Pitbull has joined a group of big names such as Eminem, Bruce Springsteen, Tiesto and others in the ranks of having his own SiriusXM satellite radio channel. Globalization, the name of the new outlet (and the rapper's last album), will hit the airwaves on May 19. The station will feature a range of music that appeals to "Mr. Worldwide," from his Cuban-American influences to his American hip-hop favorites (from Billboard).
Although Sirius has given plenty of performers the chance to host their own radio program through its various channels—Trace Adkins being a recent example—Pitbull joins an elite lineup of performers who have entire channels named after them. Some—such as the Grateful Dead, Springsteen and Pearl Jam—can justify entire channels thanks to the large number of concert recordings that exist. Others—such as Elvis Presley, Eminem and Ozzy Osbourne—make for sensible honorees thanks to the huge influence they hold in their respective genres. We'll see if Pitbull can live up to that sort of pressure.
He'll kick off his radio run on May 19 with a live concert from The Apollo Theater in Harlem, which will be broadcast live (what channel number Globalization will fill has yet to be announced). Fans can attempt to win tickets to the gig via the SiriusXM website.
Although the world focuses more on the entrepreneurial moves of established performers such as Jay Z, Pitbull is building himself quite the empire from Miami.
The rapper will also host his own weekly radio program on Globalization.
