Big Pun "Yeeeah Baby!" (The Source, 2000)

Imagine the puzzle faced by a larger cat--slightly heavier than the average entertainer--tryin' to make a name in hip-hop. If you're one of the Fat Boys, you make light of your size, using your music as a way to run one long-ass joke about your weight. If you're Biggie or Fat Joe, you come with the raw, ice grillin' any and everybody who might even think about crackin' a "fat" joke. But what do you do when you're not only one of the sickest MCs in the history of the sport, you also happen to be a genuinely funny mu'fucka? Before he left to join our fallen heroes, Big Pun gave us the answer in the form of the latest, and sadly, his final album, Yeeeah Baby! As the re-up to 1998's Capital Punishment, the portly Puerto Rock's last haymaker at the world offers an even more in-depth peep inside the heart and soul of a man in constant struggle with himself. But don't get it fucked up. Like on... Punishment, you won't hear Big Pun feelin' sorry for himself on this album. Instead, you'll get a backstage pass to the all-out jam that was Pun's personality: street-wise, intellectually sharp, sex-crazed--and funny as all hell. The album's intro, straight outta late-night shock TV, features Lord Sear (R.I.P., of Stretch & Bobbito fame) playing a Dr. Frankenstein-type who's puttin' the finishing touches on his latest creation: The Punisher, the ultimate MC genetically engineered from equal parts Kane, G Rap and, believe it or not, Eddie Murphy. From there, Yeeeah Baby! unfolds like a road-map, guiding travelers in finding more and more ways to laugh at the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of life. "It's So Hard," the Donnell Jones duet y'all have been hearin' blowin' up your radios, contains just the right mix of yin and yang that made Pun, like B.I.G. before him, so popular. And when Pun proclaims that after losing a hundred pounds, he's "ready to live," you'll fight back a tear while crackin' a smile, knowing that he lived his tragically short life to the fullest. Cont'd below...

For those of y'all dirty-fingernail types, who've been hittin' the rewind button since "Dream Shatterer," check "Leather Face," which has been makin' the mixtape and club rounds since late January, along with "Off With His Head," featuring Prospect, "We Don't Care," with Cuban and "The Wrong Ones," on which TS newcomer Sunkiss helps Pun blow some steam. And just in case all the "Latino explosion," backlash made you think he would tone down his ethnic pride, the salsa-stained "100%," featuring Tony Sunshine, will have you paradin' up Fifth Avenue with damn near every proud Puerto Rican in the New York metro area come summa'time. From straight gangsta cuts like "You Was Wrong," with fellow BX battlecat Drag-On, and "Watch Those" to hilarious stabs like "My Dick," "Laughing At You" and "N!gga Shit," Big Punisher's last hurrah testifies his penchant for the punch line. Not so much the "clincher," as in "joke," but rather the witty, "one up on that ass" remarks from someone who has had his share of life--and gone back for the free refills. Ultimately, Yeeeah Baby! will be judged more for the unfortunate circumstances surrounding its release than for its collection of true-to-form hip-hop moments. Heads, however, will realize--or recognize, if they aren't already die-hard fans--that Big Pun was a master of his craft. And as for those pop-hungry neophytes who never would've thought to pick up on his music before his death, I'd bet all the unmarked bills in your favorite radio station's stash-box that Pun is lookin' at y'all right now--laughin' his muthafuckin' ass off. - The Source, 2000. Rest In Peace to Christopher "Big Pun" Rios.

 

Here's the Loud Records commercial for the release of Yeeeah Baby!

W0javelli "Just Crack" (Fat Joe Tribute Mix)

Wojavelli returns once again with a Fat Joe tribute mixtape. Just Crack mixes over an hour of early Fat Joe rarities, features, freestyles and blends. As a member of the Diggin' In The Crates crew and Terror Squad, Fat Joe's career has spanned multiple eras and decades, where he's remained consistent with not only quality records, HITS and an ear for outstanding production, but a true presence in -- and behind the scenes -- in the hip-hop community. He's a true legend in the game and while he may not be atop and greatest of all-time conversations, he's had a celebrated career that is the envy of your favorite rappers' favorite rappers. Has he touched a classic tho? Probably not entirely, although he's come very close with Jealous One's Envy and even the slept-on Don Cartagena. Much respect to Joe Crack, dig into the mix below and hit the archives for lots more...

