Pitbull made the most of his exile.
The Miami superstar touched down Monday in Kodiak, Alas. — population 6,100 — where he performed as part of a Facebook contest where fans could vote on which Walmart store in the country would host a visit from the “International Love” rapper.
After Boston Phoenix writer David Thorpe launched an Internet prank to get followers to pad the number of “likes” in the Walmart and Sheets Energy Strips-sponsored contest, the most remote store in the U.S. chain came in first.
Pitbull (aka Armando Cristian Perez), though, has been a good sport since the contest’s results were announced earlier this month. “I heard that Kodiak, Alaska, has the most likes due to someone who thinks he was playing a prank,” he said in a video. “I said, ‘Okay, great, this sounds really good.’ You have to understand I will go anywhere in the world for my fans.”
A good sport, that is, up to a point.
Pitbull posted a photo of himself with Thorpe, who he invited along for the trip, with the Sun Tzu quote, “keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. ;)”
During his Kodiak visit, Pitbull received a key to the city from Kodiak Mayor Pat Branson, who donned a pair of the sunglasses similar to the rapper’s trademark shades, according to the Kodiak Daily Mirror.
At the local Walmart, he got an even better gift: a care package that included bear repellent.
He then performed before a crowd of hundreds — still a major turnout for a city that size — at the Coast Guard base in Kodiak.
Pitbull tweeted a picture of him alongside Alutiiq dancers with the caption, “Thank U Kodiak … I am honored, truly.”
