Pitbull Music Career
The 2000-2003: 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
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.
Fernandez "saw the eagerness and hunger he had" and, with the Luke Records deal ending, began working to develop Pitbull.
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."
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".
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.
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.
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.
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.
A U.S. District Court judge affirmed the decision further.
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.
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.
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.
Pitbull performing at the Alhambra High School prom, sponsored by local radio station Power 106, in 2007.
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 in the movie
Scarface. He dedicated the album to his father, who died that year in May.
Along with the usual party-oriented tracks, Pitbull also included politically-themed tracks in
El Mariel.
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
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.
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.
On December 21, 2007, Pitbull was arrested for drunk driving; he posted $1,000 on bail and pleaded not guilty.
He was later acquitted from the charge.
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.
He later signed with Polo Grounds Music through Sony Music and created his own label Mr. 305 Inc.
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.
He has been tapped by the Miami Dolphins to work alongside T-Pain & Jimmy Buffett to release a new fight song for the Dolphins.
The city of Miami granted Pitbull a "Key to the City" honor on August 19.
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.
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”.
