Aug 9, 2023 - Things to Do

Rick Ross battles Pitbull for Miami hip-hop crown

Data: Axios reader survey; Bracket: Axios Visuals
Data: Axios reader survey; Bracket: Axios Visuals

It's time to vote for Miami's best hip-hop artist of all time.

Driving the news: Our readers eliminated Trick Daddy and Kodak Black in the semifinals of our hip-hop bracket, setting up a championship battle between local legends Rick Ross and Pitbull.

The matchup: Ross, who grew up in Miami Gardens, is the larger-than-life "Boss" of the rap game known for his extravagant storytelling and iconic "Houghhh!"

Pitbull — aka "Mr. Worldwide" — is a genre-blending superstar whose catchphrase "Dale" is known across the U.S.

  • Born in Miami to Cuban exile parents, Pitbull became popular by blending gritty southern rap flows with Spanish dance hits.
  • He went on to release some of the biggest party hits of the 2010s. Two of his songs, "Give me Everything" and "Timber," have charted No. 1 on the Billboard 100.
  • The Miami Coral Park Senior High alumnus opened a public charter school, SLAM, in Little Havana in 2013.

Worth your time: Both appear on DJ Khaled's early hits "Holla at Me" and "Born 'N' Raised."

Of note: This is a very unscientific survey with a small sample size, but we wanted to create a space for fans to celebrate Miami's rap scene for the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

Go deeper: 🎧 Martin created a Spotify playlist highlighting the 16 local artists featured in our bracket

🚨 Voting is open now and closes Wednesday at 3pm.

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