MIAMI, FL. (TVT Records) - After spending more than 22 weeks on Billboard's Top Independent Albums Chart, best-selling Cuban-American rapper
Pitbull has now sold more than 400,000 copies of his debut album M.I.A.M.I.: Money Is A Major Issue, in the United States. To date, the album has shipped 475,000 units and is closing in on gold status.
With his first two singles Culo and Dammit Man having landed heavy mainstream radio and MTV play,
Pitbull is now promoting his third radio single, Toma, which features Lil Jon as guest vocalist. The collaboration marks a return to the airwaves for the pair, who scored big this past summer with the breakthrough hit Culo. The new single Toma was already prominently featured in a recent episode of the NBC show Las Vegas. A videoshoot for Toma is planned for Feb. 10th in Miami, and is open to select media to attend.
The Miami-based rapper also continues to make noise on the charts with his inclusion on the track What U Gonna Do on the new Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz album Crunk Juice (which recently debuted at No 3 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart) as well as his collaboration with Daddy Yankee and Noreaga on the popular remix of Daddy Yankee's hit Gasolina, which is also included on the limited edition version of Crunk Juice.
Pitbull also has just completed a photo shoot alongside P. Diddy, Lil Wayne, TI, and Lloyd for an upcoming Sean John's Spring 2005 print campaign. In further collaboration news, Pitbull guests on acclaimed Cuban rappers Orishas forthcoming album Kilo, due out on March 15th. Pitbull also recently recorded a Spanish version of his hit song Dammit Man with Latin rappers Voltio and Chingo Bling, with the tune re-christened as Dale Mang.
Unlike many other Latino rappers, Pitbull has managed to achieve success in the mainstream hip-hop world with bilingual lyrics and potent beats laced with reggaeton. He is equally comfortable sharing the stage at the VIBE Awards with Lil Jon as he is collaborating with Paulina Rubio in an attention-grabbing performance at the recent MTV Latin America Awards. Evidencing Pitbull's growing acceptance among mainstream hip-hop fans, his clip for Culo was recently nominated for MTV's Best Booty Shakin' Video of 2004. Pitbull also participated in MTV's recent $2 Bill Tour alongside Lil Jon, Ying Yang Twins, and Mase.
Sharp and outspoken, Pitbull recently contributed an essay to the NY Post in which he condemned the iconization of Che Guevara. He has spoken on National Public Radio about Cuban-American relations, and is the subject of an upcoming feature in The Source regarding his stance on Fidel Castro.
Pitbull released his debut album M.I.A.M.I.: Money Is A Major Issue, on New York-based independent label TVT Records this past August. The album, which hit No 14 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, was produced by The Diaz Brothers and by super producer/artist Lil Jon. It features heavyweight guests such as Lil Jon, Trick Daddy, Fat Joe, and others. The 24 year-old Cuban-American rapper?s infectious sound combines hip-hop, crunk, reggae, reggeton, and dancehall, with English and Spanish lyrics. In what seems like a short while, Pitbull has quickly become one of the most buzzworthy hip-hop acts in the country and an MTV favorite.
In 2005, Pitbull is set to remain in the spotlight with upcoming performances on NBC Weekend Vibe, BET Madd Sports, Telemundo, Pepsi Musica, and SiTV. Pitbull can also be found playing himself in the upcoming videogame Scarface,featuring Tony Montana. His song Culo also appears in the videogame Midnight Club 3 Dub.
Pitbull's album M.I.A.M.I. is now also starting to make its mark outside the U.S., with the disc recently released in the UK, Spain, France, Germany, and Australia. Pitbull has just completed a highly-successful European tour introducing M.I.A.M.I. to the European masses for the first time. Stay tuned for more news!
FPowerhouse independent label, TVT Records, CRUNK JUICE is home to the Kings of Crunk, Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz whose recent album, CRUNK JUICE has been certified double platinum. Also calling TVT home is Hip-Hop dynamic duo Ying Yang Twins, hip-hop soul songstress Teedra Moses and Cuban-American rhyme-spitter Pitbull. Expected to hit stores later this year are R&B Crunk artist Oobie and Lil' Jon-protégé Chyna Whyte, a female rapper with vicious rhymes and incredible lyrical dexterity.
