Pitbull – Hotel Room Service
His last single got so big it’s actually getting launched in the UK…
[Video][Myspace]
[5.60]
Ian Mathers: In which “I Know You Want Me” is revealed not to be a fluke (if successful) misstep, but Pitbull’s new sound; only he’s replaced the summery guitar with chintzy bleeps and bloops, so the common denominator is really just the way he spends far too much of the song yelling an uninspiring chorus rather than rapping. I thought I remembered him being charismatic – what happened?
[3]
Al Shipley: Pitbull had such a hot streak of great singles and guest appearances in the beginning of his career that I’m not really sure why almost everything in the three years since “Ay Chico” has left me cold, even as he’s belatedly become a Top 40 staple. This one’s at least not as sleepy as his last hit, but I think he still needs to crank it up a few more BPMs to really get my attention.
[5]
Michaelangelo Matos: Normally I have no problem with empty-headed stuff like this, and I enjoyed “Calle Ocho,” partly because I like the Chicago sample and partly because I don’t listen to the radio and therefore am not really sick of dude’s shtick. I still maintain the shtick there was high grade. This is very glossy, normally a plus as these things go, but within two minutes I was getting tired of it. Then I paid attention to the (English) lyrics.
[4]
Anthony Miccio: I still get a kick out of Pitbull’s relish for sex, but I’ve really missed Lil Jon’s interjections and manic production on his singles since “Krazy.” The shrieks and giggles are just too familiar to make up for beats this thin.
[6]
Andrew Casillas: Note to Pitbull: LOWER THE BASS SO I CAN HEAR THE BEAT. Some of us kind of like your music sometimes.
[3]
Martin Skidmore: The nursery rhyme Casio-sounding beats are far too underpowered for such a rousing and brash rapper, and they make the hedonistic lyric sound almost childish. A good remix could boost this to an 8 or 9.
[7]
Anthony Easton: The platonic ideal of a strip club anthem, boom boom bass and shout out chorus makes me want to rump shake while removing everything but a gold lame posing strap (email for jpegs).
[8]
Chuck Eddy: When I was told this sampled the Nightcrawlers, I was hoping that meant their 1967 nugget “The Little Black Egg” (covered by the Angry Samoans when I saw them live a couple months ago!); now I’m really bummed out. But Pitbull does mention egg whites, so there you go. And he also quotes “Rapper’s Delight” and Rick James’s “Give It To Me Baby,” and the Afro-Caribbean drums and chanting are super funky, and early 2 Live Crew also come to mind. Haven’t decided yet if this is even better than “Calle Ocho,” but it’s close.
[8]
Martin Kavka: I like the riff from The Nightcrawlers’ “Push The Feeling On” a lot. But Pitbull and Jim Jonsin obviously love it much more than I do, and deploy it for almost the entirety of “Hotel Room Service.” I don’t have any desire to listen to either track for weeks as a result. Still, even though I’m in a foul mood when the song ends, I was quite happy during the first three minutes of this song.
[5]
Alfred Soto: A bit early for “Whatever You Like” allusions, no? Anyway, I thought my hometown hero would know that for $20 a head you can get a much nicer room at the Courtyard Marriott, where you can freak some mo’ and enjoy free continental breakfast in the morning.
[7]
As much as I don’t want to hear Lil Jon on any non-Pitbull person’s song in 2009, Miccio has absolutely nailed what has been missing from the last two Pitbull singles. I also kind of wish “I Know You Want Me” would just go in on the Chicago sample once at the end. It would be a great release.
Alfred: isn’t it a bit late for “Whatever You Like” allusions?
Kinda think myself that Lil Jon’s bellowing would just clog up the works on these two singles. Though it’s true the only Pitbull album I’ve ever loved was the 2005 remix collection Money Is Still A Major Issue, which was all collaborations — with not just Lil Jon, but Ying Ying Twins, Elephant Man, Daddy Yankee, Nina Sky, Rich Boy, Ivy Queen, etc. Oddly, though, the lack of helping hands doesn’t really bug me with “Calle Ocho” or “Hotel Room Service.”
So (already) chalk this up as another rap song I overrated by a point or two. Maybe I just want to have a more open mind than I really do, who knows. Thing just doesn’t pass the car radio test, now that I’m actually hearing it there; definitely not as good as “Calle Ocho.” Though I still don’t think Lil Jon would make me like it any more.
It’s not that I just want to hear Lil Jon yell “yeah” on top of any ol’ weak sauce – I mentioned his production as well as his vocals for a reason.