009 according to Billboard magazine. He later signed with Polo Grounds Music through Sony Music and created his own label Mr. 305 Inc. Other singles from Rebelution included "Blanco" featuring Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes and "Hotel Room Service", the latter of which peaked at No.8 on the Hot 100. Rebelution went on to sell over 7.5 million worldwide digital singles and albums combined.
Pérez has become a product endorser, representing alongside
Drake, Rihanna, and Trey Songz the “So Kodak” campaign for the Kodak brand and
embarking on a partnership with the soda giant Dr Pepper as part of the
campaign “Vida 23” for which he recorded the song specifically featured on his
album Armando. Pitbull also announced he has become the spokesperson for Voli
Vodka, in which he holds a majority equity stake.
Early life
Pitbull was born to Cuban parents who made him recite the
works of poet José Martí. He encountered problems early in his career as a
rapper because he was blue-eyed, white and Cuban American. He was also
influenced by the Miami bass genre of hip hop music and has cited Celia Cruz
and Willy Chirino as sources of inspiration for his music. Perez's parents
separated when he was young, and he was raised by his mother. He later spent
time with a foster family in Roswell, Georgia. At age 16, his mother kicked him
out of their house after he became a drug dealer, as had his father before him.
He then graduated from Miami Coral Park High School and focused his career in
rapping. Pitbull expressed his hardship in breaking into the Hip-Hop music
genre because he is white, from the South and Cuban.
Pitbull explained the reason behind choosing his stage name,
saying about the dog "they bite to lock. The dog is too stupid to lose.
And they're outlawed in Dade County. They're basically everything that I am.
It's been a constant fight. “After meeting Lil Jon in Miami, Pitbull was
featured on Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz' album Kings of Crunk in 2002. Pitbull's
song "Oye" was featured on the soundtrack to the film 2 Fast 2
Furious the following year. In addition, Pitbull also released several mixtapes,
composed of freestyles and remixes of popular rap music. Campbell featured Pitbull
in his single "Lollipop".
Music
career
2001-2003: Luke
Records and TVT Records
In 2001 Pitbull was signed to Luther Campbell's Luke Records
by Jullian Boothe, then the label's vice-president of A&R.[16] In 2001
Pitbull was introduced to Robert Fernandez of Famous Artist Music &
Management, an independent label and management company specialising in
developing artists, by the Diaz Brothers, a producer duo signed to the
company.[17] Fernandez "saw the eagerness and hunger he had" and,
with the Luke Records deal ending, began working to develop Pitbull.[17] Together
they focused on creating a more radio-friendly sound. Fernandez later told
HitQuarters: "At that time his music had a lot of verses and took a long
time to get into the hook, and so we took time in getting the songs catchier
and less on the rap side."[17] Pitbull recorded between 50 and 70 songs.
Fernandez introduced Pitbull to Lil Jon with a mind to trying
to secure the rapper a small guest intro spot on Lil Jon's upcoming album
"Kings of Crunk".[17] According to Fernandez, Jon took a liking to
Pitbull and went one better by offering him his own track on the album called
"Pitbulls Cuban Ride Out", a feature that would help raise the young
rapper's profile.[17]
2004–05:
M.I.A.M.I.
In 2004, Pitbull released his debut album M.I.A.M.I., with
the lead single being "Culo" ("Ass" in English) produced by
Lil Jon and the Diaz Brothers. It peaked at No.32 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart and No.11 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart. Other singles included
"Dammit Man", "Back Up", "Toma", and "That's
Nasty" (both featuring Lil Jon). He joined the Anger Management Tour, the
2000 hip-hop concert tour headlined by Eminem and 50 Cent.[18] Pitbull also
appeared on the Ying Yang Twins' single "Shake", which peaked at
No.41 on the Hot 100 and No.12 on the rap chart, and Twista's "Hit the
Floor" (#94 Hot 100, No.20 Rap). Remix album Money Is Still a Major Issue
was released in November 2007; it included new track "Everybody Get
Up", a duet with hip-hop/R&B group Pretty Ricky.
TVT Records, Pitbull's label at the time, and Slip-N-Slide
Records disputed over the release of Welcome to the 305, an unreleased album by
Slip-N-Slide that Pitbull had recorded in 2001.[19] A Miami judge ruled that
Slip-N-Slide had a legal right to release the album as it was recorded when
Pitbull was a Slip-N-Slide artist, and prior to him signing with TVT
Records.[20] A U.S. District Court judge affirmed the decision further.[21] TVT
was then ordered in March 2007 to pay Slip-N-Slide $9.1 million for attempting
to block the album's release to record stores and digital download
entities.[22]
2006–08: El
Mariel and The Boatlift
In January 2006, he guest-starred in UPN's South Beach. Also
in 2006, he recorded "Nuestro Himno" in collaboration with Wyclef Jean,
Carlos Ponce, and Olga Tañón.[23] On Listennn... the Album, the debut album by
Terror Squad member and Miami radio personality DJ Khaled, Pitbull performed on
three singles: "Holla At Me" and "Born-n-Raised" alongside
other Southern based rappers.
El Mariel, Pitbull's second album, was released in October
2006. The title was in reference to the town from which the Cuban refugees came
to Florida (1980), and referenced in the movie Scarface. He dedicated the album
to his father, who died that year in May.[12] Along with the usual
party-oriented tracks, Pitbull also included politically-themed tracks in El
Mariel.[24] The album was released on October 31, 2006, and included singles
"Bojangles", "Ay Chico (Lengua Afuera)", "Fuego",
and duet with Puerto Rican singer Ken-Y, "Dime (Remix)". El Mariel
topped the Billboard independent albums chart[25] and peaked at No.17 on the
Billboard 200 and No.2 on the rap chart.
