“Ask for money, you get advice, ask for advice, get money twice.” – Pitbull
Yes, this quote is from the very Pitbull you believe I’m referring to, the rapper from Miami, Florida. The quote is literally from the opening lines of “Feel This Moment,” the fourth single from his Global Warming album.
This is excellent advice: if you ask someone to give you money, they’re most likely going to respond with something extremely unhelpful like “go to college” or more likely, “get lost.” But, if you ask for advice, you’re much more likely to get useful information you can use to your advantage.
Back to the song itself, “Feel This Moment” was a strong collaboration with Christina Aguilera. While on the surface it appears to be an upbeat dance song, there’s considerable depth to the themes of this song. It has an authenticity to it, with the lyrics talking about how life feels in real life. One of the other major lines from this song that I gravitate towards is this:
“Time is money, only difference is I own it
Like a stopwatch, let’s stop time and enjoy this moment, dale”
By “dale” Pitbull means the Spanish expression – pronounced “dah-lay” which translates “give it” or “go ahead.” Pitbull uses this term ‘dale’ a lot in his music, and it’s more than a catchphrase. Notice where he says this. “Time is money, only difference is I own it” is a direct reference to most people trading their time for money. If you learn how to own your time rather than trading it for wages or a salary, you can make a lot more out of your life, more money included. But, you also need to learn when to hit the stopwatch and learn how to live in the moment, too.
So, “Feel This Moment” clearly offers two very useful pieces of life advice, which was entirely on purpose. Pitbull’s collaboration with Christina Aguilera brings a perfect blend of emotionalism to the song; the female voice expressing the emotion of being in the moment, while the male voice expresses realism. But, there’s a third piece to take away from this song, and it’s in the chorus sung by Aguilera:
“One day while my light is glowin’
I’ll be in my castle golden
But until the gates are open
I just wanna feel this moment”
This third nugget of wisdom from the song is perhaps the most poignant; feeling the moment is just as important, if not more important than, as where you’re heading. The chorus offers one possible message you could take away from this song: the potential to find the most happiness and meaning in the moments that make you feel something. This potential could be realized in spending time with a close friend or a late night chat with a special someone. The message of this song, then, could be that feeling these moments is worth more than any amount of money.
For me, this is my favorite Pitbull song, the only one of his that I truly enjoy. It has a lot to offer, and I’m glad this one was a hit; having Christina Aguilera’s collaboration basically ensured that. There’s a lot to take away here, and it’s hard not to take “Feel This Moment” as an anthem for the underprivileged who are seeking better.
Pitbull himself knows that life, for sure. Now, he’s not only a pop star, but a successful businessman, too. That’s because, again, he shares the very advice that got him here in the first place; he knew to ask for advice, not just ask for money, like most people do.
So, the next time you need money, don’t ask for money. Ask for advice instead. Sure, it may not seem as good as money, but in the end, it’s a lot more valuable.
~ Amelia <3