Big Pun "Capital Punishment" (04.28.98)

Big Pun remains on the best rappers ever list to this day. Reasons for this weigh largely on his debut Capital Punishment (April 28, 1998). His commanding voice and rapid fire delivery make it clear there will never be another Big Pun. Pun was New York. His confidence on the mic made him stand out among his contemporaries. Similarly, the production -- by a cast of many (Juju (The Beatnuts), Rockwilder, Knobody, Mike Zulu, Domingo, Nitty, Young Lord, L.E.S., Minnesota, V.I.C., RZA, Showbiz and more) -- remains ever so New York loyal. The close cousins "I'm Not a Player" and "Still Not a Player," may have been the hits off this album but it is packed with so many more that show Pun's true abilities. "Beware" and "Dream Shatterer" are great examples of Big Pun at his best, dark cinematic production with just enough room to let him breathe fire. On "Twinz (Deep Cover)" Big Pun is trading bars with his mentor Fat Joe over a remake of Dr. Dre's classic beat. Here Pun delivers one of his most quoted verses that contain among others "Dead in the middle of Little Italy little did we know that we riddled some middlemen who didn't do diddly". There are numerous guest appearances, the best of which include aforementioned Fat Joe (on several tracks), the Root's Black Thought on the MC showcase "Super Lyrical," Prodigy and Inspectah Deck on "Tres Leches (Triboro Trilogy)," and an extra-insane Busta Rhymes on "Parental Discretion." Don't sleep on "Punish Me" with Miss Jones and "You Came Up" with his brother Noreaga as well. Illustration by Torre Pentel.

We lost a great MC when Pun passed. R.I.P.

Big Pun "Yeeeah Baby" (4/04/00)

Christopher “Big Pun” Rios passed away just shy of two months before the release and anticipated success of his sophomore LP, Yeeeah Baby, which came on the heels of his debut album, Capital Punishment. With appearances from the entire Terror Squad and executive production by the Terror Squad general Fat Joe, the 16-track album showed Pun’s acute diversity not only in his lyricism but his approach to song-making, which yielded some of the most memorable songs of his career. Because of Big Pun’s extreme obesity, the album took longer to record since his breathing problems couldn’t permit him to freely spit his custom, rapid-fire flow. Some of the LP’s favorites are the Puerto Rican anthem “100%” with Terror Squad crooner Tony Sunshine on the hook, “New York Giants” featuring M.O.P., “Ms. Martin”, an ode to his protege Remy Ma and the touching single “It’s So Hard” featuring Donnell Jones. Salute to Big Pun, Pun Jr. and the entire Terror Squad for this unparalleled piece of Hip Hop History! - The Source. While not a classic like his debut, Capital Punishment, this posthumous album did celebrate his greatness in terms of flow and delivery, as well as charisma and comedic personality. Revisit Pun's Yeeeah Baby below, and also check out the official Loud Records commercial HERE. R.I.P., Big Pun! I wish we had more music from this lyrical GIANT.

The rhyming ability and personality of Big Pun are sorely missed today.

Fat Joe "Don Cartagena" (September 1, 1998)

