It was 2010. The world was obsessed with Jersey Shore, auto-tune was peak culture, and Enrique Iglesias was about to pivot from a Latin pop balladeer into the king of the club. When I Like It Enrique started hitting the airwaves, nobody really expected it to become the decade-defining anthem it turned out to be. It felt different. It was loud. It was unapologetically messy.
Most people forget that before this track, Enrique was the "Hero" guy. He was the guy you listened to when you wanted to cry in your bedroom. Then, suddenly, he’s in a music video with RedOne production and Pitbull, screaming about party rocks and shouting "Baby I like it!"
It worked. Boy, did it work.
The Lionel Richie Connection Everyone Misses
Here is the thing about the song's DNA. It isn’t just a random dance track. It’s actually built on the bones of Lionel Richie’s 1983 hit "All Night Long (All Night)." If you listen closely to the hook, that melodic structure is straight-up borrowed royalty. Produced by RedOne—the same mastermind behind Lady Gaga’s "Just Dance"—the track was a calculated move to merge 80s nostalgia with the pulsing Eurodance beats that were taking over the US charts at the time.
Enrique wasn't just chasing a trend. He was reinventing his entire brand.
He needed something that bridged the gap between his Spanish-speaking core audience and the global English market. By sampling an iconic 80s riff, he captured the older demographic, while the aggressive "fist-pumping" beats grabbed the MTV generation. It was a perfect storm of cross-generational marketing disguised as a club banger.
Why Pitbull was the Secret Sauce
You can’t talk about I Like It Enrique without mentioning Mr. 305. Honestly, Pitbull in 2010 was like the Midas of the music industry. If he jumped on your track, it was going to the top 10. Period.
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His verse in the song is classic "Dalé" energy. It’s fast. It’s full of references to Tiger Woods (which was a huge scandal at the time) and pop culture nods that felt incredibly "of the moment." While Enrique provided the smooth, melodic polish, Pitbull brought the grit. He made it feel like a Miami house party.
Interestingly, this collaboration wasn't a one-off. It cemented a bromance that led to multiple world tours and further hits like "I'm a Freak." They realized they had a chemistry that transcended just making music; they represented a specific era of "Latin Explosion 2.0."
The Jersey Shore Factor
Context is everything. You have to remember that Jersey Shore was the biggest show on television when this song dropped. The cast actually appeared in the music video. Seeing Snooki, The Situation, and Pauly D partying with Enrique Iglesias was the ultimate crossover event for 2010.
It was peak trash-TV culture.
The song became the unofficial anthem for the "GTL" (Gym, Tan, Laundry) lifestyle. If you went to a club in 2011 and didn't hear this song at least three times, were you even at a club? Probably not. It defined the "fist-pumping" era of dance music before EDM became the corporate giant it is today.
Breaking Down the Production: Why it Still Sounds "Big"
RedOne’s production on I Like It Enrique is a masterclass in maximalism. There is no subtlety here.
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The drums are huge. The synths are bright and slightly distorted. But the real genius is the layering of Enrique’s vocals. Even though he’s known for a softer register, RedOne pushed him to sing with more grit and volume. This wasn't the breathy Enrique of the late 90s. This was a man trying to be heard over a massive sound system in Ibiza.
- The "Euphoria" Album: This song served as the lead single for his ninth studio album, which was his first bilingual project.
- Global Dominance: It hit number one in several countries and reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Longevity: Even today, the song pulls millions of streams monthly. It's a "safe" song for wedding DJs and sporting events because everyone knows the words to the chorus.
People often dismiss these kinds of songs as "disposable pop," but making a hit that lasts fifteen years is incredibly difficult. It requires a hook that sticks in your brain like glue.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Lyrics
There’s a common misconception that the song is just about partying. Well, okay, it is mostly about partying. But it’s also about the loss of inhibitions.
"Don't go to sleep, don't go to sleep / No, no, no."
It’s about that specific feeling of not wanting a night to end. Enrique has mentioned in interviews that he wanted the song to feel "carefree." After years of singing heavy romantic ballads, he was tired of being the serious guy. He wanted to have fun. That authenticity—that genuine desire to just let go—is what resonates. Listeners can tell when an artist is faking a "party" vibe, but with Enrique, it felt like he was finally being himself.
The Business of the Rebrand
Transitioning from a balladeer to a dance-pop star is a risky move. Ask anyone who has tried it. Usually, it looks desperate.
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But Enrique did it by leaning into collaborations. By bringing in Pitbull and RedOne, he stayed relevant. He didn't try to do it alone. He understood that the "sound" of 2010 was collaborative and electronic.
The success of I Like It Enrique basically saved his career from becoming a legacy act. Instead of playing "Bailamos" at state fairs, he was suddenly headlining arenas again. It proved that Latin artists didn't have to stay in one lane. They could dominate the mainstream pop world without losing their identity.
Why You Should Still Care
In an era where music can feel very moody and introspective (thanks, Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo), there is something refreshing about going back to a time when music was just... loud.
I Like It Enrique represents a pre-pandemic, pre-social-media-anxiety world. It’s pure escapism. When that beat drops, you aren't thinking about your taxes or your screen time. You're thinking about the dance floor.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Playlist
If you’re looking to recreate that specific 2010s energy for a party or a workout, don’t just stop at this one track. To get the full effect, you need to curate the surrounding vibe correctly.
- Pair it with contemporaries: Mix this with Usher’s "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love" and Taio Cruz’s "Dynamite." That specific pocket of 2010-2012 pop is a goldmine for high-energy sets.
- Watch the live versions: If you want to see how a pro handles a crowd, watch Enrique perform this live. His energy is infectious, and he often brings fans on stage, which keeps the song feeling "human" despite the heavy electronic production.
- Respect the sample: Go back and listen to Lionel Richie’s "All Night Long." Understanding where the "All night long! (All night!)" chant comes from gives you a deeper appreciation for how pop music recycles and honors its elders.
Enrique Iglesias managed to do something very few artists achieve: he evolved without losing the fans who grew up with him. He took a risk on a "party" sound and it paid off by becoming a permanent fixture in the global pop canon. Whether you love it or think it's cheesy, you can't deny that when it comes on, you're probably going to sing along.
That is the power of a true hit. It ignores your "cool" taste and goes straight for the lizard brain. It makes you want to shout "Baby I like it!" at the top of your lungs, and honestly, we all need a bit of that energy sometimes.