As Pitbull took the stage, following Iglesias’ 90-minute set, vibrant laser lights dimmed throughout the venue. The Latin rapper and visionary, dressed in black, shared that he appreciates the fact that Madison Square Garden was sold-out tonight. He kicked off his set with “Feel This Moment,” where he had the audience clapping along. “Let’s go, New York City,” he exclaimed.
It was followed by the fun “Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor),” and the infectious and vivacious “International Love,” where eight female dancers joined him on stage for an unforgettable rendition that featured neat backgrounds of skyscrapers in the giant televised screen.
The highlight moment of the show was when Pitbull opened up about his struggle to make it in the music industry. He noted that he knocked on “every mother fucking label’s door” and he would hear the word “no,” but that did not stop him from pursuing his dream. “For a Cuban boy from Miami to sell out Madison Square Garden means the fucking world to me,” he said, which was met with a raucous response. “Are you ready? Let’s give you what you asked for,” he said.
“Mr. Worldwide,” as Pitbull is affectionately known as, continued with “The Anthem” and “Don’t Stop the Party,” the latter of which became the theme song of the night. He showed the fans how to have a good time with the uplifting “Rain Over Me” and the sassy “Bailar.”
Other noteworthy and upbeat vocals of the night included “Fireball,” “Time of Our Lives,” “Timber,” “On The Floor” (his collaboration with J.Lo), “Give Me Everything,” as well as the smooth and sultry “Go Girl.”
The Verdict
Overall, the Latin invasion was incredible at Madison Square Garden with Pitbull and Enrique Iglesias co-headlining the “World’s Most Famous Arena.” Pitbull commanded the stage well, and was able to show one big Latin dance party at The Garden. They truly had the hottest ticket in town, and Pitbull is living proof that one can accomplish anything in life with a hard work ethic, talent and dedication. Pitbull garnered an A rating, for a high-energy live show.
