Pitbull: The Understanding
The plight of the Latin emcee has been well-documented. For any mild fan of hip-hop, they know about Big Pun and Fat Joe. But those entrenched in the culture know about Kid Frost, Cypress Hill, Tony Touch and others whose contributions to the game have all hit at certain levels in the game. Pitbull has had a career that’s ran its rollercoaster ride in Hip Hop.
With his new album, The Boatlift, the Cuban-American rapper delves in to a varying array of topics even though it fails short on reaching the mainstream. Inside the offices of TVT, Pitbull is relaxed, even jovial while the weather outside remains frigid and cold. A warm smile and an innovative new project allows Pitbull to be seen and heard around the world. And as 2008, a tense political year, gets on the way, HipHopDX sits down with Mr. 305 as he discusses the ups and downs of the music business, his recent comments about Fidel Castro and why you cannot place Pitbull in a cage.
HipHopDX: Can you talk a little bit about growing up Cuban, the adversity you’ve felt and how they relate to your views on Castro?
Pitbull: You’re pretty much born into the world hating Fidel Castro. When you come from Miami and you’re Cuban-American, my views on Castro as a kid, you hear more and more stories and it really hurts your heart. You see people who manage to find a way into Miami and as a kid, it’s like little horror stories that you never really want to experience. That’s why I have my feelings about Castro. I’ve seen him destroy families. He’s destroyed my own family due to his idea of a better way of living [laughs]… which only works that way in a book or on television.
DX: There was a time where you were cited on another site talking about how you were offended by people wearing those Che Guevara t-shirts. Where did all of that stem from?
P: They’d always take what they want out of those interviews. I truly respect any and everyone’s opinion. I respect anything that anyone chooses to stand for in this life. My only thought is that if you’re going to make something as a symbol or as a hero – I’ll give you an example. Someone walks in here and wears a Hitler t-shirt in front of a Jewish person. Of course that person is going to feel offended and oftentimes he or she would be made that someone would disrespect their heritage given such a historic tragedy, right?
DX: Right…
P: Now, if you can justify why you’re wearing that Hitler shirt and it’s a valid reason behind it, then I can respect you for your opinion. You know Hitler; you know his background and all that. But because you have on a shirt that Jay-Z wore on MTV Unplugged and that’s your only reason behind rockin’ it, then that’s a problem. That’s the way I look at it. As far as how Cubans look at him back in the country, they don’t necessarily fuck with him like that because of how he was down with Castro back in the day. So, it’s sort of being guilty by association.
DX: Now, you went into the booth to make a song about Castro once he fell ill, right?
P: Right.
DX: So, why not push for more political content with your music?
P: I got plenty of political records. But at the end of the day, I’m in the music business. I love to make records. I love music. We got to survive to do what we want to do. As far as political records, there’ll be a right time and place for me to do that. I want to be able to have the power for people to listen to me when I do it. Do I have the ability to do it? Yes. But right now, I want to make sure that I’m doing what’s best to enhance my voice amongst the people.
DX: So, do you think with that limiting you that you’ll just hold on to them?
P: I got plenty of them in the safe. It’s all about timing. This is just the beginning of my career, I feel.
DX: Is this album your right time to shine?
P: This album is full of nothing but hits, man. It’s nothing but hits, man. At the end of the day, there’s nothing political about the album except the title. I hope to be able to put together that classic album. And when I do, I’ll definitely endorse it as such, real talk. Have I put together my classic or greatest work, yet? No. Even though I haven’t, it’s still there. It’s just locked safely away.
DX: What are your frustrations with the music business?
P: I don’t really have any frustrations. I just look at them like they’re lessons. Right now, the game doesn’t know how to categorize Pitbull. I’m too Latin for Hip Hop and too Hip Hop for Latin. Some say that I’m Reggaeton or that I’m crunk. But at the end of the day, my movement is my movement. I don’t give a fuck. It’s good music. With that said, everything in the game is how you get categorized and that’s very frustrating when you don’t think that you fit into one specific box. They can’t at the end of the day, do that. It’s also some bullshit to deal with the politics. Half of the people in the business don’t even know about music. But it’s gotten to the point to where I have my own team and if it feels right, then we go out and do it. I’ve built my own network which is good, so I’m able to navigate this business career-minded for our movement.
DX: Do you think that public is truly ready to buy a Pitbull album after riding other trends of Latin-influenced artists like Big Pun to J. Lo?
