How Pitbull became the nicest man in music: Mr Worldwide’s journey from humble beginnings to leading philanthropist as his dedicated and bald cap wearing fans take over the concert scene

If you find yourself anywhere near Hyde Park on July 10th this summer it’s highly likely you will spot thousands of exciteable Pitbull fans in bald caps.

The Miami-born music star, who turns 45 today, is headlining a British Summer Time concert there after a series of successful 2025 shows. 

Last year saw his Party After Dark Tour take over Europe with tickets virtually impossible to get as dedicated fans scrambled to see his shows.

If you were lucky enough to win the Ticketmaster war, you were in for a treat with his highly-energetic set playing back to back bangers as the friendly crowds enjoyed a night of pure, uninhibited fun. 

I was one of those who got to see him last February at London’s O2 Arena and two main things surprised me from the night.

First was just how many concertgoers had dressed up as him as the tradition to wear bald caps, glasses and black suits for his shows really began to really take off.

Second was the moment when about an hour into the 90 minute show he paused his singing and dancing to give somewhat of a presentation to the crowd about his admirable charity work. 

Pitbull, real name Armando Christian Pérez, used his captive audience to raise awareness for the education project he set up in 2013 for disadvantaged school children living in Miami’s poorest neighbourhoods.

The initiative called Sports Leadership And Management (SLAM), is a public charter school for grades 6-12 and was founded in hopes of giving disadvantaged youth access to college-prep education.

The tuition-free school first opened in Miami’s Little Havana, the neighbourhood where he grew up.

SLAM! now operates nationwide, including in Miami, Las Vegas and Atlanta, with a 96 percent graduation rate. 

Pitbull spoke about the project at his London show last February sharing his pride at the impact it has had after having a tough time in early education himself. 

Having been to many concerts over the years I had never seen such a prominent segment of a show dedicated to raising awareness for good causes.

Pitbull – whose biggest hits include Don’t Stop the Party, Fireball, Timber and Gasolina – has previously spoken passionately about the project and of his joy at working with young people.

He told Fuse: ‘I can look in their eyes and tell them their own story. Been there, done that. I understand the struggle, family sacrifices, things they may be going through.

‘This is how we change things. When you grab a young mind, teach it how to focus, mold it, teach it to believe in itself, motivate it, inspire it, and work hard…

‘There’s no words to describe how it feels to be involved with something so special like that.’ 

No doubt his own tough upbringing was his inspiration behind the project. He was born in Miami in 1981 to Cuban immigrant parents.

His father was largely absent and he was raised by his mother. His parents both struggled with substance abuse and as a teenager he also got involved with drugs, experienced poverty and spent periods of time in foster care.

He attended South Miami Senior High School and Miami Coral Park High School where his musical talent was noticed by one of his teachers.

In 2020 he told The Boca Raton Observer: ‘I’m someone who went to about 25 different schools in good neighborhoods, bad ones and the worst ones, and I understand the struggles of these students.

‘My mother always told me, ‘No one is dumb or stupid. You just have to figure out how you learn.’ 

‘Some students are better readers, some are better at math, while others excel at hands-on learning.’ 

In addition to creating SLAM, in 2015 Pitbull was inducted into the Ambassador David M. Walters International Pediatric Hall of Fame for his involvement in the Miami Children’s Health Foundation.

He also notably flew cancer patients from Puerto Rico to the mainland after Hurricane Maria to continue receiving treatment and anonymously donated to help several families rebuild after wildfires devastated California.

In 2020 Ivanka Trump paid a surprise visit to one of the Miami charter school’s run by Pitbull – despite the performer’s history of publicly criticizing the president, previously calling him ‘a joke’.

Meeting with several groups of students, Ivanka was accompanied on her trip by former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

She later posted about the ‘great’ visit on Twitter, where she said she ‘met so many incredible students. Each of them are exceptional.

‘SLAM (and @pitbull) are giving them the opportunity to pursue their dreams and change the world!’

The worldwide rapper has, in years gone by, however, been publicly critical of Trump.

In July 2016, Pitbull told reporters he would not be voting for Trump and characterized his campaign as a ‘joke’.

‘I think the [Trump] campaign is a joke to be honest with you. I think that it’s unfortunate the way we’re being viewed around the world due to some people’s approaches,’ the Cuban-American rapper said.

Pitbull’s comments on Trump came after a report in Vanity Fair magazine that the Miami-born rapper had met with the then Republican nominee in Florida.

‘Am I supporting Donald Trump? No I am not supporting Donald Trump. You all know this already very well,’ said Pitbull.

Just months later, in that October, during an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher, Pitbull blasted Trump over lewd comments he’d previously made about women.

In response to Trump’s crass claims in a leaked 2005 audio recording that he could grab women ‘by the p****’ simply because he is a celebrity, Pitbull said celebrities do not act that way ‘in no way, shape or form.’

He then, quite frankly, called Trump’s comments ‘bulls***’.

Just over a year later, in October 2017, Pitbull criticized Trump and his response to a series of devastating hurricanes that ravaged through Puerto Rico, killing hundreds and cutting off electricity.

Mr. Worldwide said at the time he believed that Trump was showing his ‘true colors’, after the president warned the country in a tweet that federal aid won’t last ‘forever’.

‘His true colors are real simple,’ Pitbull told CNN. ‘It’s about money, it’s about power, and when you’re raised that way, it goes to show you what your true priorities are.’

Pitbull spoke out against Trump’s handling of Puerto Rico relief, including the president’s visit to the US territory a week prior to his appearance on CNN.

‘I couldn’t believe the way he just tossed paper towels at people like if you’re playing basketball,’ he said.

He added those types of actions send the wrong message to other countries, according to the rapper.

‘We’re setting the example for the world,’ he said. ‘If the States sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold.’

Pitbull said he wasn’t going to dwell, however, and urged Americans to focus on solutions to put the country back on track.

‘It’s gonna take a little bit of time, but guys, let’s learn from this lesson,’ he said. ‘We all fall, [but] it’s how we get back up.’

Amid his busy philanthropic work, Pitbull is back in the UK this summer for his BTS Hyde Park show following his successful concerts here last year.

Trust me, it’s not one to miss.