MIAMI, FL. (TVT Records) - Cuban-American MC Has the Biggest-Selling Bilingual Hip-Hop Debut In More Than a Decade; Not Since Cypress Hill?s Debut Has a Spanish-Fluent Rap Artist Achieved Such Level Bolstered By the Hit Singles Culo, Toma and Dammit Man, Pitbull's Album M.I.A.M.I. (TVT Records) Has Spent More Than 27 Weeks on the Billboard Top Independent Albums Chart
On His New Single Toma, Pitbull Is Joined by Lil Jon For Hard-Hitting Bilingual Collaboration That Is Lighting Up The Dancefloors; Recently-Completed Video Will Begin Airing Later This Month; Song Is Also Picked Up For Use on CSI: Miami
After spending more than 27 weeks on Billboard?s Top Independent Albums Chart, best-selling Cuban-American rapper Pitbull has now reached gold status for more than 500,000 copies shipped of his debut album ?M.I.A.M.I.: Money Is A Major Issue in the United States. The feat gives Pitbull the biggest-selling bilingual hip-hop debut since Cypress Hill?s 1991 self-titled debut, and puts him in the rare category of Latino rappers who have achieved major success at English-language radio.
With his first two singles ?Culo and ?Dammit Man having already 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 recently-completed video for ?Toma will be serviced to all major music networks shortly.
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 ŒGasolina?, 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 March 29th).
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. Other recent Pitbull collaborations include performances on Baby Bash's new album Trees (Universal) and Adassa's album entitled "Kumasutra" (Universal Music Latino - March 22nd).
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.
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 has been featured in The Source regarding his stance on Fidel Castro. An avid basketball fan, Pitbull also will begin his new role as a columnist for the NBA?s new bilingual site shortly.
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 #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.
Pitbull can also be found playing himself in the upcoming videogame ?Scarface, featuring Tony Montana. His song ?Culo also appears in the videogame ŒMidnight 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, bringing his bilingual hip-hop to the European masses for the first time.
For powerhouse independent label, TVT Records, is home for 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?s 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.