P: Pitbull is different than Pun, J. Lo and Fat Joe. I have more of an international thing. J. Lo does great music, but couldn’t speak Spanish fluently. Fat Joe is just now really learning the language too and he’s done everything in the world for me. Pun could do anything, though. He came in the game the right way. He was a lyricist who knew the language and he could’ve done it all and then some had he been still alive. I make hit records that are going to get in the club and stay in there for years to come. When they see me spittin’ a certain way, a lot of the records that come out and don’t are due to clearance issues. I recently went to Music Choice and they said that I’m the only one on Latin, Black and Pop stations. I have some loyal fans that are definitely that, but the sales aren’t going to be there anymore. It’s not going to be two-three million sold this go around. I’d rather have a slow, but a fa’sho-type of career, whereas, these ma’fuckas rather get it quick and leave quicker. [Laughs]
DX: You had an ill MySpace look for when the album dropped, but with the Internet taking over the game, how do you revamp your projects around that.
P: I’m really computer illiterate to be quite honest with you. But my team takes full advantage of the Internet and makes miracles happen. Again, the industry and the artist’s take a hit, but you only do that when you don’t have your own movements in place. Now, they want to take everything away from the artist and make it a justifiable investment. But it’s only because the record companies are the ones really losing out on the profits when it comes to the Internet. If you’re an artists and you’re making connects and when the label tells you to push your own shit, you can…
DX: …So, would you rather be independent than be with the label?
P: I’m set up right now, after I jump off TVT, and I’ll be straight. I’m definitely trying to do that. [Laughs]
DX: Since you have a lot of people coming after you with the Castro comment – why not go to Cuba to speak out?
P: No way! I can’t go to Cuba!
DX: Why not?
P: For one, if I go, then all the representatives that I have over here in the U.S. would be like, “What the fuck are you doing over there? You’re putting money into Castro’s hands.” I would love to go over there to Cuba. In fact, I just did Cuban radio not too long ago. But Cuban radio wasn’t talking about, “We love Castro.” They’re really fucked up over there. They just want me to tell them something. No matter how you cut it or slice it, they’re fucked up… Oh, they got health care and free education, but 12-year-old girl got to sell herself in order to get food for her family. Some people get 25-years for cutting up cattle for meat. You have to have some sort of genius in you to tell a superpower country, “Fuck you,” for 40 years. It’s like being the biggest dope boy on the block and not letting anyone eat. The difference between Cuba and Venezuela is that Venezuela has money. They got that oil money. This is some real shit. Hugo Chavez [president of Venezula] is going to be someone to watch.
DX: I’m good, man. Thanks for talkin’ with me.
P: You good, that’s good… Send that shit to Castro. [Laughs]
With his new album, The Boatlift, the Cuban-American rapper delves in to a varying array of topics even though it fails short on reaching the mainstream. Inside the offices of TVT, Pitbull is relaxed, even jovial while the weather outside remains frigid and cold. A warm smile and an innovative new project allows Pitbull to be seen and heard around the world. And as 2008, a tense political year, gets on the way, HipHopDX sits down with Mr. 305 as he discusses the ups and downs of the music business, his recent comments about Fidel Castro and why you cannot place Pitbull in a cage.
HipHopDX: Can you talk a little bit about growing up Cuban, the adversity you’ve felt and how they relate to your views on Castro?
Pitbull: You’re pretty much born into the world hating Fidel Castro. When you come from Miami and you’re Cuban-American, my views on Castro as a kid, you hear more and more stories and it really hurts your heart. You see people who manage to find a way into Miami and as a kid, it’s like little horror stories that you never really want to experience. That’s why I have my feelings about Castro. I’ve seen him destroy families. He’s destroyed my own family due to his idea of a better way of living [laughs]… which only works that way in a book or on television.
DX: There was a time where you were cited on another site talking about how you were offended by people wearing those Che Guevara t-shirts. Where did all of that stem from?
P: They’d always take what they want out of those interviews. I truly respect any and everyone’s opinion. I respect anything that anyone chooses to stand for in this life. My only thought is that if you’re going to make something as a symbol or as a hero – I’ll give you an example. Someone walks in here and wears a Hitler t-shirt in front of a Jewish person. Of course that person is going to feel offended and oftentimes he or she would be made that someone would disrespect their heritage given such a historic tragedy, right?
DX: Right…
P: Now, if you can justify why you’re wearing that Hitler shirt and it’s a valid reason behind it, then I can respect you for your opinion. You know Hitler; you know his background and all that. But because you have on a shirt that Jay-Z wore on MTV Unplugged and that’s your only reason behind rockin’ it, then that’s a problem. That’s the way I look at it. As far as how Cubans look at him back in the country, they don’t necessarily fuck with him like that because of how he was down with Castro back in the day. So, it’s sort of being guilty by association.
