Rapper Pitbull true to his Cuban heritage


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- As the man in the Dodgers jersey walked quickly around the perimeter of the infield, fans poured down from the bleachers begging for autographs.

Pitbull says he learns from setbacks: "Usually the negatives turned out to be the most positive for me."
No, it wasn't home run king Manny Ramirez. It was Armando Christian Perez, the Cuban-American rapper better known as Pitbull.
 In five years, he's gone from a mouthy Miami street hustler to a chart-topping hip-hop star whose infectious Caribbean beats have enticed crossover audiences to swing their hips and sing along -- even taking on some of the words in Spanish. His fourth studio album, "Rebelution," debuted in the Top 10 on the mainstream Billboard chart.
 But Pitbull's growing profile means nada as he takes the mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch of the game. "I'm the only Cuban who never picked up a baseball in his life," he said, preparing. He awkwardly winds up and releases the pitch. It falls short, bouncing on the ground before reaching the plate.
 "One more try!" he signals. The second attempt is closer to the mark.
 It's symbolic of Pit's career. "It's not how you start. It's how you finish it," he likes to say.

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