Key Takeaways
- Pitbull keeps his children out of the spotlight because he believes they are “not built for” the pressures of his fame yet.
- He wants his kids to decide how public they want to be once they are old enough to understand the consequences of sharing their lives.
- The father of six also worries his celebrity could make it difficult for them to know whether classmates and friends genuinely care about them.
Pitbull has built a career on visibility, from Miami rap records to worldwide pop hits and major business ventures. But when it comes to his children, the artist says he wants to avoid visibility.
In a new Billboard interview, Pitbull explained that he keeps his family out of the public eye because his kids aren’t ready to handle the attention that comes with his name.
“I don’t wanna put them in my world ’cause they’re not built for it yet,” Pitbull said. The singer and global brand ambassador, born Armando Christian Pérez, framed that decision as part of being a parent.
He said children should get to decide for themselves how much of their lives they want to share publicly once they are old enough to understand what that means.
For an artist whose stage name became synonymous with crossover success, the distinction is notable. Pitbull rose to prominence in Miami’s hip-hop scene in the early 2000s, making early appearances with Uncle Luke and Lil Jon before releasing his debut, M.I.A.M.I., in 2004.
He later expanded beyond his crunk and Latin-rap foundation, scoring international dance-pop hits with “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho),” “Give Me Everything,” and “Timber.”
That public rise is why he says exposure can be complicated for the people around him. Pitbull told Billboard that even a public photo with a young child can introduce them to a world shaped by his celebrity.
“If you’re a kid, 3 years old, 5 years old, early teens, and you’re taking a picture with me and we’re posting it to the world, I’m letting you into my world now,” he said.
He also cited the possibility of being connected to situations simply because of his name.
He said the concern follows his kids into more ordinary settings, including school. Pitbull questioned how a child could tell the difference between a real friend and someone responding to their parent’s fame.
“Now you go to school and everybody like, ‘Oh, ’cause you’re Pitbull’s kid,’” he said. “How are you gonna ever know who’s your friend?”
Pitbull reportedly has six children and has generally kept details about their lives private.
