It was 2010. You couldn't walk into a CVS, a nightclub, or a middle school gym without hearing that synth-heavy opening. I Like It by Enrique Iglesias didn't just climb the charts; it basically parked its car there and refused to leave. It felt like a fever dream of the Jersey Shore era, featuring a Pitbull verse that felt mandatory for the time and a Lionel Richie sample that nobody saw coming.
Honestly, it’s a weird song on paper. You’ve got a Latin pop icon known for soulful ballads suddenly shouting about "disco sticks" and "baby I like it." But it worked. It worked so well that it went quadruple platinum in the US. Even now, over fifteen years later, the opening "Jersey!" shout from Pitbull triggers a Pavlovian response in anyone who lived through the early 2010s.
The Weird Genius of the Lionel Richie Sample
Most people forget that the backbone of this track isn't original. The "Oh-oh-oh" hook is lifted straight from Lionel Richie’s 1983 hit All Night Long (All Night). RedOne, the producer who was basically the king of the world back then after working with Lady Gaga, was the one who pulled it together.
It was a risky move. Sampling a massive 80s hit can often feel cheap or like a lazy grab for nostalgia. But RedOne didn't just loop the track. He sped it up, crushed it through a modern pop filter, and turned a soft-rock anthem into a club banger. If you listen closely to the production, the layering is actually pretty dense. It’s not just a simple beat. There are these buzzing sawtooth synths that define the "Eurodance" sound of that specific window in music history.
Enrique was transitioning. He was moving away from the "Hero" persona—the guy with the mole and the yearning eyes—and leaning into this high-energy, almost frantic party vibe. It was a total rebrand. It saved his career in the English-speaking market, proving he wasn't just a legacy act from the 90s. He was a shapeshifter.
Why Pitbull Was the Secret Sauce
You can't talk about I Like It by Enrique Iglesias without mentioning Mr. Worldwide. At the time, Pitbull was the undisputed king of the guest verse. He brought a specific kind of energy—raucous, bilingual, and unapologetically loud.
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His verse in this song is peak Pitbull. He name-drops "Tiger Woods" and "Jesse James" in a way that feels incredibly dated now, but at the moment, it was topical and punchy. He provided the grit to Enrique’s smooth, processed vocals. Without Pitbull, the song might have been too sugary. He gave it the "club" credibility it needed to bridge the gap between Top 40 radio and the Miami dance scene.
The chemistry worked so well that they spent years touring together afterward. They became a package deal. If you saw Enrique, you expected Pit. It was a symbiotic relationship that defined a whole era of Spanglish pop.
The Jersey Shore Effect
Context matters. You have to remember that when this song dropped, Jersey Shore was the biggest cultural phenomenon on television. The music video for the song literally features the cast—Snooki, The Situation, Pauly D—partying in a club with Enrique.
It was a brilliant marketing move. By tying the song to the "GTL" (Gym, Tan, Laundry) subculture, the label ensured it would be the anthem for an entire summer. It wasn’t just a song; it was a lifestyle accessory. Critics hated it, obviously. They called it mindless. They called it repetitive. But the fans didn't care. The song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 because it captured the "id" of 2010. We wanted loud colors, fist-pumping, and big choruses.
A Technical Look at the Vocals
Enrique isn't trying to win a Grammy for vocal gymnastics here. He stays in a relatively narrow range. The magic is in the processing. RedOne used a heavy amount of pitch correction—not because Enrique can't sing, but as a stylistic choice. It gives the voice a robotic, metallic sheen that cuts through loud speakers in a crowded room.
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- Tempo: Approximately 129 BPM, which is the "sweet spot" for house-influenced pop.
- Key: G major, generally considered one of the "happiest" keys in music theory.
- Structure: Intro, Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge (Pitbull), Chorus, Outro. Classic.
The simplicity is the point. You don't have to think to enjoy it. You just have to feel the four-on-the-floor beat.
The Longevity Nobody Expected
Most "party" songs have the shelf life of an open gallon of milk. They’re hot for three months and then they become embarrassing artifacts. Somehow, I Like It by Enrique Iglesias avoided that fate.
Go to a wedding tonight. Wait until the open bar has been running for two hours. Play this song. The floor will fill up. It has transitioned from a "current hit" to a "nostalgia trigger." It represents a time before the world felt quite so heavy, a time of neon sunglasses and BlackBerry phones.
It also paved the way for the "Latin Explosion" 2.0. Before "Despacito" broke every record in existence, Enrique was proving that a Latin artist could dominate the global stage by blending reggaeton rhythms with straight-up European dance-pop. He was the bridge. He showed that you didn't have to choose between being a "Latin artist" and a "Global Pop Star." You could just be both.
What Critics Got Wrong
At the time, Rolling Stone and other outlets were fairly dismissive. They saw it as a desperate grab for relevance. What they missed was the craftsmanship. Making a "dumb" pop song that stays catchy for two decades is actually incredibly difficult. If it were easy, everyone would have a quadruple-platinum record.
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The song survives because it’s fundamentally well-constructed. The transition from the Lionel Richie sample back into the main synth riff is seamless. The way the bass drops out right before the chorus creates a genuine sense of tension and release. It's pop engineering at its finest.
How to Experience the Track Today
If you’re looking to revisit the magic of I Like It by Enrique Iglesias, don't just listen to the radio edit on your phone speakers.
- Find the Extended Mix: There are club versions that let the Lionel Richie sample breathe a bit more. It builds the anticipation better than the 3-minute radio cut.
- Watch the Video: Seriously. It’s a time capsule. Watching Enrique hang out with the Jersey Shore cast is a reminder of just how specific that era of pop culture was.
- Check the Live Versions: Enrique is known for his high-energy live shows. Seeing him perform this at the Billboard Latin Music Awards or during his arena tours shows how much he feeds off the crowd's energy.
The song remains a staple for a reason. It’s a shot of pure, unadulterated dopamine. It doesn't ask you to reflect on your life or contemplate the universe. It just asks you to dance. And sometimes, that's exactly what music needs to do.
Actionable Takeaways for Pop Fans
If you're building a playlist or just trying to understand why this era of music worked, keep these things in mind.
- Study the Sample: Listen to Lionel Richie’s "All Night Long" and then listen to Enrique’s track immediately after. Notice how the "vibe" shifts even though the melody is the same. It’s a masterclass in modernizing a classic.
- Look at the Credits: Check out RedOne’s other work from 2009-2011 (Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj). You’ll start to hear the "RedOne Sound"—that specific, aggressive synth-pop that defined the decade.
- Contextualize the Collaboration: Notice how many Latin artists started collaborating with American rappers after this song became a hit. It set a blueprint for the "Feature-Heavy" era of the 2010s.
I Like It by Enrique Iglesias isn't just a song; it's a marker of a specific cultural shift. It took the 80s, the 2000s club scene, and the rising tide of Latin pop, and mashed them into a three-minute explosion. It’s loud, it’s proud, and honestly? We still like it.