Pitbull and DJ Chino unleashed their new album Underdogs and hit us with a giant wave of EDM, dance and Latin crossover club anthems. Packed with relentless dance-floor fillers track after track – The whole album is very ‘Chino-esque!’

When it comes to Pitbull with Chino, the relationship evolved from boss, mentor, and now collaborator as the real-life underdogs ran as pack in this instance and came up as top dogs despite the odds stacked up against them.

Let’s Listen

Having got drunk on the album on loop, there’s only one hair of the (Pitbull) dog remedy to go straight into the welcomed type of Hangover – that’s the song titled Hangover itself.

High energy, EDM with a blend of soft electro and tropical-Latin house vibes- a guaranteed dancefloor filler to drive you loco, loco, loco.

Overall, it’s Pitbull and Chino’s signature all party, drink, women, dance with Chino’s EDM, house vibes all over the album. Talking of drink and Party let’s move on to exactly that, being crazy and drunk – Borraco Y Loco. The song brings three Miami Underdogs Pitbull, Chino and Flo Rida together to drink, party and get loose ‘til the early morning.

Flo Rida struts in straight from the jeweller looking like moolah – gold, while the visualizers look like the three walked in Mango’s Miami off to Club Liv or another dancefloor of some sort!

La Hora –reminiscent of a similar vibe to ‘I Got A Feeling’ by Black Eyed Peas.

Come the ‘hora’, come Pitbull to put some 305 up in it. Tito El Bambino reunites back on a track since Mueve La Cintura with his distinct tones.

Circling back to the album title, track three ‘4 All My Underdogs’ takes us back to a motivational and acceptance speech at the 38th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner where Pitbull was awarded the 2023 Buoniconti Fund Award. Where he tells us “To be an underdog means no one believes in you, but you work so hard that people have no choice but to believe in you. Underdogs don’t get respect, they earn it. And once they do, they’re respected for life.”  Going onto describing how haters and non-believers add fire to their drive and fuel their rise to the top. From the audiences at the 38^th Annual Great Sprots Legends Dinner to global listeners of  the album, Pitbull spreads words of empowerment, resilience, meeting and rising above challenges.

The feel-good summer anthem released earlier this year ‘Tamo Bien’ is also featured on this album. The song embodies a feeling of contentment, living life, being in the present moment ‘making it’ and vibing on a high. In other words, saying ‘we’re good.’ As Pitbull says being in the moment living in heaven and not worrying about hell. While every day above ground is a great day, a Pitbull and Scarface phrase –  loop that back into GTA vibes. Take a closer look at the credits and it looks like a Perez family affair. With Pitbull’s first-born Bryce Perez credited as a writer on the track (you may have seen him as a baby tattoo on Pitbull’s arm before he was able to write).

Soy Asi features Victor Cardenas and proudly lays out how they don’t care what anyone says and that that’s just the way they are – give them hookah, booze, someone pass him the weed because they’re not leaving until the sunrise.

Party also features Bulin 47, you might want to hang out, smoke and drink but look the other way to spare your blush as Pitbull brings out the ice cream lolly in more ways than one – verbally of course!

We know Pitbull has a soft spot for Dirty Dancing – with references to the film in Bad Man and now Pasame La Botella where there’s a hint of the sample the main song of the film (I’ve had) The Time of My Life in its chorus.

Hasta la manana – The fellas are partying until tomorrow.

And the party, drinking, smoking and whatever they do with women goes on and on through each track and rhymes on the album along with a celebration of life, achievement, enjoying the fruits of hustling and grinding with a deep sense of self-empowerment.

Grand Theft Auto to Underdogs?

From the real streets of Miami to the Miami streets in pixels of Grand Theft Auto, the album cover, visualisers and all things Underdogs has serious GTA vibes – That’s also must ‘Get The Album.’

On the surface, we would be right to assume it is because it is no secret Pitbull has a penchant with the 80’s. Upon digging a little deeper, Pitbull’s  life and professional journey and characters in Grand Theft Auto have many parallels. Being underdogs being a key similarity and Pitbull and Chino rising on top of their real-life game.

Pitbull and game characters alike both worked their way to the top from the streets a strong similarities to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – set in Miami, the home of Mr 305 himself. In the GTA series, characters often rise from nothing to achieve success and fortune and do whatever it takes – Just as Pitbull once a street hustler in the 305 who rose to the top. Both GTA characters and Pitbull live life on their own times and not allowing life to live them. Overcome obstacles, hustle, work hard, take risks, rise to the top, enjoy their success and partying hard. Mirroring a GTA in many ways.

DJ Chino rose steadily to the top from DJ’ing in the clubs, Chino took a huge leap from DJing upon meeting Pitbull’s previous Manager Mike Calderon (Mikey Calderon – as we often hear, a shout out given in songs by Chino as acknowledgement and appreciation in previous songs). The fateful encounter resulted in Chino being Pitbull’s official DJ.  Chino then moved to producing music behind the scenes before eventually stepping into the spotlight, yet with hands still firmly on producing and on the decks DJ’ing and co-producing for Pitbull at the same time.

From DJing on the Miami party scene to DJing for Pitbull, working his craft as a producer, songwriter, and artist. Grinding hard. Hustling and proving the nay-sayers wrong and ultimately surprising beyond expectations the ones who believed. Chino created a sound and brand for himself. Lighting the path as a trailblazer bridging the gap a unique way between EDM and Latin music. It’s not been done the way Chino does it. That said, Chino doesn’t forget his roots and has a string of catalog of music with a strong Latin theme. I am chino – is most definitely ’The Most Winning.’

VOLI 305 Get’s Into The Underdog Spirit

The Underdogs album release party was held at Factoria de Azucar, Miami, where Voli 305 too got into the ‘underdog spirit’ and got dressed for the event, wrapped in parts of the GTA themed Underdogs album cover.

Voli 305 bottles took on the ‘Spice Girl effect’ of requiring a few bottles to create a complete picture. Each side of the box features a unique segment of a larger image, so when the boxes are arranged together at different sides, they form a composite picture.

Not your typical European-made vodka, Miami crafted Voli 305 and an underdog in its own right, earned its place on the shelves through taste, branding, ‘personality’ and its non-textbook street and club hustler marketing approach much like its like-minded underdog owners and co-founders Pitbull and Priscilla Perez, both first generation Cuban Americans.

As Pitbull says, Underdogs is out now for everyone who works hard and parties harder.

Available now on all major platforms

Dale!

Serina

 Image credits Pitbull, IamChino, Mr305inc, Voli 305 Vodka, Priscilla Perez