DX: Now, you went into the booth to make a song about Castro once he fell ill, right?
P: Right.
DX: So, why not push for more political content with your music?
P: I got plenty of political records. But at the end of the day, I’m in the music business. I love to make records. I love music. We got to survive to do what we want to do. As far as political records, there’ll be a right time and place for me to do that. I want to be able to have the power for people to listen to me when I do it. Do I have the ability to do it? Yes. But right now, I want to make sure that I’m doing what’s best to enhance my voice amongst the people.
DX: So, do you think with that limiting you that you’ll just hold on to them?
P: I got plenty of them in the safe. It’s all about timing. This is just the beginning of my career, I feel.
DX: Is this album your right time to shine?
P: This album is full of nothing but hits, man. It’s nothing but hits, man. At the end of the day, there’s nothing political about the album except the title. I hope to be able to put together that classic album. And when I do, I’ll definitely endorse it as such, real talk. Have I put together my classic or greatest work, yet? No. Even though I haven’t, it’s still there. It’s just locked safely away.
DX: What are your frustrations with the music business?
P: I don’t really have any frustrations. I just look at them like they’re lessons. Right now, the game doesn’t know how to categorize Pitbull. I’m too Latin for Hip Hop and too Hip Hop for Latin. Some say that I’m Reggaeton or that I’m crunk. But at the end of the day, my movement is my movement. I don’t give a fuck. It’s good music. With that said, everything in the game is how you get categorized and that’s very frustrating when you don’t think that you fit into one specific box. They can’t at the end of the day, do that. It’s also some bullshit to deal with the politics. Half of the people in the business don’t even know about music. But it’s gotten to the point to where I have my own team and if it feels right, then we go out and do it. I’ve built my own network which is good, so I’m able to navigate this business career-minded for our movement.
DX: Do you think that public is truly ready to buy a Pitbull album after riding other trends of Latin-influenced artists like Big Pun to J. Lo?
P: Pitbull is different than Pun, J. Lo and Fat Joe. I have more of an international thing. J. Lo does great music, but couldn’t speak Spanish fluently. Fat Joe is just now really learning the language too and he’s done everything in the world for me. Pun could do anything, though. He came in the game the right way. He was a lyricist who knew the language and he could’ve done it all and then some had he been still alive. I make hit records that are going to get in the club and stay in there for years to come. When they see me spittin’ a certain way, a lot of the records that come out and don’t are due to clearance issues. I recently went to Music Choice and they said that I’m the only one on Latin, Black and Pop stations. I have some loyal fans that are definitely that, but the sales aren’t going to be there anymore. It’s not going to be two-three million sold this go around. I’d rather have a slow, but a fa’sho-type of career, whereas, these ma’fuckas rather get it quick and leave quicker. [Laughs]
DX: You had an ill MySpace look for when the album dropped, but with the Internet taking over the game, how do you revamp your projects around that.
P: I’m really computer illiterate to be quite honest with you. But my team takes full advantage of the Internet and makes miracles happen. Again, the industry and the artist’s take a hit, but you only do that when you don’t have your own movements in place. Now, they want to take everything away from the artist and make it a justifiable investment. But it’s only because the record companies are the ones really losing out on the profits when it comes to the Internet. If you’re an artists and you’re making connects and when the label tells you to push your own shit, you can…
DX: …So, would you rather be independent than be with the label?
P: I’m set up right now, after I jump off TVT, and I’ll be straight. I’m definitely trying to do that. [Laughs]
DX: Since you have a lot of people coming after you with the Castro comment – why not go to Cuba to speak out?
P: No way! I can’t go to Cuba!
DX: Why not?
P: For one, if I go, then all the representatives that I have over here in the U.S. would be like, “What the fuck are you doing over there? You’re putting money into Castro’s hands.” I would love to go over there to Cuba. In fact, I just did Cuban radio not too long ago. But Cuban radio wasn’t talking about, “We love Castro.” They’re really fucked up over there. They just want me to tell them something. No matter how you cut it or slice it, they’re fucked up… Oh, they got health care and free education, but 12-year-old girl got to sell herself in order to get food for her family. Some people get 25-years for cutting up cattle for meat. You have to have some sort of genius in you to tell a superpower country, “Fuck you,” for 40 years. It’s like being the biggest dope boy on the block and not letting anyone eat. The difference between Cuba and Venezuela is that Venezuela has money. They got that oil money. This is some real shit. Hugo Chavez [president of Venezula] is going to be someone to watch.
DX: I’m good, man. Thanks for talkin’ with me.
P: You good, that’s good… Send that shit to Castro. [Laughs]
