Pitbull of Miami 2nd interview | el Mariel on LatinRapper.com

From the Kennel to the Streets: Pitbull Brings Miami Heat

9/27/06 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

Click Here to watch the brand new video for "Ay Chico" by Pitbull

Its been two years since we last spoke with Pitbull, shortly after the release of his debut album. Unlike some rappers who rest on their laurels, that "Lil Chico" from the M.I.A. stayed on the grind with mixtapes and guest appearances.

The Cubano struck gold with his TVT debut, and this time around may outdo his past success with his new album "El Mariel", which drops October 31st, fueled by the singles "Bojangles", Dime" and "Ay Chico (Lengua Afuera)".

Pitbull took time out of a busy schedule to speak with Latin Rapper about the new CD, his 2007 all-Spanish CD entitled "Armando", Bad Boy Latino, possible television shows and more in this exclusive interview. (click here for the last interview)

LatinRapper.com: El Mariel has been pushed a good bit, any particular reason for that?

Um hmm, the reason that it was pushed back was really more on me, than anyone else, I just aint have the music ready for the deadline. So that's what it was, but October 31st for sure, it will be coming out.

Who produced the beats for the album?

Lil Jon, Mr. Collipark, Jim Johnson, a gang of folks on there. Diaz Brothers, I can't even think of the rest.

How different is El Mariel from your last album?

I got more time to work on it. But also the last album had records for the street, records for the club, records for the women. Also have deep records, speaking about some things that's going on in my life as we speak. I think every album that I put out is sorta like a roller coaster, a variety of different music on it. Its not just one thing, like a melodic album. Its gonna take you up, bring you down, take you up, bring you down, that kinda record.

You mentioned recently that this album will put you in a whole new light as an artist, is that from the variety?

That's what I think. I think its gonna open a lot of people's eyes to Pitbull. Not only as the lyricist, but the variety of music I get involved with. I got a record on there called "Hey You Girl", that's just straight left field, Gnarls Barkley, Outkast, you know, that type of s**t. Then you got a record on there like "Raindrops", a deep record speaking about certain situations in my life. We got two singles out there now. We got "Dime" with Ken-Y, produced by Lil Jon. Then I got "Ay Chico" produced by Mr Collipark. One's like a Spanish ballad, the other's an uptempo club record, what I'm known for.

Bojangles is the first single right?

Yeah, we shot a video to the remix with Lil Jon and the Ying Yang twins. That's out there right now as we speak. But that record been out almost like a year now, I was working that record on my own without the label

What was the inspiration behind the song?

It was just the beat, man. When I first heard the beat, I was like, 'man I gotta make sure I'm real catchy for the clubs.' This beat is crazy, you know like (imitates song's drum beat). That's how I came up with the whole "jigga jigga, call that girl Bojangles", cause that's what Kaine did on Salt Shaker. I was like, man, fits it perfect.

You mentioned Ken-Y, who else is appearing on the album?

Ken-Y's gonna be on there from Ken-Y and Rakim. Fat Joe, Sinful, Trick, Rick Ross, Bun-B, Wyclef, Ying Yang, Lil Jon of course. Some up and coming cats, Cubo, Bang, Red Eyes, a girl singing on there called Anjuli Stars.

Is Cubo an understudy of yours?

Nah, he's doing his own thing. Good friend of mine for years, he's coming out, you'll probably hear more from him within the next year, year and a half.

I know you did the track "Ya Se Acabo" after Castro got ill, is that going to be on the album?

Yeah, that will be on the album, right there.

Do you think that if Fidel passes, we're going to see a big change on the island?

It depends on how the United States of America wants to get involved. To me, I think he already passed, and they're just lining all the ducks up right, so therefore there's no way to pierce their armor as far as their ideas. The way they feel about things, how they run their government. It could change a whole lot, it could stay the same, at least its a sense of hope.

The label Bad Boy Latino made a lot of news when it was announced that you were involved, but we haven't heard anything lately. What's the present situation?

Present story with that, basically what I do for them is like nonexclusive consultant. If I want to bring them an artist, or whatever. But they're launching their first artist now, Emilio and Diddy, named Christian Daniel. You'll be hearing about the kid, he's got great music. As far as everything that went on there, I got an opportunity to work with two men that I idolize, honor and respect as far as business. There were just certain ideas where we didn't see eye to eye. I just said, other than us bumping heads, why not just do it like this. That's the situation I got myself into with Bad Boy Latino.

So you're sort of an A&R?

Not an A&R... Yeah, I guess you can call it that.

If you had never started rapping, what would you be doing right now?

Ah s**t, man, God knows. I know I'd be doing something I shouldn't be doing (laughs)

Next year you'll release Armando, an all-Spanish album that you said will have an Afro-Cuban feel, can you expand on that?

Basically anybody that's heard Afro-Cuban music, its music that makes you shake, makes you dance, its got culture to it. Instead of coming out with records like reggaeton and everything that everyone's doing, I want to shed some light on my culture, and keep people dancing and moving at the same time, instill a message in the music.

What artists or producers are involved with Armando?

On the Spanish album, Lil Jon, Collipark, Jim Johnson, Diaz Brothers, Echo from Puerto Rico. Right now, right now off the top of my head, that's all I can think of. You know more and more Hip Hop, Afro Cuban but still records that are gonna make you - if not dance - think (laughs).

Echo, is that the same guy that produced "Si No Hay Pa' Mi" for Don Dinero?

Yeah, he did that one, and he did also the one Tego and Don Omar did together, Bandoleros.

You were supposed to be involved with the Scarface video game, is that wrapped up?

I'm involved with that, they got me in there as a character.

You supposedly play yourself?

Yeah. They got me in like a strip club, I'm the guy you come see. I'm not even sure, I'm one of the henchman.

Someone posted a clip of a new TV show you did on the LatinRapper.com forums.

Yeah, something we're shopping to different stations. Nothing final on that right there, its sort of like a pilot. I'm shooting a bunch of pilots right now, different things. Just hustling, like shopping a record, shopping TV shows now. They'll see more of that, its called "La Esquina."

Anything you'd like to say to the fans?

As far as the fans, I say it all the time, without them there's no Pitbull. I appreciate them always supporting me and the movement. On the Mariel album, they can also find a DVD attached to it, a bonus record, its gonna sort of show them the life of Pitbull. Me on the road, performing. And then click Mariel to give them an idea of what it was.

Pitbull on the web: http://www.pitbullmusic.com

Pitbull on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/pitbull