Fans walking around the Iowa State Fair on Sunday, Aug. 10 sported a different look than the typical fair fashion: white button-down shirts, suit pants, sunglasses, faux facial hair — and bald caps.
They’re dressed like the rapper and producer who they are going to see perform at the Grandstand later that night.
Hours before Pitbull took the Iowa State Fair Grandstand, hardcore fans started lining up at the two entrances to ensure their perfect spot in the general admission pit.
More than two decades into his career, Pitbull has dozens of hits from “Hotel Room Service” to “Fireball” to “I Like It” to “El Taxi” that have become permanent playlist staples at weddings or at the club.
Now fans are taking their love for the star to the next level.
Typically, people travel all across the country to come to the Iowa State Fair, but for some Pitbull fans, the fair is just a bonus.
Mother and daughter duo Corinne and Cameron White, originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, traveled from the University of Illinois to see “Mr. Worldwide.” It isn’t their first time traveling to see him, as self-proclaimed “No. 1 fans.”
“We’ve never seen Pitbull in Pittsburgh. We’ve been to Arizona, North Carolina, Chicago, and now we are in Iowa,” Cameron White said. “(We came to the State Fair yesterday), but it is our first time in Iowa, period. Now that I can feel Pitbull here, I love Iowa.”
Corrinne White, who wore a collaged tank top with various photos of Pitbull, said everyone has been “so nice” in Iowa.
At the main entrance gates of the Grandstand, passersby asked fans if they could take a picture. The next best thing to meeting Pitbull or snagging a ticket to the sold-out show was a scenario that unfolded throughout the day. Jessika Coll from Des Moines was one such fan.
“It is our first time going to a concert here, and I wanted to be like him and fit the trend that is going around,” Coll said.
Why are fans dressing up as Pitbull?
The Pitbull drag has become a common occurrence during his tour stops. It is the latest iteration of the “concert uniform,” as the New York Times describes it, popularized by artists like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.
In an interview with the BBC, the Grammy-award winning artist said fans showing up to his shows dressed as him is the “ultimate trophy.”
“Every time I’m at a show, I let them know that when you put on a bald cap, I hope you’re ready to have the time of your lives — it feels deeper than just music,” Pitbull told the BBC. “It’s the ultimate trophy to be able to go on stage and see all the hard work that you put into the music. I’ve been in the game for 25 years, and to see every demographic, everybody (dressing up) at the shows is priceless.”
Other fans like Shelby Delacruz and Jayson Chavez of Perry opted not to dress up for the show. The Iowa State Fair show marks their fourth time seeing Pitbull live, but they love seeing people embrace the trend.
“I was trying to convince (Delacruz) to do the bald cap with me, but she didn’t want to because she said she was ‘insecure about wearing a bald cap,'” Chavez said.
“But props to everyone else, they look great, beautiful,” Delacruz said. “I love (the trend). Last year we took a trip to Missouri (to see Pitbull) and we took a (picture) with a group of (10 girls) dressed as Pitbull.”
The 81-degree day and high humidity did not stop people from fully committing to the bit, though some opted for tank tops and shorts instead of long sleeves and pants. The bald caps, some people with drawn-on facial hair or adhesive strips imitating goatees, were unmissable.
Unlike being bald, however, the caps don’t provide a cooling effect on a hot Iowa summer day.
“(I think being bald) is very freeing, anyone who can be bald should be bald,” Cameron White said. “(The bald cap) is a sweaty mess up there. I’m a little concerned about mildew, but I’m hoping we make it through the night alive.”
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