Pitbull drops album Trackhouse today and to say that overall album lit up my brain like a Christmas tree and got the dopamine receptors firing is an understatement. Hearing existing favourites and a handful of new ones, along with some others that didn’t really float my boat.

Trackhouse by name, Trackhouse by nature, Pitbull brings a few old tracks back around the track with a modern-day pizzazz. Bridging the gap between different genres and generations all under one house, Trackhouse. Packed with a revival of remixed party tracks  – feel free to stick on the album and ‘cut a rug’ with your gran, uncle and mum with these bring back Pitbull-stylee tracks and create new memories from the new bangers.

Trackhouse is full of what Pitbull does best. Latin infused, feel good, party bangers with a seamless weave of Spanglish on most tracks where no one really needs to understand all the lyrics. Transcending language and cultural barriers to bond everyone on the dancefloor.

I Am Chino, Jimmy Joker and Muzik Junkies are all over the album on the production side.

MARRYING MOTORSPORTS AND MUSIC

Named Trackhouse after his Nascar team, Pitbull marries motorsports and music together and puts the spotlight on both underdogs. The race team and Mr Worldwide himself and how it takes a lot of hard work for both before they rise to enjoy the benefits of being on top. Creating a new level of awareness, curiosity, and uniting people in this entertainment arena.

Ramped up cross promotional activities where motorsports promote awareness about new music and new music sheds a light on Trackhouse.  While the album cover and lyrics brings Trackhouse to attention, the Trackhouse album cover was highlighted on the hood of Daniels Suarez’s 99 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet. If anyone didn’t know about the connection between Pitbull and Trackhouse, they do now. Spot the Nascar, Trackhouse and driver references in a few of the songs.

Even Voli Vodka got behind the promotional push for the album with a limited-edition themed bottle. Pitbull brings his key his brands the music, the race team and beverage under one house, so to speak.

The album cover, which Pitbull was said to be hands-on in creating, boasts everything Team Trackhouse with Pitbull in his Trackhouse jacket on artwork reflecting the Wynwood Walls and surrounding area (also where a young Armando grew up) with the graffitied title of the album in the foreground to match the vibe In Trackhouse colours track blue and added black. The background with Ross Chastain’s Car No.1 and Daniel Suarez’s car No.99 on the beach. The background with Mr 305’s city Miami. Ocean drive, palm trees and The Freedom Tower. A national symbol of liberty and freedom searched and found by Cuban refugees at the hight of the Cold War. A war which his own family were caught up in and resulted in Armando Christian Perez being born to Cuban immigrants in the 80’s.

THE TESTAMENT

“I’m a young man, old soul. I can’t listen to this new school shit. To me it’s just so-so.” Pitbull’s lyrics on We Are Strong  (Climate Change Album). These words are a testament to the way he’s made music by rejuvenating samplers from hits in the 70-90’s throughout his career and now going a step further on Trackhouse and making history by bringing back the original artists on Trackhouse such as Nile Rodgers along for the ride as well as Gipsy Kings and Elvis Crespo along for a spin on their original hits.

The love of classic songs from different eras along with the speed Pitbull quickly grasped early on in his career the power of the sound of an old or recently proven hit, being able to capitalise on it and make others feel good at the same time. Hits such as Welcome To Miami which brought Pitbull attention and broke him into the music scene.

The album is also a testament to Pitbull’s ability to create music that uplifts, unites, and empowers listeners through his unique brand of magic.

LET’S JUMP ON THE TRACKS

Previously released songs on the album have their own page dedicated such as Jumpin’, Me Pone Mal, Freak 54, Café con Leche and Can’t Stop Us Now.

Continue reading with caution, this time you’ll REALLY hear unfiltered thoughts like never before. So buckle up and let’s ride onto the tracks.

Shake dat ass make ya baby daddy mad! And ‘hit it’ three times at least. We’re going straight to Track 10, It Takes 3. A song responsible for blowing up my inbox for months with questions such as “Is it released yet? Do you know when?” A safe bet to say It Takes 3 is a fan favourite and a song release for which many of us were fervently anticipating.

