Pitbull Rejoins William Morris Endeavor (WME) for Representation in All Areas Worldwide

Pitbull is back in familiar territory…

The 42-year-old Cuban American rap superstar, whose real name is Armando Christian Pérez, has rejoined William Morris Endeavor (WME) for representation in all areas worldwide.

PitbullPitbull is a Grammy-award winning independent international superstar, education advocate, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker.

With billions of audio streams and video views plus hundreds of gold and platinum certifications, Pitbull has one of the most impressive careers in music history along with being a force in brand partnerships.

Pitbull returned to the road in 2022 with the sold out North American Can’t Stop Us Now Tour along with his SiriusXM Globalization DJs packing amphitheaters and arenas coast-to-coast.

He has performed for millions worldwide and even joined forces with the No. 1 life and business strategist, Tony Robbins, for numerous speaking engagements around the globe.

This fall, Pitbull will release his next long-awaited Spanglish album titled Trackhouse and will join Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin on The Trilogy Tour.

Pitbull established Sports Leadership Arts and Management (SLAM!), tuition-free public charter schools across the country and is a co-owner of the NASCAR racing team Trackhouse.

Karol G Earns Eighth No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs Chart with Peso Pluma-Collaboration “Qlona”

Karol G has replaced herself (again) at the top of the Latin charts…

The 32-year-old Colombian singer’s first collaboration with Peso Pluma, “Qlona,” rises to the summit on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart as the song ascends 2-1 and ousts her own “Mi Ex Tenía Razón” from the lead, sending it to No. 2 on the September 2-dated list.

Karol GBoth songs are part of her No. 1 album Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season).

“Qlona” leads the multimetric ranking powered by streaming activity. During the tracking week ending Aug. 24, it logged 12.6 million on-demand official streams in the U.S., a 7% rise from the previous week, according to Luminate.

The sum yields the song to No. 1 on Latin Streaming Songs as the Greatest Gainer of the week and an 18-16 lift on the overall Streaming Songs chart; the only song by a Latin artist in the top 20 there.

With “Qlona,” Karol G captures her eighth No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs. She first led with “Dame Tu Cosita” with Pitbull and El Chombo, featuring Cutty Ranks, for two weeks in 2018.

Her second and longest coronation to date arrived a year later as “China” — with Anuel AA, Daddy Yankee, Ozuna and J Balvin — crowned the list for 12 weeks in 2019.

Peso Pluma, meanwhile, secures his second champ after the 19-week ruler “Ella Baila Sola” with Eslabon Armado, the longest leading song on Hot Latin Songs in 2023 thus far.

As “Qlona” trades places with “Mi Ex Tenía Razón,” Karol G replaces herself at No. 1 again. She is the last woman with direct successors at the summit, as “Mamiii” with Becky G ceded the throne to her own “Provenza” on the May 14, 2022-dated chart.

Among all acts, Bad Bunny did it last, when “Me Porto Bonito” ejected his own “Titi Me Preguntó” from the lead (list dated May 28, 2022).

“Qlona” is the second ruler from Karol G’s Bichota Season to lead Hot Latin Songs.

Thanks to nine new debuts from the set on last’s week chart (August 22 dated chart), Karol G made history, breaking the record for the most songs among female artists on the list’s history, which dates to 1986.

Elsewhere, “Qlona” rallies 29-12 on Billboard Global 200 and flies 55-15 on Global Excl. U.S., to new peaks on both rankings.

Shakira Becomes First Artist to Hold Top Three Spots on Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay Chart in Single Week

Shakira has earned another mention in the Latin music record books… 

The 46-year-old Colombian superstar has become the first artist to occupy the top three ranks on Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay chart in a single week.

ShakiraOn the survey dated July 29, “TQG,” with Karol G, holds strong at No. 1 for a 10th week; Shakira’s own “Acróstico” rises 3-2, returning to its best rank; and the Colombian superstar’s latest single “Copa Vacía,” with Manuel Turizo, advances 4-3 for a new high.

The Latin Pop Airplay chart, which began in 1994, reflects weekly audience impressions from a panel of over 150 Latin-formatted U.S. radio stations, as monitored by Mediabase, which provides Luminate data for Billboard charts.)