Pitbull's third album, titled The Boatlift, was released in
November 2007, spawned by the single "Secret Admirer" featuring Lloyd
on the chorus. Earlier, Pitbull announced that this album would have a more
gangsta rap edge than his earlier albums.[26] Subsequent singles included
"Go Girl" featuring Trina, and "The Anthem" featuring and
produced Lil Jon, that song sampling the hook from the song "El
Africano" by Wilfrido Vargas and the beat from the song "Calabria"
by Rune RK. "Go Girl" peaked at No.80 on the Billboard Hot 100 and
No.36 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart; "The Anthem" No.36 on the Hot 100
and No.11 on the Hot Rap Tracks.
His variety show, Pitbull's La Esquina, debuted May 2007 on
the mun2 cable network.[27] On December 21, 2007, Pitbull was arrested for
drunk driving; he posted $1,000 on bail and pleaded not guilty.[28] He was
later acquitted from the charge.[29] Pitbull also appeared on DJ Laz'
"Move Shake Drop" and DJ Felli Fel's "Feel It".
2009–2010:
Rebelution and Armando
For his fourth studio album Rebelution, Pitbull released
"I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" through Ultra Records after his
former label TVT Records went out of business. "Krazy" peaked at
No.30 on the Hot 100 and No.11 on the Hot Rap Tracks charts. "I Know You
Want Me" peaked at No.2 on the Hot 100 and peaked within the top ten spots
of charts in the UK, Canada, Italy, and the Netherlands. The song reached No.1
in France and the European Hot 100 on the week ending August 29, 2009 according
to Billboard magazine. On Dec. 11, 2009, Billboard announced their Year-End
Canadian Update, placing "I Know You Want Me" at No.7 on the Hot 100
chart and No.2 on the CHR/Top 40 chart.[30] He later signed with Polo Grounds
Music through Sony Music and created his own label Mr. 305 Inc.[31] Other
singles included "Blanco", featuring Pharrell Williams of The
Neptunes, and "Hotel Room Service", which samples "Push the
Feeling On" and which peaked at No.9 on the Hot 100. On their second
collaboration since "Go Girl", Pitbull appeared on the debut single
of rapper David Rush (formerly Young Bo$$), "Shooting Star", also
with Kevin Rudolf and LMFAO. An amateur video of Pitbull punching a disruptive
audience member at a Colorado concert leaked on the Internet in late May 2009.
Pitbull explained to MTV News that it was because the fan kept throwing cash
around the stage, and after Pitbull pulled him up to the stage, he threw a
stash of money right in Pitbull's face.[32] He has been tapped by the Miami
Dolphins to work alongside T-Pain & Jimmy Buffett to release a new fight
song for the Dolphins.[33] The city of Miami granted Pitbull a "Key to the
City" honor on August 19.[34]
In 2010, Pitbull performed the rap section in the Haiti
benefit song "Somos El Mundo", a Spanish version of "We Are the
World", that included a huge group of Latin artists led by Emilio and
Gloria Estefan. He was also a featured guest on "Armada Latina", the
fourth single off the album Rise Up by Latin rap legends, Cypress Hill. The
song was produced by Jim Jonsin and also features Marc Anthony. Pitbull then
collaborated with Alexandra Burke on the single "All Night Long". He
was also featured on "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" by Usher.
Pitbull also released his full-length debut Spanish-language
album titled Armando on November 2, 2010. Pitbull is also one of the most
nominated artists of the upcoming Latin Billboard awards.[35] He garnered 7
nominations for “Latin Rhythm Airplay, Song of the Year” for “Bon, Bon”; “Latin
Rhythm Airplay, Artist of the Year, Solo Artist”; “Latin Rhythm Albums, Album
of the Year” for Armando; “Latin Rhythm Albums, Artist of the Year, Solo
Artist”; “Social 50, Latin Artist of the Year”; “Latin Digital Download of the
Year” for “Bon, Bon” and “Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event” for the song
“I Like It” alongside Enrique Iglesias. He also won Telehit’s award for “Most
Popular Artist”.[36]
2011–present:
Planet Pit
Pitbull released his highly anticipated follow-up English
album, Planet Pit, on June 21, 2011. Pitbull collaborated with T-Pain on its
first single, "Hey Baby (Drop It To The Floor)". Pitbull has also
collaborated with Jennifer Lopez on her single "On the Floor". On
March 22, 2011, Pitbull released his second single, "Give Me
Everything" featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer, and three months later,
the song became Pitbull's first single to top the Billboard Hot 100.[37] On May
2, 2011, Pitbull and Mýa appeared on WWE Monday Night RAW to celebrate Dwayne
"The Rock" Johnson's birthday.[38][39] Pitbull appeared as musical
guest on Conan on August 1, 2011.[40] On August 22, 2011, Lindsay Lohan sued
Pitbull, Ne-Yo and Afrojack in response to "Give Me Everything"'s
lyrics referencing her name.[41]
On October 7, RCA Music Group announced it was disbanding J
Records along with Arista Records and Jive Records. With the shutdown, Pitbull
(and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release
his future material on the RCA Records brand.[42][43]
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