It Take 3 without a doubt is set to ignite and set alight dancefloors globally. In collaboration with Mr 305 Inc’s Vikina and produced by Robin Louis, the track is a revival and own spin of 80’s classic It Takes Two by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock which will have you jump out your seat dancing – cue Tik Tok dance trends! Mr Worldwide spits the verse and Vikina on chorus.Pitbull is internationally known to like having fun with THREE – it even takes three to tango and so anything two just won’t do. Another to unite many generations on one dancefloor.

Pitbull talks about being in a suit at Nascar races watching his team Trackhouse with a sea of blue faces in line with the teams colour scheme, heritage, wealth and homes. Being a leader not a follower and telling the ladies in a roundabout way to just call him rather slide in DM’s – he doesn’t do social media. Listen out for a feint electronic mimic of what sounds like an aeroplane sound right on cue as Pitbull sings “Already internationally known.”

The quick wit in Pitbull’s rhymes tickles the brain as his lyrical prowess shines through. With his signature double meaning, read-between-the-lines tongue in cheek humour such as:

“Drop you like Adidas” (Hilarious – Wassup YE?)

“Not a LAWYER but you can meet me at the BAR.”

“Numero uno and I CRUISE like a TOP GUN” And Pitbull probably does it better than TOM CRUISE.

Adding “My name clean, so I don’t need a bodyguard” Keeping his head down, life private in music and business and away from ‘beef’

It’s easy to get vacuumed into the whirlpool of feel-good energy the song brings. Listening and ensuring these little lyrical gems are caught fast and enjoyed with depth is quite another level of enthrallment.

“There he is.” I smiled to myself as the flow, force and style of raw old-school lyric Pit seeped through. With a little filter on for universal audience balance and appeal.

Pitbull, Vikina and Robin Luis refreshed and smashed it. Enhancing the song’s iconic landscape and bringing it to the modern day with the edge that appeals to the broader audience in 2023 whatever generation you were born in.  

A huge thank you to Mr 305 Inc producer Robin Louis for sharing fascinating insights on the making of the song and bringing us into the moments as they happened.

“Pit and I have been working on music since 2020 without anyone knowing. Once I got signed to him in 2022. We just stepped on the gas with the production. There’s a list right now of 126 songs that Pit personally wants produced. It Takes 3 was one of those on the list. In no order, I’m producing one by one.

Pit will call me or text me with the idea like ‘Papo let’s do It Takes 2, but instead we call it -It Takes 3’.  Pit usually calls at any hour of the day or night. Once he calls, I know it’s business. That’s when I begin creating. I produce the record and I send him the beat. Pit’s hyped and excited.

Boom!  Pit then writes to the beat and records it. When I heard what he wrote to It Takes 3 for the first time I was like ‘Whoaaaa. Sounds fucking amazing bro.’  You see, most of his supporters don’t know the Pitbull from the Unleashed Mixtape series. That raw and uncut Pitbull with the Marielito flow. That’s what he delivers on It Takes 3. We’re all hyped and excited with the outcome so far – HIT RECORD ALERT!

Another day Pit calls me around 3AM and he’s like…‘Let’s try this for the intro of the record. It starts with Hit It, then shake dat ass and make your baby daddy mad’ right?’

Pit tells me let’s add the ‘hit it’ after that and let’s do that three times. Which is how you hear the record. Chico then tells me this is the biggest DJ intro of 2023. We’re laughing on the phone while I do the edits on pro tools then I send to him right away. He’s tells me. ‘That’s it, right there.’.

We got it. The intro to a hit record is very important. We need this one like this for the DJ’s so they can kut and scratch and bring it back etc.

The DJ’s made Pit. Funny thing is he thinks like a DJ.  The way Pit presents the ideas and how he thinks of them. Also the way he arranges his live show. He laughed when I told him that but it’s quite true. It Takes 3 drops in September  2023.”

Robin adds “I’m your Jay-Z” Pit once told me, in comparison to Pharrell and Jay-Z. Because I’m a student of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo aka The Neptunes. I’ve been studying them and many others since 2000. That’s also when Pit and I met. So we’ve been dawgs before the fame. Pit tells me “You’ve been studying the right guy for almost 20 years.” In reference to Pharrell, N.E.R.D and The Neptunes as a whole who have been instrumental in sparking inspiration for Robin as a producer and songwriter.

