Best Hype Man


Important: This article was last updated on September 21, 2005. Please call ahead to confirm hours, prices, dates and other information.

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Readers' picks

Best Bartender
 Cat, The Poor House, Fort Lauderdale

Best Club DJ
 DJ Kid Fresh

Best Radio Personalities
 Paul Castronovo and Young Ron Brewer, Big 105.9

Best Athlete
 Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat

Best TV Personality
 Jade Alexander, WFOR-TV (Channel 4)
 
Cubo

 In the decade it took the Cuban-American rapper Pitbull to begin cranking out hits with Lil Jon, the Ying Yang Twins and on his own, Cubo was by his side. He remains there today. "This guy was banging out beats on the wall for me when I started. To be here now with him, it's like a fucking fairy tale," Pitbull says of his faithful hype man. Now in such high demand and performing virtually nonstop, Pitbull calls on Cubo at almost every other show. "Hyping is not a steady job you work by the numbers," Cubo explains. "Every night is going to be different." Cubo is a master at gauging what a crowd craves and then working it into a frenzy. He's Pitbull's one-man support system. "I have to be his other hand out there," he explains. Whenever he's not working with Pitbull, Cubo can be found in the studio laboring on his own album. "It's gotta be just right," he says of the long-gestating project. If his recent single featuring Piccalo, "Who You Rollin' Wit'," is any indication, we'll wait as long as it takes.