So Pitbull. I know extremely little about this artist, so thank you Spotify for the synopsis on his profile. All I'm coming into this knowing is that I've heard the name on the radio a couple of times, and have been kind of confused as to why someone would go by that. The bio gives a little more info, thank goodness, and pictures! Oh! This is the guy that came out with Enrique for the halftime show at the Dallas Cowboys game on Thanksgiving! I was actually wondering who that was.
Ok. Miami based, Cuban background. Inspirations from Poison Clan, Luther Campbell, and Nas (anyone read yesterday's blog?). He got onto Miami mixtapes, as a lot rappers do today to get heard. Then the "King of Crunk" (it's okay, I laughed a little too - excellent title) Lil Jon got him freestyling in 2002 on "Oye" for the 2 Fast 2 Furious soundtrack. Pitbull dropped his debut album M.I.A.M.I. in 2004. From there, he became a staple guest performer on numerous tracks, and this album brings in a who slew of artists to appear on his own compilation. I like a performer who can collaborate, so I'm game to see where this one goes. I figured I'd go full-in and listen to the Deluxe Version since it's there.
Let's see what he's got in the track-by-track:
"Mr. Worldwide (Intro)" feat. Vein got us an idea of who Pitbull is, and as this is his own personal album, I get why it's here. I am introduced, so let's move on.
"Give Me Everything" feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack, & Nayer isn't winning me over quite yet either. It's cool to see that many people come together for one track, but I'm growing bored of the same sound over and over already.
I was excited for "Rain Over Me" feat. Marc Anthony, but let down a little by the use of him on the track. When I'm even annoyed with the artist I do know, it's setting me up for a less than enjoyable experience. I'll hold out hope though. There's a video for this though, complete with title cards like a movie:
Wait, Salt N' Pepper are on this album? Sorry, my bad - "Push It" is sampled in this one: "Hey Baby (Drop It To The Floor)" feat. T-Pain. Have I mentioned yet that I'm not a fan of auto-tune... like... ever? Even for its original purposes? And especially not for what it's used in excess today. I'm trying to come at this album as things to hear in a club, but I wouldn't even enjoy this one there. At least give me something less than juvenile to hear than "you make me wanna say 'Hey Baby'"
"Pause" has what I can only term as "crunk and wind" - that weird sound that plays in so many of these songs. I don't know how to describe is as. Trying to see the good in these tracks - but it's difficult. I like that there are a lot of different beats in this though, but the lyrics are just.. bah. Meh. Yup, I've got nothing, sorry.
Ooh. This one kicks off with an operatic feel. This is different and quite franking, I'm impressed. This one was innovative, and so far is probably my favorite track on the album. "Come N Go" feat. Enrique Inglesias is not awful. Really, none of the album is awful, it's just hard for someone like me who's not into club music at all to find enjoyment in casual listening of these albums. These are much more of an experiential nature.
"Shake Senora" feat. T. Pain & Sean Paul.. oh my god, is this a cover of the song from the end of Beetlejuice?? AH! I LOVE THAT SONG! Okay, I like this one. The rapping gets in the way of my enjoyment a little bit, but I like the approach and update to it. Fun fun fun. I'm going to go dance with the ghosts on the staircase now, k?
Aw man... I barely understand the far too whimsy sound of the next track. "International Love" feat. Chris Brown totally took me out of my samba groove. Enunciate people. God I'm a theatre snob sometimes. But there's a sweet video with lots of graphics and cool post effects! (You decide on just how much sarcasm is in that statement...) Also, Pitbull, if you don't know how to pronounce the names of half the places you've been, you did not really try, and are certainly not an international gentleman in my book.
Merrr... Auto-Tune. "Took My Love" feat. Red Foo, Vein, & David Rush starts off very difficult to listen to. It doesn't get better. Nope - club track all the way. I need to move on.
"Where Do We Go" feat. Jamie Foxx is something I'm excited for because I like Jamie Foxx and have since his TV show. Deep breath and... okay, it's not awful. It's not something I'm enjoying completely, mostly because of that damn wind sound, but I like it enough to sit through it. Jamie brings an awesome vocal track to it.
"Something For the DJs" is one of the few songs that no one else is credited on, but the samples are insane. It most definitely strikes me as a mashup of a bunch of dance songs - Pitbull took care of it so the DJ can look cool.
"Mr. Right Now" feat. Akon & DJ Frank E just did not excite me, and I don't like the concept. Plus I saw the title of the next track.
"Shake Senora Remix" feat. T-Pain, Sean Paul, & Ludacris comes next. But they put that damn wind sound in AGAIN, so I'm not enjoying it quite as much. Plus, you really have to wait for too long for the awesome chorus to come in and enjoy, so yeah... I'll take the first one over this. Plus, where's the "Okay! I believe you!"??
"Oye Baby" feat. Nicola Fasano... I think this is a throwback? I'm not totally sure. Anywhos, it's cute, but I don't mean that in the best way possible. It's another club number. It's also a lot of self-gratification before turning it on the girl. It would work in a club, but not while I'm hanging out in my room.
"My Kinda Girl" feat. Nelly closes out the album, and it has such a sweet sound to it for the first like 30 seconds. I like that it stays relatively light, and I really like Nelly. Lyrically, there's something lacking, but this could totally set the mood at the end of the night as the bar is closing. It works where it is on the album, and it's different than anything else on here.
Stuff I (actually) Wouldn't Mind Hearing Again - at home:
- "Shake Senora" feat. T-Pain & Sean Paul - http://open.spotify.com/track/1LomM3L6atrf79ZL7nHDp4
- "Castles Made Of Sand" feat. Kelly Rowland & Jamie Drastik - http://open.spotify.com/track/0LHpEIKaXBtXrqSUEdfWKm
2/16 is actually better than I would have predicted for myself here. And there are even a few I'd be okay with in a club. I just can't get into it guys, sorry.
Look, the good news is that I made it through the whole thing without getting a headache.
Seriously though, this wasn't awful. I see why these artists have to put out an entire album - it gives them more to release to the clubs and get more play. These kind of dance artists will normally release a lot more singles to clubs than a rock band will to the radio, and that's okay because that's how that part of the industry works! I respect the approach, and I like that people work together so much in this genre. It's really sometimes pretty cool.
Thoughts? I swear - those two songs are on a playlist now, and "Castles Made Of Sand" actually just came up on it when I threw it on random. Would you do the same with any of these? The whole album? Share your opinions below!