Pitbull set a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people wearing bald caps at his BST Hyde Park headline show on Friday night. The 45-year-old rapper, whose real name is Armando Christian Perez, earned the title after 22,141 fans donned his signature bald cap look ahead of his performance.
Record-Breaking Evening at BST Hyde Park
The sold-out show drew 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."
The record was presented by BBC Radio 1 presenter Greg James, who came up with the idea earlier this year and texted the singer on air. After an official from Guinness World Records announced the number, Pitbull shouted, "We did it Bald-es, we did it Bald-es."
Fans Embrace the Bald Cap Phenomenon
Pitbull fans, known as Bald-es, rushed to the main stage in their bald caps to be counted, as temperatures were forecast to hit 31°C 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. I know you're bald and I know you've gone through a lot, but this won't count."
Pitbull's Speechless Gratitude
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. 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."
Viral Phenomenon and Community Support
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".
Memorable Finale
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. Fans flung their bald caps in the air as fireworks exploded over the stage during Give Me Everything, the final song.
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.
