After collaborating with Lil Jon and the Diaz Brothers on his official debut album M.I.A.M.I., Pitbull released the song “Culo” that introduced him to mainstream audiences. To think of the artist as a newcomer, though, is to negate years of effort that ultimately led to a record deal. Pitbull has long been a staple in Miami’s hip hop scene, producing three mix tapes and gaining a supportive, diverse following unique to the melting pot of the 305. In his own words, Pitbull discusses his success, the road ahead and the misconceptions in between.
How did you initially start working with people like Luke, the Diaz Brothers and Lil Jon?
Just hustlin’, grindin’ and networkin’. They would hear about me and then I would run into them in different spots.
You’ve had the opportunity to work with some diverse artists – any highlights or funny stories? Who does the crazy shit?
I mean crazy would have to be…I mean all of them are crazy! There’s always something crazy going on with all of them. Luke’s always got the women, Jon’s just always crunk, always got a porno going on while in the studio working.
You just go with the flow, right?
I just be rolling with the punches! They’re all crazy and they all have crazy stories. I don’t know if you would want to hear them, to be honest with you.
Well, we’ll leave it at that then…How are you being received by new audiences; people who haven’t heard you yet or people outside of Miami?
A lot of them just think I’m Mr. “Culo” man, which is a beautiful thing ‘cause I love people to underestimate me. But to be honest, everywhere I’ve gone, it’s been nothin’ but love. Nothin’ but love, especially being Latin, and with the Latin people being out there, its extra love.
That’s a built in fan base for you?
Fa sho.
Hip hop has gone through many phases over it’s time and right now the hip hop in Miami is described as a movement. What do you think this next movement will be about or what do you hope it becomes?
This movement down here is all about getting people off. There’s a lot of talent down here, so it’s all about opening doors for the next people, you feel me? That’s why we call it a movement. I call it the revolution, cause what I’m doing is totally different. Meaning, I’m comin’ in English, I’m comin’ in Spanish, I’m comin’ on mix tapes, I’m comin’ on DVDs, I’m comin’ on whatever I can get on, I’m doing it. That’s why we say that down here, ‘cause we really haven’t had nobody to represent us other than Trick and Trina, but they movement was totally different. It was more like a slip n slide movement. And if you wasn’t down with slip n slide, then you wasn’t really moving nowhere, you feel me?
So you’re trying to offer everything?
Yeah, I’m here to help everybody out. If I can open the doors for the next, whoever, I’m here to do it, as long as they know who the dude with the door is, it’s open.
Who are some MCs in Miami we should know about?
Jacki-O, Dirtbag, Piccalo, P.M.; there’s a gang of cats that’s doing they thing. You got Rick Ross, Carol City Cartel. Little by little, they gon’ get on.
What is your greatest accomplishment to date?
I mean, just droppin’ an album for me was big! In the state of hip hop, where it’s at and business wise, how it doesn’t make sense to these companies, just to drop an album and to do numbers the way it’s doin’, for me, it’s a great accomplishment.
What goals have you set for the future?
My goals are basically to be the one to tell the next cat to rap. We all know when you’re a rapper; you’re a slave to the game. Right now I’m doing my little slave thing, and hopefully I can get a cat that does his thing and I can help him out with his career and teach him the ropes. ‘Cause really what this career is about, I mean rapping is an opportunity to open other doors for other opportunities. That’s the way I see it. I’m here for the long haul. I ain’t here just ‘cause it’s a gimmick or joke, and if they do think it’s a game, then they can play with it. I don’t think a lot of people will understand my movement, especially on the first album. It’s sorta like mix tapes. Like, I had to drop three mix tapes for people to say, “Okay! Here we go.” I think that what I’m bringing to the game is a little too much versatility for them to handle right now. Meaning, you jump on bass music, then you got the crunk, then you got the dirty, then you got the west coast, and you got the Caribbean feel. So they just like, “Woah…he’s all over the place with it.” But that’s the way I grew up. I’m from Miami and I can’t help it, that’s my roots. I’m from a melting pot.
Are there any misconceptions about you so far?
Actually, I like misconceptions. That just fuels the fire. You know what? Yeah, the other day I read Vibe and the girl had wrote up on me, like, “He’s got no substance.” She didn’t even mention the record that really had substance. I was like, “Well, I appreciate it lady. I guess I’ll have just have to prove you wrong on the next go round.”
You don’t think she saw the full picture?
I don’t feel like she got it. I don’t feel like she had nothing to do with the south, she didn’t know the history on what I was doing. It doesn’t bother me, it just fuels my fire, but it just goes to show me, a lot of people ain’t gonna understand you dogg, you got a lot of things to conquer.
Just keep on steppin’.
Hey, that’s what we do in the south, we brush our shoulders off, you know?
Where can people find your mix tapes?
They can go to websites to pick up mix tapes. And for anybody out there trying to do their thing, you know, patience, passion, perseverance equals success. Hurry up and wait!
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