Pitbull confirmed during a Q&A at Billboard Latin Music Week that he became physically aroused when Jennifer Lopez executed an unrehearsed dance move against him onstage at the 2011 American Music Awards.
The rapper, whose full name is Armando Christian Pérez, made the remark on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, at the Faena Forum in Miami Beach. He was discussing the pair’s performance of their hit “On the Floor” when he addressed a long-circulating photograph from the night.
“But funny story on that right there,” Pérez said. “There’s a picture out there with me and Jennifer at an [awards show]. And Jennifer, during rehearsal, didn’t do a certain move that she did when the show went on. And when she did that move, I got excited. So that makes sense to that picture, if you know what I’m talking about.”
The audience responded with laughter. Pérez, 45, also praised Lopez’s career, calling the chance to work with her “an absolute blessing and honor” and noting how she rose from the bottom to sustained success.
The original performance took place on Nov. 20, 2011, at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles during the 39th Annual American Music Awards. Lopez performed “Until It Beats No More” and “Papi” before bringing Pérez on for “On the Floor.” During the number she pressed her body against him in a grinding move that had not been part of their rehearsals.
Images from the broadcast quickly circulated online. Viewers and some media outlets at the time pointed to the front of Pérez’s trousers in certain frames, turning the moment into recurring pop-culture trivia. Argentine coverage the following day highlighted the visible reaction. The clip and stills remained a frequent subject of online commentary for years.
Pérez, born Jan. 15, 1981, in Miami to Cuban immigrant parents, built his career under the stage names Pitbull, Mr. 305 and Mr. Worldwide. He rose from early reggaeton and Latin hip-hop releases to mainstream crossover success with tracks including “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)” and multiple collaborations with Lopez such as “Dance Again,” “Live It Up” and “Drinks for You (Ladies Anthem).”
Lopez, 57, has maintained a high-profile career as a singer, actress and performer. The 2011 AMAs appearance came during promotion of her album “Love?” and the single “On the Floor,” which became one of her biggest international hits.
Pérez’s comments at the Miami event marked the first time he publicly addressed the photograph in detail. Coverage of the Q&A spread quickly across entertainment outlets and social media, with many users treating the delayed confession as both humorous and unexpected 15 years after the fact.
In the same appearance Pérez continued to express appreciation for Lopez and joked that she and Shakira still owed him a Super Bowl performance in Miami.
