The Latin Grammys were last night, and one of my favorite performers, Pitbull, opened (and closed) the show. Yes, I like Pitbull. Pitbull's music is raunchy, randy, overtly sexual, with a great beat and very hum-able, (because you don't want to be heard singing those lyrics in public.)
I know, I know. I'm totally not his demographic. I tell people I like Pitbull and they either think I'm insane (what self-respecting feminst likes Pitbull?) or making a lame attempt at being cool. To which I say: I'm a Trekkie, I gave up on cool a long time ago.
But I was thinking about why I like Pitbull, particularly when I recoil from other artists whose lyrics towards women are similarly suggestive/dirty. Leaving aside the rythym and the fact that he has a great voice, in large part I think it's because Pitbull isn't of the "get over here b***" school of lyrics. He's suggestive, but he's not bossy. He never refers to women rudely, and he's openly appreciative of their charms. Appreciation makes a girl feel good.
Unlike a lot of rappers, he doesn't do songs about showering her with material posessions, which I appreciate, because I've been on the receiving end of that and it's not flattering. It's like they think they can buy you.
Mostly, the songs are about female beauty and what he'd like to do. Also, and this is key, he makes it sound like fun, not a transaction, not an end-of-the-world, all-consuming passion, just fun. Essentially, he's making an extremely naughty offer but it's her choice about whether or not to accept. That's called seduction, and seduction is very attractive.
Friday Feel Good Video
Obviously it's a Pitbull video, and while this one is fairly tame, it's probably not safe for work.
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