Follow the links below for more on Robin Louis.

Lit in the City brings ‘a fierce disguised as gentle’ introductory tone to the beginning of the album. Know who I am, what we do, beware, don’t mess because we will win. A Pitbull stylee and little reminiscent of Orishas’ Atrevido in sense and feeling is where the mind diverted to for a split second.

Pitbull makes it clear that he wants the world to know Trackhouse, and that all the gambling and games going on, the House always wins financially and beyond. With the promotional push and album name cemented in the braincells of fans, it’s safe to say everyone knows what Trackhouse is.

“Everybody knows this chico spits fire, these new rappers might as well wear a wire.” a reference to Pitbull’s freestyle lyrical prowess on and now off the streets, with his ability to deliver off the cuff rhymes with a punch and a sting.

Pitbull briefly shares having losses throughout his life as tells us about his history, yet God has always come through for him.

A long overdue collaboration, it’s great to hear T-Pain jump on the track bringing his signature flair . Along with El Micha since the Libertad album. A complementary trio who as Mr Worldwide says will knock down your ‘house’ and win the race along with T-Pain and El Mica so go ahead and try to!

The Santana-esque guitar on the bridge is a much-welcomed part of the song.

Suave was one of the first on the list of new songs to listen to. Produced by Chino, Jimmy Joker and Muzik Junkies (signed to Play n Skillz)  an electro and similar sounding Play n Skillz beat shows up as in Hot, Café Con Leche and brings on a sense of overdosed and full to the brim with hearing this sound and feeling a little all over the place at times. While they can be appreciated for what they are and the party vibe it delivers, from a personal preference, take this same-same beat out and I’ll have it on loop. Same goes for La Fiesta. No hay fiesta para mi on this one either.

On we move to Pata sucia (meaning dirty feet or slang for girls that take off their heels and dance bare feet in clubs).  A song dedicated to women who work all week and go out dancing. When the pain of wearing heels kick in you have Pitbull’s approval to take them off , put your heels in the air and keep on dancing. Rocking the pata sucia look as a badge of honour! Mr Worldwide continues to depict a girl’s night out with the all so familiar heel-hurting dramas, taking more photos than taken of the Mona Lisa and uploading them to Instagram.

A subtle and smoother Latin version of Kool and the Gang’s 80’s hit Get Down On It which was also a song as a call to action for people to get loose, have fun on the dancefloor into the moment let the good vibes flow.

Let’s Take a Shot with VIkina brings back another classic with 90’s rock group 4 Non Blondes hit What’s Up.

The fireball that he is, Pitbull sets the Roof On Fire on track eight as he brings the chants of Rock Master Scott & the Dynamic Three with a sampler from Saint Motel’s My Type (2014). With a fun, catchy vibe Pitbull mentions his global domination and trying to capture it all and building schools (SLAM) along the way, repping his city and ringing in New Year’s Eve. To the ones that brought out the chuckles “Mr. Fuckboy Free, Mr. Fuckboy, please.” and “Baby, I got A-D-D, a Delicious Dick”. Always the lyrical word-spinner Armando Bon and if you act right, he’ll give you the D.

Bandolero is a genius spin on Gipsy Kings 80’s anthem Bamboleo. A fast favourite, Pitbull raps about his life, how it’s not been easy, but he did it. How what he raps is his life not a story. ‘bandolero’ a bandit if you connect this term back to his teens. Born ready to knock the whole game on its ass. Mission accomplished. An infectious rhythm along with a reminder of this bandit’s life and what he’s about.

For the full picture, check out the reviews on Jumpin, Me Pone Mal, Freak 54, Café con Leche and Can’t Stop Us Now with the links below. Trackhouse is available on major platforms for streaming and purchase.

Dale!

Visual credits: Pitbull, Mr 305 Inc, Robin Louis

LINKS TO SONG REVIEWS

Jumpin

Me Pone Mal

Freak 54

Café con Leche

Can’t Stop Us Now

ROBIN LOUIS @Iamrobinlouis

SoundCloud

Instagram

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