Naming of Pitbull Stadium launches exciting partnership with Mr. 305

August 6, 2024 at 11:45am

It's a partnership of epic proportions, and Florida International University is feeling this moment: Grammy-winning superstar, entrepreneur and education advocate Armando “Pitbull” Pérez has joined with Miami’s public university in a historic, eye-popping matchup of two South Florida icons.

A top public research institution rapidly rising on the national and international scenes and the famed singer-songwriter known around the world announced a collaboration today amid fanfare and excitement. The 10-year deal immediately saw the campus football facility renamed Pitbull Stadium.

Pérez’s affiliation with FIU will bring him to campus for a variety of activities and events, and an FIU-inspired song as well as social media and merchandise collaborations are in the works.

“It’s a perfect union,” says alumnus Eddie Hondal '88, MS '00, who explains that Pérez’s story mirrors that of FIU: a Miami-made phenomenon with humble beginnings that through hard work has reached the upper echelons and continues to aim still higher.

The megastar with millions of online followers also calls himself “Mr. 305,” a reference to Miami’s area code, to highlight his standing as a local son.

“He’s a representation of so much of Miami, and FIU is a microcosm of the city. Other schools have a flavor of Miami, but we’re really the essence of the city. I think it’s a perfect combination.”

THE REAL DEAL

Armando Christian Pérez was born in Miami to Cuban immigrants and attended high school just blocks from FIU’s main campus. He released his first album in 2004 and followed with two, in 2006 and 2007, that reference the historic 1980 Mariel boatlift that brought a hundred-thousand-plus refugees to South Florida. (Many of them, and their children, eventually earned degrees from FIU, now the country’s largest Hispanic-serving university). He sings in both English and Spanish, even introducing phrases such as the Cuban dale – roughly “Let’s go” – into the mainstream.

“He has his finger on the pulse of what makes Miami a current and unique part of the United States,” says Phillip Carter, a professor of linguistics acclaimed for his research on the Miami dialect. “His life and career are influenced by the people, places, languages and cultural practices of South Florida. He really showcases to the world a version of Miami that is authentic.”

And his sound likewise reflects hometown roots, Carter adds. “His mixes hip hop with reggaeton and other forms of Latin music to create a something distinctly Miami, that draws on Latin America and the Caribbean, that styles hip hop culture but that really sounds like Miami. He helped pioneer that, and it’s recognized around the world now as something that comes from here.”

A SPOTLIGHT ON FIU

Pérez has a history of promoting education. His nonprofit SLAM (Sports Leadership Arts and Management) Foundation supports K-12 schools in underrepresented communities using an innovative curriculum infused with sports, science, technology, media and more to engage and prepare youngsters for college and industry careers. The first school opened in Miami in 2012, and today 14 schools in five states serve nearly 10,000 students.

Now he has connected with an institution of higher education that has served as a foundation for success for many in his community – and the university looks forward to the attention that will bring.

“This relationship will allow people who have yet to be exposed to FIU a chance to see what the university does in terms of research, in terms of education,” says Athletic Director Scott Carr, who was instrumental in the deal. “For anyone who had not before heard of FIU, this will give them a chance to imagine that this might be a school for them or their kids.”

Honors College Associate Dean Pete Markowitz agrees. “He’s obviously got a big megaphone, and that’s a great thing,” Markowitz says. “The more people talking about us, the better. This gives us another chance to tell our story.”

Wertheim School of Music Director Karen Fuller-Veloz sees many ways to leverage Pérez’s vote of confidence “to inspire our students and amplify our commitment to fostering talent, creativity and innovation in the arts.” Among her ideas: harnessing the example of Pérez as a successful music producer – and someone who has made keen strategic decisions to catapult himself into the stratosphere – to engage students in the school’s music business program, which prepares them to work in the industry.

And because no one brings the party like Pitbull, Fuller-Veloz adds, fans can bet on the marching band unleashing his tunes during half-time shows come football season.

No one would appreciate the latter more than Chloe Kortie, an Honors College student in her junior year who studies graphic design at FIU and hails from Sarasota. “Everybody would go crazy when the Pitbull songs came on at high school dances,” she explains. “I had so many friends who loved him. It was even a thing for people to post on social media hoping that Pitbull would come to our school or our area and do a concert. Now that Pitbull is going to be such a big part of my university, some of my friends from high school will be so jealous.”

Adds linguistics professor Carter of the palpable energy such an association brings: “It seems like a really wonderful time in FIU’s history to be in partnership with someone like Pitbull, right as FIU continues to emerge on the national scene. This partnership shows how eager people are to invest in FIU.”

Pitbull primer

Given name: Armando Christian Pérez

Professional names: Pitbull, Mr. 305, Mr. Worldwide

Age: 43

Born in: Miami

Lives in: Miami

Albums: 17 (12 studio, 4 compilation, 1 soundtrack)

Singles: 300+

Music videos: 200+

Notable quotes:

“If you continue to work hard, let that be the fuel to your fire.”

“I'm taking all the negatives in my life and turning them into a positive.”

“Every time I reach a new audience, that means I’m doing something right.”