Pitbull

Pitbull's newest CD includes lines like "Welcome to the real Miami/where we live to die." Typical rapper throwdown boasts, yes, but that's the only thing that's typical about El Mariel. Cuban-American Pitbull mixes English and Spanish lyrics, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and hard-hitting hip-hop beats. El Mariel has several standout tunes, such as "Jealouso" (a Spanglish term in itself). Pharrell, who is also featured, co-wrote the track. "Jealouso" starts off with just Pitbull and some bongos, adding a tambourine, other percussion instruments, and singers as the beat builds. Thirty seconds in, "Jealouso" is impossible not to dance to. Another highlight is the slightly more laidback but just as infectious "Que Tu Sabes D'Eso" ("What Do You Know About That"), which features Fat Joe and Sinful. (Other guest artists on El Mariel include Wyclef, Lil Jon, and the Yin Yang Twins.) Old-school fans (no, really old-, old-school) will enjoy the taste of Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe on "Come See Me," which includes a sample of their hit "La Murga de Panama." If you don't know what the title El Mariel refers to, don't worry, Pitbull includes a couple of musical history lessons for you, including one that compares the Mariel boatlift to the "Katrina buslift."