Despite “TQG” dipping 7% in audience impressions to 8.6 million in the latest tracking week, ending July 20, the team-up’s 10 weeks at No. 1 mark the second-most of 2023 – trailing only another Shakira song: Her Bizarrap collab “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” dominated for 12 weeks beginning in February (and currently holds at No. 7).

As “Acróstico” and “Copa Vacía” ascend to Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, radio airplay continues to grow for the songs. “Acróstico” takes the runner-up slot with a 2% gain in audience impressions, to 5.7 million, while “Copa Vacia” rises with a 33% boost, to 5.4 million, procuring the track the week’s Greatest Gainer honor.

Previously, Shakira and 16 other acts had held the top two on Latin Pop Airplay simultaneously.

The full list of such artists: Rauw Alejandro, Bad Bunny, Camilo, Daddy Yankee, Luis Fonsi, Juan Luis Guerra 440, Enrique Iglesias, J Balvin, Juanes, Karol G, Maluma, Nicky Jam, Don Omar, Ozuna, Pitbull, Shakira and Tainy.

Play-N-Skillz Signs Label Deal with Pitbull‘s Mr. 305 Records

Play-N-Skillz are getting (Mr.) Worldwide support…

The Latin/American record production/DJ group, comprised of brothers Juan “Play” Salinas and Oscar “Skillz” Salinas, has signed a label deal with Pitbull‘s Mr. 305 Records.

Play-N-Skillz,The Dallas-born siblings join a roster that includes Omar Courtz, IAMCHINO and Montana Tucker, among others.

“Joining Mr. 305 Records is a perfect match for us,” said Play-N-Skillz in a statement. “We have a strong history with Pitbull and being part of his record label is an amazing chance for growth. We appreciate the trust he has in us and are excited to create incredible music together.”

After DJing house parties in their hometown, Play-N-Skillz landed its big break in the early 2000s after producing Lil’ Flip‘s second album, U Gotta Feel Me.

Since then, Play-N-Skillz has produced for artists such as ChamillionaireDavid GuettaLil WayneBecky GNicky Jam and Daddy Yankee.

In 2019, Play-N-Skillz produced and co-wrote Yankee’s smash hit “Con Calma” ft. Snow, which later got a remix with Katy Perry. The original track peaked at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart for a total of 14 weeks.

“I am thrilled to welcome Play-N-Skillz to the Mr. 305 Records family. Our history of working together has been marked by mutual respect, creativity, and shared musical vision. I have always admired their exceptional production skills and their ability to push boundaries in their craft,” added Robert Fernandez, CEO of Mr. 305 Records. “It’s an honor that they have decided to partner with us and trust us to help bring their brand and artistic vision to the next level. Together, we will continue to make history and ccreate music that will captivate audiences worldwide. The future looks incredibly exciting, and I couldn’t be more enthusiastic about the journey ahead with Play-N-Skillz.”

Play-N-Skillz is currently working on new music set to drop soon under Mr. 305.

Chayanne to Perform at This Year’s “iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina”

Chayanne is preparing for a fiesta

iHeartMedia has announced that the 2023 iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina will return to Miami at Kaseya Center (formerly FTX Arena) on Saturday, October 21, with the 55-year-old Puerto Rican Latin pop singer and actor among the artists scheduled to perform.

ChayanneIn addition to Chayanne, the one-night event will feature performances featuring Ricardo MontanerFonseca, Servando y Florentino, Luis Figueroa, GALE and Menudo.

Enrique Santos, president and chief creative officer of iHeartLatino and on-air talent for iHeartRadio, will host the 10th annual edition.

“We’re honored to once again bring together incredible artists, electrifying music and a vibrant community,” Santos said in a statement. “Here’s to a decade of unforgettable moments, unity and the power of Latin music!”

Besides performing, Chayanne will also receive the iHeartRadio Corazón Latino Award which, according to iHeartMedia, honors an individual who “exemplifies their big heart through their selfless work enhancing the lives of the Latin community and beyond.”

