Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Lisa McLoughlin

Pitbull sets unique Guinness World Record as thousands wear bald caps in London

Pitbull has officially made history after setting a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people wearing bald caps.

The 45-year-old rapper earned the title after 22,141 fans donned his signature look ahead of his headline set at BST Hyde Park on Friday night.

It proved to be a record-breaking evening all round, with the sold-out show drawing a crowd of 69,999 – making it the biggest BST Hyde Park concert in the festival's history following an increase in capacity this year.

Accepting his Guinness World Records certificate on stage, Pitbull told the crowd: "Record breaking, record making, history in the making."

Pitbull made history in London after setting a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people wearing bald caps (PA)
Pitbull made history in London after setting a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people wearing bald caps (PA)

“Thank you London, thank you to the fans, thank you Hyde Park, thank you to the Bald-es.”

Mr Worldwide, real name Armando Christian Perez, was presented with the framed Guinness World Record certificate by Greg James after the BBC Radio 1 presenter came up with the idea earlier this year and texted the singer on air.

After an official from the Guinness World Records announced the number, Pitbull shouted, “We did it Bald-es, we did it Bald-es.”

Asked how he felt, the musician said: “Tell you what I’m speechless at this point but I can tell you this much, I say it to the Bald-es all the time in the shows, when y’all put on them bald caps you know you’re about to have the time of your life and now you’re officially in the Guinness book of World Records.”

Pitbull set the record as the first person to attempt the feat under official adjudication, meaning there was no previous record to beat.

He continued: “It’s a blessing. It’s an honour.

The 45-year-old rapper earned the title after 22,141 fans donned his signature look ahead of his headline set at BST Hyde Park (PA)
The 45-year-old rapper earned the title after 22,141 fans donned his signature look ahead of his headline set at BST Hyde Park (PA)

“First of all, to all the Bald-es and all the fans out there, what an honour, a blessing, and it’s still amazing to go around any city. See, there’s nowhere I can hide at this point anywhere in the world, because you know when I’m in your city at this point.

“So to all the Bald-es, without y’all, like I said before, there’s no Pitbull, no movement, no revolution.

“But man, way to represent and who would ever thought a first-generation Cuban would be able to be in London, record breaking and record making.“

Pitbull fans, known as Bald-es, rushed to the main stage in their bald caps at the festival in order to be counted as temperatures were forecast to hit 31C in the capital.

Many sported the singer’s signature black aviators and stick on black goatees, juggling pints of drink as they carried inflatable globes.

As the count began, James told the crowd: “Quickly though, are there any actual bald people here? You do need, sir, you do need a bald cap on your bald head for this to count. You will not be counted.

Mr Worldwide was presented with the framed Guinness World Record certificate by Greg James and Jack Remmington (PA)
Mr Worldwide was presented with the framed Guinness World Record certificate by Greg James and Jack Remmington (PA)

“I know you’re bald and I know you’ve gone through a lot, but this won’t count.”

Towards the end of the show, Pitbull led the crowd on a singalong of Oasis’s Wonderwall, which he said was his way of thanking fans for helping him set the record, while fans flung their bald caps in the air as fireworks exploded over the stage during Give Me Everything, the final song.

The record comes after fans turned dressing as Mr Worldwide into a viral phenomenon.

In recent years, concertgoers have flocked to Pitbull's shows wearing sharp suits, aviator sunglasses and bald caps, transforming arenas into seas of lookalikes while belting out his biggest hits.

Ahead of Friday's BST Hyde Park performance, organisers enlisted volunteers to help count the bald caps in the crowd, while supermarket chain Aldi got in on the fun by handing out 300 caps outside the festival and temporarily rebranding itself as “Baldi”.

Pitbull was the latest headline act at BST Hyde Park, following Maroon 5 and Mumford & Sons, with Lewis Capaldi still to take to the Great Oak Stage.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.