More “sources” and “commentary” on the subject.
Worship Che? No Way!
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cach...LL+CHE+NEW+YORK+POST&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=6
^^^ Pitbull in NY Post on “Che”
Pitbull Takes Shots At Fidel Castro, "I'm Hoping He's Dead"
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cach...LL+CHE+NEW+YORK+POST&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=4
Miami rapper Pitbull is celebrating that Cuban dictator Fidel Castro is no longer in power... so much so that he recently recorded the song "Ya Se Acabo" (It's Over) which he posted yesterday on his website and MySpace page.
Pitbull, born Armando Pérez, is of Cuban descent; his latest song was inspired by the July 31st announcement that Cuban leader Fidel Castro had released power to his younger brother Raul Castro. Pitbull reportedly headed straight into the studio at 11:00 pm the evening of the 31st to record "Ya Se Acabo," which celebrates the change in power.
While Pitbull has expressed his political views in the past - having been a vocal in interviews about his opposition to Fidel Castro and even contributing to a New York Post essay criticizing the iconization of Che Guevara, the lyrics of "Ya Se Acabo" were clearly intended for the many Cuban-Americans who left Cuba behind rather than live under Castro's leadership.
The lyrics - rapped over an Afro Cuban beat include, "It's like a dream, now people can be free. No more 90-mile trips to the Keys. No more risking your life for freedom. I'm hoping he's dead because we don't need him." The chorus of the song alternates between chanting "Hasta Luego" (Goodbye) and "El tiempo tuyo ya pasó" (Your time has passed).
"Ya Se Acabo" is already receiving heavy airplay on Miami radio.
Pitbull is planning to release his next album El Mariel on September 12th. The album includes guest appearances from Twista, Mario and Diddy and production from Lil Jon, DJ Khaled, Mr. Collipark, Pharrell, Jim Jonson and the Diaz Bros. Pitbull took the title El Mariel from the place where 124,000 Cuban immigrants entered the U.S. onboard boats.
Pitbull also plans to release a Spanish language version of El Mariel with the three singles and twelve Spanish only tracks.
Man Bites Dog: Pitbull and the Rhetoric of Ignorance
by
Ooh Papi of Playahata.co
http://www.playahata.com/pages/papi/pitbull.htm
One would think that a rapper who grew up in Miami, Florida, which is the 2nd most dangerous Metropolitan area in the U.S., would offer some critique of life in American society....not if you're Pitbull. In his case he only offers 'booty' music. Nothing about the failing educational system, or the wealth of south beach contrasted against the desperation of the poor ethnic communities for which Miami is well-known ...just more 'booty' music. So when I heard about Pitbull's recent foray into politics, I was prepared to be annoyed by it.
On July 31, President of Cuba, Fidel Castro, was about to undergo surgery, and transferred power to 2nd in command Raul Castro during this period. As days passed and there were no sightings of Fidel, speculation began that Fidel Castro had actually died and as a result, many Cuban-Americans began to celebrate in the streets Florida. There were cars and people and music and celebrations going on in the street all night long, simply because they thought Castro was dead, and that maybe now Cuba would become the 51st state. Less than 24 hours later "rapper/artist" Pitbull, a Cuban-American puts a song out on the internet called "Ya Se Acabo" which means "That's it, He's done." The song is mostly in Spanish but in the English verse he says:
Maybe now people can be free/
No more 90-mile journeys to the [Florida] Keys/
No more risking your life for freedom/
I'm hoping he's dead because we don't need him/
This wasn't the first time Pitbull made a foray into politics, years ago, he was given space in Rupert Murdoch's right wing daily paper the New York Post. His purpose, "to complain about all of the people wearing "Che" shirts". Ok, so I get it, he doesn't like Fidel Castro or Che Guevara. But why? Well according to Pitbull, "Che was a murderer. Fidel Castro IS a murderer." So Pitbull doesn't like Murderers? Is that it? Is that why he is so often seen wearing shirts with Scarface on them? Is that why he has never mentioned a word about the invasion and occupation of Iraq? His ignorance is likely due to a serious 40-year propaganda campaign waged by U.S. media, whose function is to shape public opinion by giving biased coverage to all personalities that will not serve as puppets to U.S. regimes. If Pitbull was from Venezuela he would be used by media to become a voice against Hugo Chavez in the rap community.
