Pitbull Brings the I’m Back Tour to San Diego with Lil Jon

This past Friday, May 29th, I had the pleasure of photographing Pitbull, also known as Mr. Worldwide, in San Diego, CA. As I walked into the venue, the line was full of bald people. Everyone that sees Pitbull live dresses as him; wearing bald caps, aviator sunglasses, white button ups, and sometimes fake facial hair! It’s by far my favorite fandom inside joke. Opening for Pitbull was Lil Jon, known for his early 2000’s hits and collaborations, including Yeah! with Usher.

For Lil Jon, he requested we take photos of his last three songs. His setlist consisted of both original songs and covers, mainly to hype up the crowd for the final act. The photographers were escorted to the soundboard, where they were greeted by security and given the rules as to where they can take photos. Lil Jon played Shots, Turn Down For What, and Get Low. During his set, the crowd’s energy was that of a 2000’s club. Lil Jon’s performance ended with a bang, leaving the crowd getting “crunk” and pregaming for the final act.

The jumbotron showed a variation of areas of the crowd including groups of friends in bald caps dancing, families singing along to popular early 2000’s music, and people taking sips of their drinks.

Last but certainly not least, Pitbull. He opened with his classics Don’t Stop the Party, Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor), and Hotel. The crowd seemed to take pleasure in cheering, “We at the hotel, motel, Holiday Inn!” As soon as the first three songs were over, I checked my camera into guest services. I made my way towards my seat and danced with the friendly crowd. People welcomed me with open arms, complimented my hair, and asked for pictures! The overall atmosphere was undoubtedly joyful thanks to the positivity Pitbull radiates. He covered Gasolina and the crowd roared with excitement. The crowd was very diverse; Spanish, English, African-American, Cuban, and plenty of other cultures were uniting in the audience. Towards the middle of the set, Pitbull started telling his story about how he got to where he is. He briefly talked about his high school teacher that inspired him to build an art school from the ground up called SLAM! (Sports Leadership Arts & Management) foundation.

After talking to the crowd, he brought out Lil Jon to perform JUMPIN and Damn I Love Miami. His dancers wore beautiful deep red leotards encrusted with rhinestones. The last few songs were the biggest: Timber, Fireball, Time of Our Lives, and Give Me Everything. Pitbull ended the night with confetti, pyrotechnics, and fog. Seeing the confetti flutter down during Time of Our Lives made me feel almost poignant… I didn’t want the night to end.

Overall, I feel the need to go back and see the entire show all over again. The positive energy was unmatched. Pitbull is one performer you could never hate.

All photos by Anastasia Benesh.