The Puerto Rican icon — known for hits such as “Dejaría Todo” and “Torero” — has teamed up with and supported organizations such as Make-A-Wish Foundation, United Nations Human Rights for Climate Change, Women Refugees Commission and Heroes Por la Vida.

iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina will be broadcasted across iHeartRadio digital stations.

Additionally, Hulu will serve as the official streaming destination of the iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina with performances live-streamed exclusively to Hulu subscribers.

The event launched in 2014 in Los Angeles but has since been taking place in Miami.

Throughout the years, iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina has featured headliners such as Jennifer Lopez, Daddy Yankee, Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull, Ricky Martin and Ozuna.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday (July 21) at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster.com.

Enrique Iglesias Uniting with Ricky Martin & Pitbull for North America Trilogy Tour

Enrique Iglesias is joining forces with two global superstars for a legendary trek…

The 48-year-old Spanish singer and songwriter is set to go on tour with Ricky Martin and Pitbull.

Enrique IglesiasThe three hitmakers announced dates for their North America Trilogy Tour, which is set to kick off on October 14 in Washington, D.C.

The 19-date arena trek — produced by Live Nation — will make stops in major cities such as New York, Miami, Houston and Las Vegas before wrapping up on December 16 in Vancouver, B.C.

“It’s a true honor to tour with Enrique and Ricky, 2 music icons who broke global music barriers for our culture and open doors for someone like myself,” Pitbull (born Armando Christian Perez) said in a statement. “We’re excited to take The Trilogy tour around the world and give our fans the time of their Trilogy lives, Dale!”

“I am incredibly excited to be going on tour with my friends Pitbull and Ricky,” added Iglesias. “The Trilogy Tour will be an amazing experience for ALL of our fans. It’s going to be a once in a lifetime tour.”

Ricky Martin echoed his tour mates’ excitement: “Going back on the road with not only Enrique, but now with Pitbull, it’s very exciting. This tour will be a wild party from beginning to end so get ready, it’s going to be epic!”

According to the press release, the artists will be delivering “three unique headlining sets.”

It’s not the first time the three musicians will go on tour with each other. In 2017, Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull went on tour with CNCO as the opening act. The trek grossed $38 million and sold 415,000 tickets, according to Billboard Boxscore numbers.

Four years later in 2021, Iglesias teamed up with Ricky Martin — and Sebastián Yatra as the tour’s opener — on a tour that grossed $35.2 million and sold 312,000 tickets.

For the Trilogy Tour, fans can register now through June 4 for the Verified Fan presale. According to Live Nation, selected fans will then receive an access code will be able to participate in presale starting June 7. The general on sale will begin June 9 at 10 a.m. local time on Ticketmaster.com.

Here are the tour dates:

Oct. 14 – Washington, D.C. – Capital One Arena
Oct. 17 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Oct. 20 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
Oct. 21– Boston, MA – TD Garden
Oct. 26 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Oct. 28 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
Nov. 1 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Nov. 3 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Nov. 9 – Orlando, FL – Amway Center
Nov. 10 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center
Nov. 17 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
Nov. 18 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Nov. 19 – San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center
Nov. 24 – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena
Nov. 25 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
Nov. 30 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena
Dec. 6 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center
Dec. 8 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Dec. 10 – Vancouver, B.C. – Rogers Arena

Pitbull to Perform During Season 21 Finale of “American Idol”

It’s Idol time for Pitbull

The 42-year-old Cuban-American rap superstar will appear on the season 21 finale of American Idol.

PitbullIn addition to this year’s top 12 returning to the stage one last time, producers announced the typical cornucopia of guest performers on tap for the finale, including season two winner/runner-up Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, as well as Ellie Goulding, Jelly Roll, Pitbull, TLC, James Blunt, Jazmine Sullivan, REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin, Kylie Minogue, Lainey Wilson and Lauren Daigle.

The announcement comes following Sunday night’s semifinal, which saw the roster AI hopefuls to just three — Colin Stough, Megan Danielle and Iam Tongi.

Next Sunday’s (May 21) three-hour finale will air live coast-to-coast on ABC beginning at 8:00 pm ET and feature the return of former panelist Keith Urban, who will be back on Idol to mentor the top three (and perform), as well as performances from judges Katy PerryLionel Richie and Luke Bryan.