With "Don Cartagena," Fat Joe reached a new plateau with his rhymes and the entire approach on the album brings "the art of rap at the illest form," as poignantly said by Fat Joe in "Crack Attack," produced by LES of the Trackmasterz. Fat Joe has expanded his reach as an artist, while not compromising his hardcore essence and this time around, more than ever, manages to sprinkle jewels everywhere in his lyrics. In the title track and first single off the album, "Don Cartagena" (an eloquent piano looped track featuring Puff Daddy and produced by Younglord of "The Hitmen"), Fat Joe proclaims "modesty will get you no where / that's why I go there / and let you know where / to buy the new Fat Joe gear," and later in the verse asks, "Let's choose what life you'd rather live / on the streets stabbing kids or living mad sweet in lavish cribs?" Word. Another of the bound-to-be-classics is "John Blaze," a symphony track that guest stars Nas, Raekwon, Big Pun, and Jadakiss (The LOX) and was produced by Ski. Amid the live strings, the MCs flex lyrically. Fat Joe boldly professes, "I used to run mad spots / now I own many shops / gortex with the lock / 560s - 4 bills a pop / I'm hot / who wanna get burned?" A part of Fat Joe's persona is a new found consciousness and goal to reach a balance, keeping it both real and right. Inspired by a meeting he had with Minister Louis Farrakhan, Fat Joe enlisted the Terror Squad to create a politically-charged song. The result was "The Hidden Hand." Produced by Spunk Bigga, this emotionally-tinged track is reflective in nature with peaks captured by a subtle violin. On this track, Joe talks of his trials as a youth and his dreams for the future. "I was a wild adolescent / blessed with the foul essence / messing with the wrong crowd / I learned my lessons / ... / but now I understand the bigger picture / fuck crying about the struggle / I teach ya how to get richer." Press Kit cont'd below...

"Don Cartagena" is truly a trip through a myriad of sounds and escapades. Fat Joe keeps to his essence with the hardcore anthems "Find Out," produced by Marley Marl and "Misery Needs Company," featuring Noreaga. Fat Joe also provides us with "My World," a Baby-Paul produced track which will have crowds chanting, "It's my life, my money, my world, my girls. TS electrify the sky like the third rail" alongside Big Pun. In addition to the star studded names above, the album also features rising rap queen, Charli Baltimore and rap super group Bones Thugs-n-Harmony. Fat Joe's growth as an artist is reflected by the assembled artists and producers that appear on "Don Cartagena." With lots of love come blessings, and with blessings come protection. Blessed by his peoples in entertainment, his family, and the people in the streets, Fat Joe is surrounded by a legion of friends and loved ones. Men who move with that much reverence, power, and respect deserve the title Don. This summer, prepare to welcome "Don Cartagena." "If I ever make a hundred million, I still walk these streets freely; this is what I love man. More importantly, this is reality." Spoken like a true man of the people. - Press Kit, 1998. Revisit one of Fat Joe's best LPs above. R.I.P., Big Pun.

Big Pun "Capital Punishment" (April 28, 1998)

Early in his fledgling career, the joke on hefty Bronx, New York, rapper Big Punisher was his penchant for taking huge breaths between never-ending stanzas of rhymes. But with performances like this past winter's ribald mack anthem "I'm Not a Player," the 400-pound Latin king established himself as a heavyweight of an entirely different nature – a lyrical giant with a Chris Rock-like knack for rapid witticisms. Pun's rhyme deluge continues on his highly entertaining inaugural album, Capital Punishment. He expands his palette with guest turns from Wyclef Jean (on the reggae-tinged "Caribbean Connection"), Black Thought from the Roots (the tongue-twisting "Super Lyrical") and Wu-Tang's Inspectah Deck (with Prodigy from Mobb Deep, on the sublime, RZA-produced "Tres Leches"). The playful "Still Not a Player," the vengeful heartbreak ballad "Punish Me" and the brassy, triumphant "You Came Up" display this extra-large MC's musical and compositional range. "I recollect when I was just a boy eating Chips Ahoy/I wasn't allowed to raise my voice/Now I'm makin' noise," Pun reflects on the album's closer, "Parental Discretion" (featuring Busta Rhymes). Slipping comfortably into the lovable-street-tough niche popularized by the late, great Biggie Smalls, Big Punisher has delivered a debut remarkably devoid of fat. - Chairman Mao (Rolling Stone, 5/6/98).

Pun's Capital Punishment is still a classic, definitely revisit it above...

