By the early 2000s, Pitbull was already feeling his way around the music business and was featured on three tracks off Uncle Luke’s 2001 album, Somethin’ Nasty, and again on the Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz’ album Kings of Crunk, a year later. By 2003, Pitbull’s song “Oye” was featured on the 2 Fast 2 Furious soundtrack before he released his debut M.I.A.M.I., produced by Lil Jon, in 2004.
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Born Armando Christian Pérez on January 15, 1981, in Miami, Florida, Pitbull crossed Latin, hip-hop, and reggaeton, and had his mainstream breakthrough in 2009 with the hit “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho),” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
[RELATED: The Top 10 Pitbull Songs]
After Pitbull Starring in Rebelution, which also peaked at No. 8, Pitbull also started transitioning more into pop with collaborations with Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, Kesha, and Enrique Iglesias, among others.
By the 2010s, Pitbull was also writing songs for other artists.
Here are five he wrote for Lopez, Shakira, Usher, and many more.
1. “DJ Got Us Falling in Love,” Usher (2010)
Written by Pitbull, Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Shellback
The first single from Usher’s EP, Versus EP, the electronic dance-slanted “DJ Got Us Falling in Love” was also featured on his sixth studio album, Raymond v. Raymond. Co-written by Pitbull, “DJ Got Us Falling in Love” peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Hear no evil, or speak no evil, or see no evil
Get it baby? Hope you catch that like T-O
That’s how we roll, my life is a movie, and you just TIVO
Mami got me twisted like a dreadlock
She don’t wrestle, but I got her in a headlock
Yabba-dabba-doo, make her bedrock, mami on fire, psh, red hot
Bada bing, bada boom, Mr. Worldwide as I step in the room
I’m a hustler baby, but that you knew
And tonight it’s just me and you
2. “Armada Latina,” Cypress Hill (2010)
Written by Pitbull, B-Real, Sen Dog, Marc Anthony, Jim Jonsin
Featuring Marc Anthony and Pitbull, who also co-wrote the song with Cypress Hill’s B-Real and Sen Dog, and producer Jim Jonsin, “Armada Latina” is the closing track off the rap group’s eighth album, Rise Up. “Armada Latina” also samples a portion of the 1969 Crosby, Stills, & Nash song “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.”
Came out the gutter man
Southern land
Didn’t have an upper hand
Never had another plan
I’m different to the mother land
Some will get a summer tan
It’s hotter than a summer jam
Live for today
Cause you’ll never gettin’ another chance
I ain’t trippin’ off the he say and she say
3. “Rabiosa,” Shakira (2010)
Written by Pitbull, Shakira, Ñejo, El Cata
For Shakira‘s ninth album, Sale el Sol (The Sun Comes Out), Pitbull co-wrote two tracks —”Loca” (“Crazy”) and “Rabioso” (“Raging”). Like “Loca,” the merengue-driven “Rabiosa” was released as a Spanish and English version and peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.
You’ve got a lot of that sex appeal
Don’t play around because I’m for real
You see that road isn’t meant for me
You know I want you amarrao’ aquí
Oye papi
If you like it mocha
Come get a little closer
And bite me en la boca
4. “On The Floor,” Jennifer Lopez (2011)
Written by Pitbull, RedOne, Kinda Hamid, AJ Junior, Teddy Sky, Bilal “The Chef,” Gonzalo Hermosa, Ulises Hermosa
Jennifer Lopez hit No. 1 on most international charts with her 2011 hit “On The Floor,” while peaking at No. 3 in the U.S. on the Hot 100. The lead single off Lopez’s seventh album, Love? the techno and house-beating track also features one of its co-writers, Pitbull.
Over the years, Lopez and Pitbull had a number of collaborations together. In 2009, Lopez co-wrote her promotional single, “Fresh Out the Oven” with Pitbull, Pharrell Williams, and Amanda Ghost.
I’m loose
And everybody knows I get off the chain
Baby it’s the truth, it’s the truth
I’m like Inception
I play with your brain
So don’t sleep or snooze
I don’t play no games so don’t, don’t, don’t
Don’t get it confused no
‘Cause you will lose yeah
Now, no pu-pu-pu-pu-pump it up
And back it up like a Tonka truck
5. “Dance Again,” Jennifer Lopez (2012)
Written by Pitbull, Enrique Iglesias, RedOne, Bilal Hajji, AJ Junior
Pitbull also co-wrote Lopez’s 2012 single “Dance Again” and would go on to write the track “Booty,” off her tenth album, A.K.A., along with her 2013 stand-alone single “Live It Up.”
Nobody knows what I’m feeling inside
I find it so stupid
So why should I hide
That I love to make love to you, baby
So many ways, wanna touch you tonight
I’m a big girl, got no secrets this time
Yeah, I love to make love to you, baby
Photo: Steve Jennings/Getty Images
