"Get It Started" is a song by American recording artistPitbull from his seventh studio albumGlobal Warming. It was released on June 25, 2012 as the second single from the album byRCA Records.[2] The song features guest vocals from Colombian singer-songwriterShakira, marking the third time they have collaborated on a song together, the others being an official remix to the Spanish version of "Did it Again", "Lo Hecho Está Hecho", and the English version of "Rabiosa". The artists co-wrote the song with its producers,DJ Buddha,Sidney Samson,Marc Kinchen,Develop, with additional writing fromDurrell "Tank" Babbs andKris Stephens. It is adance-pop song that "blends a dance beat and up-tempo verses with a slowed-down, piano-driven pop chorus".
Pitbull and Shakira first collaborated with each other in 2010 from her seventh studio albumSale el Sol (2010), Shakira enlisted Pitbull to co-write the English and Spanish versions of the songs "Loca" and "Rabiosa".[3][4] Pitbull appears on the English version of the latter.[5]
In June 2011 Pitbull revealed that he had reached out to Shakira to appear on his single "Give Me Everything". Shakira declined his offer, citing personal issues, but stated that she would be open to a collaboration with him in the future, but "not now". Pitbull then sent the verse he offered to Shakira song toNe-Yo, who recorded it and "knocks it out of the park". Pitbull then reached out to Shakira once again, stating that: "I think this is really going to be a monster, I would love for you to be a part of it, if not cool". She declined the second verse offered to her, and it went toNayer.[6]
On October 7, 2011 theRCA Music Group announced it was disbandingJ Records along withArista Records andJive Records. With the shutdown, Pitbull (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release his future material on theRCA Records brand.[7] Pitbull revealed in March 2012 that he and Shakira had recorded a new song together. He stated that the song was "a follow up to what we have going on with the 'Men in Black(III)'." He concluded by stating that: "I look forward to anything I have to do with Shakira". Shakira recorded her vocals for the song inBarcelona, while Pitbull recorded his in theDominican Republic.[8] The song was leaked online on June 25, 2012.[9]
Pitbull performed this during theMDA Show of Strength on September 2, 2012, with video footage of Shakira in the background.
"Get It Started" is adance-pop andEurodance song with a duration of four minutes and five seconds.[10] It was written by Pitbull, Bigram Zayas, Durrell Babbs, Kris Stephens, Marc Kinchen, Sidney Samson, Urales Vargas, and Shakira, and produced by DJ Buddha, Marc Kinchen, Develop and Sidney Samso.[11] The song's composition "blends a dance beat and up-tempo verses with a slowed-down, piano-driven pop chorus",[12] with "a pummeling synth instrumental to back the Latin-rap heavyweight’s high-energy verses." After each chorus, there is a eurodance beat.[11]
Shakira provides the "heart-wrung hook" on "Get It Started", "emoting as the beat breaks off into a subtle stomp" before quickly "returning in full force seconds later".[13] in the chorus, she sings: "Everytime I look into your eyes / I feel like I could stare in them for a lifetime / we can get started for life."[14] On the song, Pitbull talks about "his passports and his world travels", singing: "To these rappers I apologize, I know it ain’t fair / Only ball I drop, New Year’s Times Square / The world is mine / Sixth sense, I see the seven signs / Now baby, let’s get started for life."[12] He also namesTom Cruise on the lyrics, although in a way "that would have Cruise’s lawyers come knocking on his door", in reference to his past legal issues withLindsay Lohan.[15]
The music video was first released onto Pitbull's officialVEVO channel on August 2, 2012 and was directed by David Rosseau. Shakira shot her part of the video inBarcelona,Spain, while Pitbull shot his part inMadrid, Spain. The music video has scenes that cut between the two and has them separately on top of a clock tower. After the line "don't start what you can't finish", it shows Pitbull driving very fast in traffic before the outro, where he is on stage performing the song. The video has received over 76 million views.[16]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.
^"Classifiche".Musica e Dischi (in Italian).Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved29 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Shakira".