No word yet on what single Pitbull will perform. But he did release the single “Jumpin,” featuring Lil Jon earlier this month.

Jennifer Lopez’s “On the Floor” Music Video with Pitbull Surpasses Two Billion Views on YouTube

One of Jennifer Lopez’s biggest hits is flooring it…

The 53-year-old Puerto Rican superstar’s club anthem “On the Floor” with Pitbull has surpassed two billion views on YouTube.

Jennifer LopezThe nightclub-set clip for J. Lo and Pit’s 2011 hit has averaged more than 500K views per day so far in 2022, according to the video streaming platform. 

The track scored the pair another entry on the Billboard Hot 100 as it peaked at No. 3 on the tally dated May 21, 2011.

“On the Floor” is one of the handful of collaborations between la Lopez and Pitbull.

The pair have struck gold with other songs like “Dance Again,” “Back It Up” with Prince Royce, and the official 2014 World Cup song “We Are One (Ole Ola)” with Brazilian star Claudia Leitte.

Produced by RedOne, the song thrives on a hypnotic beat, with Pitbull dropping by for a rapid-fire verse that rhymes “badonkadonk” with “Donkey Kong.”

Lopez’s sweet yet commanding vocals take centerstage during the chorus where she sings “La la la la la la la la la la la la la la. Tonight we gon’ be it on the floor.”

The track samples French-Brazilian pop group Kaoma’s 1988 song “Lambada,” a global hit that went on to top Billboard’Hot Latin Songs chart in March of 1990.  As a result of the sample, the “Lambada” reappeared on the Billboard charts more than 20 years after its global domination. It made its debut on the World Digital Songs chart at No. 3 in March of that year, a few weeks after “On the Floor” came out.

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire Defeats Adam Borics to Retain Bellator Featherweight Title

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire continues his winning ways…

The 35-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist beat Adam Borics via one-sided unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 50-45) in the main event of Bellator 286 on Saturday night at Long Beach Arena to maintain his stranglehold on the Bellator featherweight division.

Patricio "Pitbull" Freire

“Pitbull” retained his 145-pound belt with the victory and now has a total of eight title defenses across three reigns.

Freire, one of the best MMA fighters ever to not have competed in the UFC, first won the title in 2014. Saturday’s fight marked his first defense of the current reign.

ESPN has “Pitbull” ranked No. 3 in the world at featherweight. His longevity and consistency as an elite fighter have been a marvel.

Freire was better in all aspects of MMA on Saturday night. He landed some clean counter combinations on Borics early, landed some takedowns and got onto Borics’ back in the third round after somehow catching a Borics flying knee and using it for a mat return.

Borics took Freire down in the fifth round but wasn’t able to do much with it, and “Pitbull” ended up sweeping using a Kimura submission attempt.

Freire (34-5) has won two in a row and nine of his past 10 fights, the only loss in that stretch coming to rival AJ McKee. The Brazilian-born fighter is also the former Bellator lightweight champion, courtesy of a knockout win over current UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler in 2019. Freire arguably has the best résumé in Bellator history.

“Maybe I’ll go down to the bantamweight division and take that belt,” Freire said of his potential next move.

Borics (18-2), 29, had a four-fight winning streak snapped. A Hungarian-born fighter who trains out of Kill Cliff FC in Florida, he fell to 9-2 in his Bellator career.

Anitta Among Performers for This Year’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour

Anitta is preparing to jingle all the way to Miami…

iHeartMedia has revealed the star-studded lineup for its annual iHeartRadio Jingle Ball tour, with the 29-year-old Brazilian singer/songwriter making the list.

Anitta

Anitta will perform at Jingle Ball in the Ft. Lauderdale/Miami, Florida market on Sunday, December 18, at 7:00 pm EST.

But Anitta isn’t the only Latinx artist set to take the stage…

Pitbull is scheduled to perform at the concerts in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington DC and Atlanta.

Howie Dorough and his fellow Backstreet Boys will perfrom in Detroit, New York City, Boston and Ft. Lauderdale/Miami.

