Pitbull: “Spanish is the second most influential language”

Fully bilingual rapper, songwriter, and record producer Armando Pérez, better know as Pitbull, was born in Miami to Cuban parents. He began rapping at a very young age, and his first recorded performance was from the Lil Jon album Kings of Crunk in 2002. Two years later he released his debut album M.I.A.M.I. and in 2010 Armando was Pitbull’s first Spanish language studio album. Now days, Pitbull has become a global superstar as both, a recording and performing artist, with world tour sold out concerts in Latin America, Canada and Europe, and he is also a successful business entrepreneur. In the animated movie Epic, with Beyoncé Knowles and Colin Farrell, Pitbull gives his voice to Bufo, described by the artist as “a froggy that's in the forest with a suit on, and a chain, it looks like a Cuban from the by-gone times.” America Reads Spanish talked to Pitbull about his career, his music, his fans and the importance of Spanish in the USA.

Pitbull: Hi, I'm here. (He says just after sitting down.)

Q: Shall we do it in Spanish?

A: Or in French if you want.

Q: I don't know...

A: Me neither (he laughs). We're going to invent a new language.

Q: You're a respected rapper, from the streets of Miami to singing with J-Lo to Hollywood, the Latin Jay-Z.

A: I'm respected and I respect. I never look at a person and think they are of less worth than me. I respect everybody who's out there working hard, looking for an opportunity; some are looking for freedom, others are looking for an opportunity to give their families a better future. What happens is that sometimes that people who get famous or make money forget where they come from. Not me. I have a lot of respect for the people who are out there, my real public are those who give their everything for their own. If it's a person who cleans bathrooms, if it's a person who cooks, if it's a person who mows lawns: those are my real public. When they see me and they love me and they give me a hug, I say, "Wow, we understand each other because I come from the same place."

Q: Your music reaches everyone. From that public that you talk about to upper-class adolescents obsessed with dubbing or even Cubans who appreciate melodies...nobody is untouched by Armando Pitbull.

A: It reaches everyone, but for me those who spend money on one of my songs and I know how hard it is for them to get the money, those are the ones that fight for me.. Music touches everyone, sure. If you can just change one life, you can die happy. Music is the language of the universe and everyone speaks it, everyone understands it in one way or another.

Q: Your future is in films.

A: Yes. Films are the future. Music is always going to fuel the flame, the fire. But we are coming in with an idea to become business partners in films. Not just an actor where you're going to use my face, or my image. We're involved in the business end with you guys. That's the idea and we're doing it. I'm going to produce, invest, whatever. Partners.

Q: The world moves to your rhythm. What Latin or Spanish artist has influenced you the most?

A: Celia Cruz. Azúcar! The Queen, may she rest in peace. And the reason is that smile and that heart that Celia Cruz had. That she has, rather, because she still lives. It was something that always motivated me, that inspired me. When I used to see her on stage, I said to myself, "That woman is there, not because she wants to sing, no, no, no, it's because she loves people and she wants to give that energy to everyone who's listening. It doesn't matter what happens in life, onward. As they say, life is a carnival.

Q: When someone says CUBA, what happens to your heart?

A: It sighs deeply. Cuba... the world's biggest jail. What touches me, what my heart says, Freedom. God willing in the future, and it's going to happen, for sure, and we're going to be able to live the dream for all the families and generations that couldn't have fun in their own land. God willing.

Q: Why the jump into films now?

A: I thought about it and didn't hesitate. I did it to have fun, something new. A project that can become a franchise, and I said, "Okay, let's try it." I didn't know that people like Beyoncé or Steven would be involved in the movie. I really chose this project only because of the story. I said to myself, "Okay, we're going to be a froggy, a little toad, we're going to have fun."

Q: How do you see this froggy?

A: We have many things in common, but for me the funniest thing is that it's a froggy that's in the forest with a suit on, and a chain, it looks like a Cuban from the by-gone times who was involved in interesting things and how it talks and how they (the animators) used my hands and my gestures. It was really phenomenal. I told them to use some words in Spanish for the character, just to, you know, give it some of our culture. When they finished the movie, these gringos, who don't know much about our culture, oh, my god, started to become aware of the weight my name carries and they just kept saying, "Why don't we hear you? We have to do something in Spanish." I could have included some words from my repertory like "Dale, tú sabes (Go on, you know)" and "Qué rico, toma (This is great, go for it)". And now they want it. They're already talking about Part II and there they want me to speak a bit of Spanish. It just so happens.

Q: How important is Spanish in the United States?

A: Hispanic culture here is very passionate. A very proud culture. And a culture that really lives by its own values. That's the reason why I think it's such a powerful culture and also the second most influential language after English. It's English, Spanish and the Chinese. Speaking Mandarin. Now our culture has the opportunity to not only be involved in films, but also to make music and show who we are. They think we're different, and it's true, a little, but we can do the same things, only better.

Q: Pitbull in a kid's movie is a little strange, right?

A: I'm very excited and proud. When I saw the animated character with my voice, it surprised me and at that same time made me feel like a little kid again.

Q: Beyonce, Steven Tyler, and you do the voices in Epic. Did you singers come together to put the actors out of work?

A: Yes. For me it's a honor to be in a movie with Steven Tyler, with Beyoncé. I think the voice of a Beyoncé, Steven Tyler or me is more powerful because people listen to us more and also you know that a person, when they listen to music, they live for that music, for each word. In the movies, the public knows that an actor is acting out a character. The musical artist is different because live for his or her music.

Q: You're a passionate Latin.

A: I like everything. I like food, music, dancing, women. If you really look at our culture in all those categories... very cool. Everything. Food, music, dance, women... I mean, really! (He claps.)

Q: You ooze passion.

A: I'm passionate about life. Life inspires me. What I try to do with microphone is inject my life into my public. Now is when they're starting to realize that my life is what I'm rapping and singing about, because, before, maybe, they were hearing me but they weren't really listening to me. Now they're listening to me, connecting with me and they're looking at me and saying, "Hey, wait a minute, what this guy is rapping about is what is really happening." And there is where you really start creating not only a culture but a generation and that's where the power is.

Q: You're going to go to Spain.

A: I am going and I have been to Spain. I'm going on tour this summer. Last time I was there, I don't know how the economy is now, but when I was there it was down in the dumps.

Q: It's further in the dumps now.

A: When I went there, the energy that Spain had everywhere, it didn't matter if it was Valencia, Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga (he roars with laughter because it was there they taught him how to say with the accent); seeing that passion and that energy motivates you. And when I was over there I told them: "Look, everything in life has its ups and its down, but it's always about learning and appreciating, and when people don't have much, it's when they really observe their own circle and their family, and you appreciate the things that really have value." So, for Spain: keep going forward, keep looking up, don't ever look back, not even to gather momentum.

Q: You seem to be a spiritual advisor. How did you get that attitude?

A: As my grandmother used to say, "Everything in its own time." And in this career everyone need his own space. These are the people for business, these are people in my crew, these are the people that I love, I trust in them. These are the people that I know tomorrow, God forbid, if I don't have the strength to be a negotiator, or the artist, man or father that I am, will motivate me, will inspire me. You have to know how to maintain that circle. But always, always, cutting out the negative, cutting put the people who are out to get something out of you, and it's not easy, it's not easy. With a career like that, people are always looking for a way in, as the English saying goes, "Misery loves company." Misery loves company. And I'm not here for that company.

(c) America Reads Spanish

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