Terror Squad "Terror Squad" (Vibe, 1999)

"It's hard not to root for Fat Joe. The Bronx, New Yorker spent years as an underground rap underdog before discovering a fellow borinqueno heavy-weight. With verbal skills as massive as his body, Joe's find, Big Pun, debuted in 1998 with the platinum-selling Capital Punishment (Loud). Riding the wave of momentum supplied by his protege, Joe finally struck gold with his third try, Don Cartagena (Atlantic, 1998). Now as his crew, Terror Squad (Joe, Pun, Cuban Link, Prospect, Triple Seis, and Armageddon) release their self-titled full-length, the MC/entrepreneur is once again banking on his eye for talent to pay dividends. Big Pun, rapping and singing, shines over the tasty violins and face-pounding drums of "Whatcha Gonna Do?" Bolstered by a creepy, hollow-sounding piano, "Bring It On" features Fat Joe going for dolo in vintage form: "Come at us if you're ready for war / Whoever you are / Leave you dead in your hall / Leaking red on the floor." Unfortunately, such stellar moments are few. By mid-album, many of the tracks start sounding the same -- a betrayal of the lesser-known Terror Squadians' distinctive flows and charismatic Latin linguistics. Let's hope Joe and his compatriots change production teams before coming out with solo efforts. If not, we'll be calling them the Not-So-Scary Crew." - Vibe (November, 1999). Rest In Peace, Big Pun.

Do you agree or disagree with Elliott Wilson's review in Vibe?

The Combat Jack Show "Fat Joe Episode"

On the latest episode of the Combat Jack Show, they take it to the South Bronx, Forrest Projects to be exact. Fat Joe has been around for 24 plus years and is still going strong. He's part of the legendary D.I.T.C. crew; he introduced the world to the likes of Big Pun (R.I.P.), Remy Ma, DJ Khaled... and the Terror Squad. He's also powered through beefs with 50 Cent, Jay-Z and survived the ugly scenarios of being in these New York City streets. Fat Joe has played an integral role in generations of Hip-Hop, and he keeps a hit or two on 'em! Tune in below to hear Don Cartagena share it all...

RahSun & Big Pun "I'll Be Around" (Reissue)

I can recall back in '98 when I came across RahSun's "I'll Be Around" maxi-single CD. I caught the feature from Big Pun & copped it on the strength but as soon as the baseline moved my speakers, I knew it wouldn't be a purchase I'd regret. Of course, Pun tore through the track with his ferocious flow & while I never copped RahSun's LP, "It's Not A Game," I probably would have it if I had come across it soon after I purchased the single. Lyricist Lounge threw a show in NY around the same time with Rah, Eminem & even more raw talent just passing through to show out on the mic. Years later now, a re-issue has been posted online of the maxi-single & the "It's Not A Game" LP. You can stream the track below & props to Joe for holdin' Pun down on the pampers.

"My Twinz already know, 

I'm always amped and ready to roll

Lendin me dough for Pampers when it was twenty below

That's how I know who to trust

That's how I know for who to bust..."

Fat Joe "Don Cartagena" (1998)

Taken from the original press kit from Fat Joe's Don Cartagena: "With the wisdom and experience of a Don, Fat Joe brings to life street morality, Mafia fantasy and hardcore realism, delivering "Don Cartagena," his third and best album to date. On "Don Cartagena," Fat Joe plays musical auteur directing each track dramatically and intensely. Fat Joe - aka Joey Crack - wields an album with diverse tentacles, reaching some of the complexities and contradictions of Hip-Hop. Through the course of his six years in the industry, having fostered relationships with major players, and after growing up in squalor of the South Bronx, he has good reason to call himself the Don of Rap." In my eyes, this was Fat Joe's last (near) classic album, and while I don't run to it often in my crates, you cannot deny his ear for production - especially on this project. Vibe had this to say about "Don Cartagena" in October, 1998: "Third time's a charm for Bronx bad boy Fat Joe. After two marginal releases on Violator/Relativity, Joey Crack returns with Don Cartagena - a refined arsenal of explosive songs ... Don Cartagena proves that the game ain't over until Fat Joe rhymes." Check out the video below for the smash track "John Blaze," featuring Nas, Big Pun, Jadakiss, and Raekwon.

Promotional t-shirt from '98's Don Cartagena...