Demi Lovato will perform in Boston, while Carlos PenaVega and his Big Time Rush band mates will perform at Ft. Lauderdale/Miami.

The 2022 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour will stop in Dallas/Ft. Worth; Los Angeles; Chicago; Detroit; New York; Boston; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Tampa and Miami/Ft. Lauderdale.

“Every year our iHeartRadio Jingle Ball lineup is one of the most anticipated announcements,” Tom Poleman, chief programming officer for iHeartMedia, said in a press statement. “We’re particularly excited about who’s playing this year. This is the show that represents the best pop music of the year, all brought together on one stage. We look forward to celebrating the holiday season with music fans across the country.”

“This the time of the year when the biggest artists in music come together to celebrate the holidays with their fans from coast to coast, culminating with a two hour broadcast television event on The CW Network,” added John Sykes, president of entertainment enterprises for iHeartMedia.

Ticket pre-sale for Capital One cardholders begins on Tuesday, October 4 at 10:00 am local time and runs through Thursday, October 6 at 10:00 am local time. Pre-sale info and tickets will be available at iHeartRadio.com/CapitalOne.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, October 7 at 12:00 pm local time here.

For those who can’t make the shows in person, Z100’s Jingle Ball 2022 in New York City will air as a television special on The CW Network on Saturday, December 17 at 8:00 pm EST/PST. The CW Network will also video stream the concert live on CWTV.com and The CW App.

Here’s the full list of Jingle Ball dates and lineups:

Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas – Tuesday, November 29, at 7:30 p.m. CST
Performers: Jack Harlow, Black Eyed Peas, Khalid, Lauv, Ava Max, Lewis Capaldi, Lauren Spencer-Smith, Jax and Nicky Youre.

Los Angeles, Calif. – Friday, December 2, at 7:30 p.m. PST
Performers: Dua Lipa, Jack Harlow, Pitbull, Khalid, Bebe Rexha, Lewis Capaldi, Ava Max, Dove Cameron, Jax and Nicky Youre.

Chicago, Ill. – Monday, December 5, at 7 p.m. CST
Performers: Jack Harlow, Pitbull, Khalid, Macklemore, Lauv, Tate McRae, Ava Max, Jax and Nicky Youre.

Detroit, Mich. – Tuesday, December 6, at 7:30 p.m. EST
Performers: The Kid LAROI, AJR, Backstreet Boys, Khalid, Macklemore, Tate McRae, Ava Max, Nicky Youre, Jax and Armani White

New York, N.Y. – Friday, December 9, at 7 p.m. EST
Performers: Dua Lipa, Lizzo, Charlie Puth, Backstreet Boys, The Kid LAROI, AJR, Demi Lovato, Lauv, Ava Max, Dove Cameron and Jax.

Boston, Mass. – Sunday, December 11, at 6 p.m. EST
Performers: Jack Harlow, Backstreet Boys, Demi Lovato, The Kid LAROI, Lauv, Tate McRae, Dove Cameron, Jax and Nicky Youre.

Philadelphia, Pa. – Monday, December 12, at 7:30 p.m. EST
Performers: Sam Smith, Charlie Puth, AJR, Khalid, Tate McRae, Lauv, Ava Max, Jax and Nicky Youre.

Washington, D.C. – Tuesday, December 13, at 7:30 p.m. EST
Performers: Sam Smith, Pitbull, Charlie Puth, Khalid, Tate McRae, Lauv, Ava Max, Nicky Youre and Jax.

Atlanta, Ga. – Thursday, December 15, at 7:30 p.m. EST
Performers: Sam Smith, Pitbull, AJR, Macklemore, Khalid, Tate McRae, Lauv, Ava Max and Nicky Youre.

Tampa, Fla. – Friday, December 16 at 7 p.m. EST
Performers TBA

Ft. Lauderdale/Miami, Fla. – Sunday, December 18, at 7 p.m. EST
Performers: Charlie Puth, Anitta, Backstreet Boys, Tate McRae, Black Eyed Peas, Big Time Rush, Ava Max, Lauren Spencer-Smith and Jax.