1	BOOKS “Colored Men” and “Hombres Aquí,” a new study of U.S. Supreme Court case Hernandez vs. Texas, aims to restore the case’s rightful place in American history. read more...
2	FILM & TV A Q&A with television producer Gayla Jamison, creator of the documentary Lives For Sale, which airs its true and tough tales of border crossings this month. read more...
3	MUSIC Hardcore rapper Pitbull shows his sensitive side while exploring his Cuban-American roots in El Mariel, his sophomore release. read more...
4	CALENDAR Our monthly list of premier events throughout the U.S. read more...

THE LATIN FORUM

MUSIC

Dog days

Miami rapper Pitbull breaks
stereotypes with his
sophomore album El Mariel.

As his chosen stage name would suggest, rapper
Armando Pérez, a.k.a. Pitbull, is no softy. “I picked the name because they fight to the death,” he says pointedly of the tough-as-nails breed of dog. “And, because pit bulls are illegal in Miami, I’m the only one here.”
But the 25-year old’s macho persona quickly melts when the topic of conversation turns to his grandmother, Alicia Alfonso, a veteran of Fidel Castro’s guerrilla campaign in La Sierra Maestra. “It’s crazy having photos of your abuela with machine guns, next to Castro and Che, and she’s the same one making you café con leche in the morning,” he says. “I’ve learned a lot from her,” he says sincerely, but urgently adds, “make sure to mention that although she was up there with Che and Fidel, she soon figured out that wasn’t the route to go. She would kill me if people thought she was still a Castro supporter!”
With the release El Mariel, Pitbull continues his aggressive campaign to enrich the language of rap and expand the cultural horizons of the hip-hop movement, constantly looking for ways to forge collaborations among Latino and non-Latino rappers. And, despite the success of his gold-selling debut album M.I.A.M.I. (Money Is A Major Issue), Pit continues to struggle with gaining the understanding and appreciation of the music industry. “Basically, a lot of people didn’t believe in me,” he recalls of his initial attempts to break into the rap scene. “They were definitely confused, and I’m still confusing them because of the music I put together and the different vibe I’ve got.”
On El Mariel, Pit has chosen as a bold metaphor the 1980 boatlift of Cuban refugees to Florida as a way of raising consciousness of Cuba, its culture and contemporary issues among his fans. “The boatlift itself was a quest for freedom. Some of the Marielitos were criminals, that’s true,” he concedes. “But you also have those who became politicians, lawyers, judges and doctors. And now that I have my foot in the door, it’s time to take opportunities just like they did.”
The rapper sees the new album as his personal boatlift, as he tries to break loose of stereotypes he says have been generated about him. “The album is entertaining, but the title is also educational. I’m educating people at the same time on our culture and history —things Cubans have been involved in.” And the title has a strong personal connection. A year before he was born, his father, who passed away last year, returned to Cuba to help many of his compadres make the Exodus to the U.S.
El Mariel embraces a wide range of influences—some springing from music traditions far removed from the hip-hop mainstream. Come See Me, for instance, contains a sample from the well-known salsa hit La Murga de Panama, by Willie Colón and Hector Lavoe. “You just grow up with all of that right there, at home,” Pit confides. “Willie Colon, Willie Chirino, Celia Cruz, El Gran Combo, the Fania All-Stars. My parents used to listen to that music. It’ part of my life.” Voodoo is peppered with bouncy merengue rhythmic licks. “I want to represent to everyone across the board, and the Dominican Republic is such a beautiful country with great music,” he adds. “Whether you play that in Washington Heights or Santo Domingo, people loose their minds.”
Dime and Raindrops reflect the softer influence R&B balladry, while Pit fires all cylinders on Blood Is Thicker Than Water, a verbal tirade delivered rap style on the Iraq war and other social and political issues of the day. The session is loaded with guest talent, including Wyclef Jean, Lil Jon, Fat Joe, Ken-Y and other stars of the contemporary hip-hop scene.
With El Mariel on the street and quickly attracting attention, Pit is focusing his talents on another project, his first all Spanish album, to be released in May. “There’s going to be a lot of Afro-Cuban percussion and guests galore,” he explains, adding that among other invited artists, the album will feature the Diaz Brothers, Orishas, and Echo from Puerto Rico.
Recent disparaging comments by Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO), a leader of the anti-immigrant faction in congress, that Miami reminds him of a Third World Country, caught the attention of many Floridians, Pit included. “The biggest disease that the world suffers from isn’t AIDS or cancer, it’s ignorance,” he responded. “It’s really scary when someone who is supposedly well educated makes comments like that. It’s kind of sad. As far as immigration, it’s what this country stands for—it’s been built by immigrants. And that’s the beauty of the Latin culture­—it reflects all shades of society. There are black Cubans and white Cubans, black Dominicans and white Dominicans, and every color in between. That’s what shows the great versatility of the people, the culture and the music.”