Pitbull Says, You can't stay still. Ain't nothing gonna land in your lap.

LT: Why did you want to become a musician?

Pitbull: I was inspired by hip-hop and the whole culture. When I was in high school, a friend of mine—who is still a very good friend of mine— named Cubo used to rap in the hallways of school and inspired me. I said I wanted to do the same thing. So that’s basically how I got inspired.

LT: And now that you’re obviously successful in the music industry, what do you think is the secret to your success?

Pitbull: I don’t think it’s a secret, man. I think you just have to work hard, grind, and constantly be out here. You can’t get comfortable you know? Once you get comfortable that’s when you lose it.

LT: So you gotta keep working hard?

Pitbull: Always. It’s hard to make it, but even harder to maintain it. You gotta stay on top of your game.

LT: How did you get your nickname?

Pitbull: I got that because when I was in high school I used to have freestyle battles. I used to battle a lot of different rappers at the same time. It would be me versus four rappers at the same time. So one of my best friends gave me the name Pitbull. And when I thought about it I was like that’s perfect you know? The underdog [that will] fight to the death [with a] lock-jaw that doesn’t let go until you tear something up. And they’re illegal in Dade County.  I’m the only legal Pitbull in Dade County.

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Recording hip-hop artist Pitbull sheds light on everything he’s currently involved in and more! LàTeen caught up with Pitbull to  discuss everything from a typical day in  his life to his thoughts on success. Ever wondered what’s the first thing he thinks  of when he wakes up in the morning? Just  in case you have, LàTeen’s got you covered.

LT: Tell me about a typical Pitbull day.

Pitbull: Well for example today...woke up, spent some time with the family, and then off to the studio. I’ve been at the studio now since it was like 3 o’clock. I usually have studio days like once a week so I can go in there and knock out everything I have to knock out. But then the rest of the days are running around, [making] business deals, constantly on the grind looking for opportunities. You can’t stay still. Ain’t nothing gonna land in your lap.

LT: You’re considered a reggaeton and a hip-hop artist. What do you enjoy most about wearing both of those hats?

Pitbull: To be honest with you I try not to wear the reggaeton hat for the simple fact that it’s really not my movement; I just happen to be a part of it. I would consider myself more hip-hop. I have the ability to cross over to different genres whether it be dancehall, reggaeton, or crunk. Whatever you call it at the end of the day, I just call it music.

LT: Are there any common misconceptions you face regarding your music?

Pitbull: There’s always misconceptions. I have a slogan I live by, which is: I’m too Latin for hip-hop, I’m too hip-hop for Latin. So sometimes it puts me in a vacuum where I can’t enjoy the fruits of my labor sometimes [because of] those who handle categories and award shows maybe don’t understand my movement yet. But it’s beautiful because sooner or later they’ve gotta give me my own category.

LT: On the West Coast there’s a little bit of tension on the streets between black and brown. In your opinion, how can hip-hop help combat such a complicated issue?

Pitbull: I think hip-hop has done nothing but combat that, to be honest with you. Hip-hop has always been a great source to unite people and cultures. There’s always going to be some type of problems, but at the end of the day what you have to do is [unite].

LT: What’s the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?

Pitbull: I’m thinking, “Where’s my phone so I can see what I gotta do?” (laughs)

LT: What do you do to relax?

Pitbull: To relax, I usually go to the Dominican Republic. I go out there and I relax for a couple of days. I kick back for about two or three days and boom, back on the grind. It’s motivational.

LT: Do you have any words of advice for our readers for success in life?

Pitbull: I always say patience, passion, and perseverance equals success. If it comes quick, it’s gonna leave quicker. Believe me, it’s gonna be a whole lot sweeter when you know that you worked for it. Whether it be a doctor, a lawyer, police officer, or artist. Whatever you want to be. Just know that anyone that’s successful worked real hard to get where they’re at, it didn’t come easy.