Pitbull given bear spray during Alaska visit

The Associated Press, Tuesday, July 31, 2012, 5:44am (PDT)

Pitbull (©Twitter)

KODIAK, Alaska (AP) -- Miami rapper Pitbull can now say he's safe from bears in Alaska.

Pitbull received a care package Monday from Walmart during his visit to Kodiak, complete with bear repellent spray and bear bells used by hikers to make noise, the Kodiak Daily Mirror reported.

The bear spray had special meaning to about 250 people who attended the Pitbull appearance at the Coast Guard base in Kodiak. The rapper had tweeted he heard the local Walmart sold the spray.

In a marketing deal, Pitbull — whose real name is Armando Christian Perez — agreed to visit the Walmart that got the most likes on its Facebook page.

Kodiak was the easy winner, thanks to David Thorpe, a Boston writer who thought it would be funny to send Pitbull to the most remote Walmart possible. Thorpe also was in Kodiak Monday and met the rapper.

Pitbull was a sport, receiving a key to the city from Kodiak Mayor Pat Branson, who donned shades to mimic the dapper rapper's look.

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Pitbull tweeted a picture of him holding a child onstage alongside Alutiiq dancers and said, "Thank U Kodiak ... I am honored, truly."

The rapper, known as "Mr. Worldwide," told the audience he would put Kodiak into a future song.

Following the appearance at the Coast Guard base, he met employees of the Walmart.