Pitbull 'El Mariel' album

Pitbull has become one of the most highly recognized Latino rapper's today and is making his way back this Fall with the release of El Mariel. After his highly successful Certified Gold release, M.I.A.M.I. (Money Is a Major Issue) and the innovative remix album, M.I. Still A.M.I expect nothing but diverse cultural influences, hardcore lyrics and freestyling skills from this Cuban-American verbalist's next release.

Armando "Pitbull" Perez is not your typical MC. Although he makes songs about getting "culo" the Cuban-American artist is more preoccupied with preserving the image of his isla bonita, Cuba and unmasking Pres. George W. Bush's misguided war.

With his new Diaz Bros/TVT Records sophomore album, El Mariel, named after the infamous Cuban boatlift that relocated almost 125,000 cubanos to Florida, Pit will make the biggest impact a Latino has made in hip-hop since Big Pun. Inspired by one of the most dramatic events in Cuban history, El Mariel is overflowing with enlightening gems, rap ballads and club bangers. After the success of his gold-selling M.I.A.M.I. the music community was having a difficult time placing a label on Pit.

“They have this misconception about Pit,” says the 25-year-old MC. “They’ll say, ‘He’s just this Latin rapper, he’s a reggaeton act, he’s crunk.’ They don’t know what to say about me. [After El Mariel] a lot of folks are gonna start saying, ‘Oh shit. You gotta watch out for that boy Pit.’”

Born to Cuban immigrants, Pitbull was raised by a single mother in Miami. With his mother, who worked three jobs, Pit was frequently relocating as a youth. The constant moving made Pit adapt to any environment and interact with different types of people. His absent father reemerged in his life when Pitbull was 18. Since then until his passing this year Pit remained on friendly terms with his father. All the while Pit was falling for hip-hop. Through his constant winning verbal warfare, his VIP friendships (Lil Jon and Luke) Pit signed with TVT and released his gold-selling debut, M.I.A.M.I. (Money Is A Major Issue) in 2004. Yet with mainstream acceptance and club mega hits in tow, a Latino MC still faces obstacles non-Latinos will never experience.

“My father has seen me do what he used to do back in the day just with a different product. Trying to get people hooked, city-to-city, country-to-country,” says Pit. “He always seen me on the move. I think what he loved about me is that I take care of my family before I take care of anything else. The album has to do a lot with him, my culture, and then you sort of got my Mariel, my boatlift in 2006. Where the game’s letting me in and I’m coming to take full advantage in the Latin world and the American market and see how I can bring them even closer together to what they’ve been the last couple of years.”

Crossing over different cultures is one of Pit’s strong suits. On “Dime,” his collaboration with Puerto Rican crooner Ken Y, Lil Jon produces his Latin version of Usher’s “Lovers and Friends.” “Lengua A Fuera” finds Ying Yang Twins producer, Mr. Collipark, providing Pit with a bass-heavy booty shaker.

“I wanna bring Latin cats and bring them to the American market and take cats that big in the American market and make them huge in the Latin market. I ain’t trying to be no rap star,” says Pit, who rather invest in real estate than a gaudy gold chain. “I’m trying to do that Wyclef international put me on the World Cup type of records.”

Still, Pit isn’t satisfied with being a successful artist solely in the U.S. market. Witnessing how reggaeton has exploded, with his help, Pit is not one to play the wall. After the release of El Mariel he will debut his first full-length Spanish only album, Armando, at the top of 2007. But don’t expect the flavor of the month genre to be his backdrop of choice.

“It’s an Afro-Cuban based project. A lot of energy and just a different movement,” says Pit. “Lil Jon, the Diaz Brothers, Jim Jonsin, Orishas, Echo from Puerto Rico and Mr. Collipark are gonna be working on it. I would love for me and Jon to have a number one record on the Latin charts. It would be me bringing him over just like he brought me over to his side.”

While his Spanish-language debut is still months away Pit is concentrating on delivering an educational and entertaining opus with El Mariel. From being a rising underground MC to an internationally known artist Pit is following in the footsteps of those who came in the infamous 1980 boatlift.

“Some [Marielitos] yes were criminals, some came from a negative background but you have those who became politicians, lawyers, judges, and doctors, you name it, “ says Pit. “Now that I got my foot in the door it’s time to take opportunities like the Marielitos did.”

Spoken like a perfect example of an ambassador.

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Pitbull - El Mariel