Cuban Link "Next" Feature In Vibe Magazine (September, 2000)

"Felix "Cuban Link" Delgado... determination has always been characteristic of the 25-year-old. When faced with a struggle, he doesn't back down. The most recent setback, of course, is the death of his fellow Terror Squad member and close friend of 11 years, Big Pun. Now with the Squad's biggest star gone, Cuban Link has the difficult task of carrying the weight of the crew with his long-awaited debut, 24-K. It won't be easy. Along with Pun, Cuban Link first caught the attention of the public with his appearance on the Beatnuts' 1997 hit "Off The Books." But instead of taking advantage of the track's huge buzz, Cuban was forced to wait for both Fat Joe's Don Cartagena and Terror Squad's self-titled debut to drop. While Joe struck gold, Terror Squad failed completely. "I feel like I missed my chance already," he says." Cont'd below with "Flowers For The Dead" ...

"But Cuba's not giving up on an album he knows is good and that Big Pun would be proud of. Fat Joe agrees, "His album is incredible," he says. "Ladies are gonna love him, but he keeps it real for the brothas, too." Following the CD's somber Pun tribute, "Flowers For The Dead," Cuban hopes to release the salsa-tinged party starter "Dame Un Beso," and win audiences over with 24-K's wide range of sentiments. "I tried to hit every emotion and mood," he says. "I'm talking about different aspects of life." He should know. Cuban has overcome bigger obstacles. Following the Refugee Act of 1980, Fidel Castro dumped Cuba's inmates onto boats and sent them to the States. One of those men was Cuban Link's father, who had been locked up for selling a pair of pants on the street. "It was hard times," Cuban says of their first few years in the South Bronx, N.Y. "Our whole family would go on field trips collecting cans." And although he faces an uncertain future in the tumultuous rap game, Cuban Link welcomes the challenge. "I'm like a clutch hitter," he says, confidently. "I like to be where the pressure's at." - Vibe, September 2000. (24-K never officially came out.) R.I.P. Big Pun.

Big Pun "Next" Feature In Vibe Magazine (February, 1998)

"Big Punisher laughs a lot. The Puerto Rican, Bronx-bred behemoth behind last year's brilliant Loud singles "You Ain't A Killer" and "I'm Not A Player" can't stifle a chuckle even when resurrecting acerbic childhood memories of his disciplinarian Vietnam vet stepfather. "Your reflexes are sharp when you get your ass whupped all the time," Pun says while pounding the pavement of his old neighborhood. "My stepfather would walk every morning to the bathroom. I could hear the toilet bowl flushing. Whoooshhh. Then he'd walk past my bedroom door," Pun pauses. His black eyes are piercing; he's lost in a trance. "Next thing you know," the Punisher says, "he would kick in my door and (say) 'Early, soldier! smack me around, and make me do f#ckin' push-ups Ha-ha." Pun brought an end to that pain when, at 15, he became big enough to fight back. "I use that experience for my writing," he says. "You can hear the anger." Big Punisher's gusts of fiery breath were first on 1995's "Watch Out" from Fat Joe's Jealous One's Envy. Pun has since flexed his self-described sophisticated hardcore flow on solo Bone Thugger Flesh-N-Bone's 1996 "No Mercy" as well as the Beatnuts' recent-blazer "Off The Books." Throwback live video: Terror Squad runnin' through their joints...

"But the juiciest slab on Pun's menu is is own full-length debut, Capital Punishment (Loud). It's a relentless collection of bone-crushing bravado. Check for the banging, Buckwild-produced "Dream Shatterer" as well as the exacting "Twinz," a "Deep Cover"-esque duet with Pun's manager Joey Crack aka Fat Joe. "People got me blushin," says the nearly 400-pound 26-year old father of three. "They stop me and go, 'You Pun?' All my life I didn't feel special, so it feels good to finally be spoiled." Later that day, Pun treks down to his label's Manhattan offices. "I'm gonna try to write some ballads too, man," he says, stone serious. "I'll sing this one song for you..." The tumultuous conference room is ripe with crazed interns and Pun's lifelong, round-the-way amigos and fellow rhyme slayers Cuban Link and Tripe Seis. They simmer down. "You stupid," Pun says. "Like I'm gonna sing a song for you. Ha-ha-ha." Ouch. Big Punisher - hip-hop's newest heavyweight champion - has punchlines that will knock you out." - Vibe Magazine, February 1998. Rest In Peace, Big Pun.