He may dislike Castro because the Communist leader hates the Bling-bling showy style of wealth, so much that he considered suing Forbes Magazine for suggesting he was one of the world richest people with a net worth of $550 million. Castro said "Once again, they have committed the infamy of speaking about Castro's fortune, placing me almost above the queen of England," Castro said in a speech to top officials of Cuba's ruling Communist Party, military and police.
"Do they think I am (former Zairian President) Mobutu (Sese Seko) or one of the many millionaires, those thieves and plunderers that the empire has suckled and protected?" he said in reference to his capitalist archenemy, the United States. "What they should be doing is looking for the money of all those people," he said. Castro, 78 and in power since a 1959 revolution, said he was considering suing. It should be pointed out that the year before Forbes listed Castro at 150 million, so how he could jump 400 million in a year while the U.S. imposes its criminal blockade on the island flies before all logic and facts.
Maybe its freedom Pitbull is concerned with. Is that why he is conspicuously silent as the war on drugs sends Black and Latino brothers and sisters to prison in numbers that are unprecedented? And why some of his best rap friends, -ehem *Rick Ross*, talk and rap about selling cocaine all day?
Pitbull has a political world view that consists of one issue. Pitbull doesn't like the Cuban revolution or those responsible for it. If he could articulate his position in any way I could have some degree of respect for it, but all that he gives us in the way of an explanation is this: "CHE Guevara is not popular because of what he did, but because the right person wore his shirt.. Jay-Z wore a Che shirt on his "MTV: Unplugged" special, and therefore everybody thought it was cool. But most people don't know what he stands for...wearing a Che shirt in front of Cuban-Americans is like wearing a Hitler shirt in front of Jewish people."
Oh give us a break; this analogy is quite uninformed and silly. First off, in the world that existed before Jay-Z, Che Guevara, was more popular globally than Jay-Z ever was. The reason for that is because they saw him, correctly, as someone who fought to free people of oppression in a system based on exploitation and greed, which was and still is oppressing 100's of millions of people throughout the 3rd world.
For any person to compare Che to Adolph Hitler who executed millions of Jews in gas chambers, shows a lack of analysis and is exactly this kind of nonsense that makes his position so politically bankrupt.
For all who care to label Fidel Castro a murderer, and any other list of big bad names, let me end with a list of the things he has done and I challenge you to find another leader or country, who in this same time period, has done anything similar:
* In 1975, Apartheid run South Africa, with support from the US, invaded neighboring Angola, Cuba sent in 30,000 troops to defeat the 'secret' and illegal invasion. All they asked in return was the bodies of their dead comrades.
* After the Sandanistas overthrew the brutal U.S.-backed Somoza regime in Nicaragua, Cuba helped build roads, railways, power plants and sugar mills. The Sandanista credits, Cuban assistance, for reducing the rate of illiteracy from 50% to less than 12% in a matter of years.
* Cuba has had the highest literacy rate in Latin America for decades.
* Every Cuban citizen has free healthcare and education far as far as they want to go. (try saying that about Miami, or anywhere else in the US)
* Cuba has a decades long track record of consistently sending 100's of doctors and medical aid to places all over the world that have been hit by natural disasters, Hurricane Katrina being only the latest.
* Cuba has provided safe haven for Assata Shakur and many black political prisoners who have been the victims of J.Edgar Hoovers Cointelpro prosecution in America due to their courageous political views and cries for equality from Uncle Sam
* Although his country is poor, Cuba gave prize money from the World Baseball Classic to victims of Hurricane Katrina in the United States.
Fidel Castro and the Cuba he helped to create is not without flaws, but has made some truly magnificent accomplishments for an island so small and poor. It truly raises questions about why the richest country on the world (the U.S.) can't do the same things. Why the richest country in the world (U.S.) has acknowledged plans to overthrow and assassinate him. In any event, I will never listen to a person who compares Castro to Hitler. Not that I was ever listening in the first place.
Released: September 10th, 2006
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