| El Mariel | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 31, 2006 | |||
| Recorded | April 2005–April 2006 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 70:55 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | ||||
| Pitbull chronology | ||||
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| Singles from El Mariel | ||||
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El Mariel is the secondstudio album byCuban-American rapperPitbull. It was released on October 31, 2006 throughTVT Records. The album was leaked onto the internet on October 27, 2006, four days before the album was released. The album features production fromLil Jon, Diaz Brothers,DJ Khaled,Mr. Collipark,The Neptunes and Jim Jonsin. It also includesguest appearances fromFat Joe,Wyclef Jean,Lil Jon,Rick Ross andTrick Daddy among others. A Spanish-language version of the album was also released on October 31, 2006 featuring the three singles from the album, along with twelve Spanish-only tracks.
El Mariel was supported by foursingles: "Bojangles", "Ay Chico (Lengua Afuera)", "Dime" and "Be Quiet". The album received generally mixed reviews frommusic critics and was a moderate commercial success. It debuted at number 17 on the USBillboard 200 chart, selling 48,000 copies in its first week.[1]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| HipHopDX |  [3] |
| Los Angeles Times | [4] |
| RapReviews | 8.0/10[5] |
| Rolling Stone | [6] |
| The Situation | 4/5[7] |
| Stylus Magazine | B−[8] |
| XXL | (L)[9] |
AllMusic's David Jeffries noted that the album's political aspects are misleading, but praised it for having catchy party music mixed with the serious tracks and Pitbull for showing a little depth in his lyrical repertoire, concluding that, "While it's hard to deny the more mature Pitbull is something that needs to be explored further, it's just as hard to deny the rump-shaking, trunk-rumbling stunners he drops all over the album."[2] Steve 'Flash' Juon ofRapReviews praised the album's reggaeton sound and Pitbull's improvement as a lyricist and musician, concluding that, "Hip-Hop in South Florida is now more universal than ever thanks in large part to Pitbull's infectious flow and machismo."[5] Agustin Gurza of theLos Angeles Times praised the record for conveying an artist that carries multiple dimensions and facets of a lived life, saying "we meet a Pitbull who is even likable and vulnerable."[4]
Jesús Triviño Alarcon ofXXL, while praising the tracks that involved serious topics, felt the record was overhauled by a majority of the nondescript dance club tracks, concluding that "[T]he music may knock in the club, but Pitbull’s lack of diversity is a major issue."[9] Evan Serpick ofRolling Stone was critical of Pitbull's flow throughout the album, saying that it works in the party tracks but the slower ones bring out lyricism that's limp, concluding that "his hot flow and ice-cold lyrics are better served in the club."[6] Andres Tardio ofHipHopDX said he saw potential based on the record's title and its serious tracks but felt it was wasted opportunity because of Pitbull not being able to stay on topic.[3]
El Mariel debuted at number 17 on the USBillboard 200 chart, selling 48,000 copies in its first week.[1] The album also debuted at number one on the USTop Independent Albums chart, becoming Pitbull's second number one on the chart.[10] As of April 2007, the album has sold over a total of 214,000 copies in the United States.[11]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | Donavan Knowles | 1:56 | |
| 2. | "Miami Shit" |
| Gorilla Tek | 3:22 |
| 3. | "Come See Me" | DJ Toomp | 3:07 | |
| 4. | "Jealouso" |
| Pharrell Williams | 4:03 |
| 5. | "Qué Tú Sabes D'eso" (featuringFat Joe and Sinful) |
| The Ghost Writers | 4:03 |
| 6. | "Fademaster Skit" | 0:37 | ||
| 7. | "Be Quiet" |
| Shakespeare | 3:22 |
| 8. | "Ay Chico (Lengua Afuera)" |
| Mr. Collipark | 3:25 |
| 9. | "Fuego" |
|
| 3:49 |
| 10. | "Rock Bottom" (featuringBun B and Cubo) |
| Taz | 4:31 |
| 11. | "Amanda Diva Skit" | 0:41 | ||
| 12. | "Blood Is Thicker Than Water" (featuring Redd Eyezz) |
| Cip | 4:05 |
| 13. | "Jungle Fever" (featuringWyclef Jean andOobie) |
|
| 4:02 |
| 14. | "Hey You Girl" | Jim Jonsin | 3:46 | |
| 15. | "Raindrops" (featuring Anjuli Stars) |
| The Diaz Brothers | 4:15 |
| 16. | "Voodoo" |
| Lil Jon | 3:47 |
| 17. | "Descarada (Dance)" (featuringVybz Kartel) |
| Don "Vendetta" Bennett | 3:02 |
| 18. | "Dime (Remix)" (featuringKen-Y) |
| Lil Jon | 5:07 |
| 19. | "Bojangles (Remix)" (featuringLil Jon andYing Yang Twins) |
| Lil Jon | 4:29 |
| 20. | "Born-N-Raised" (DJ Khaled featuring Pitbull,Trick Daddy, andRick Ross) | The Runners | 4:16 | |
| 21. | "Outro" | 1:10 | ||
| Total length: | 70:55 | |||
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22. | "We Run This" | Ervin EP Pope | 3:29 |
Best Buy Bonus DVD
Sample credits
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
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