It’s been 21 years since Big Pun suffered a fatal heart attack and respiratory failure at a White Plains, New York hotel, but his legacy lives on.
According to News 12 Long Island, the late Bronx rapper was honored in his hometown borough on Monday (March 21) with a street named after him. Big Pun Plaza now sits on the corner of East Fordham Road and Grand Concourse as a way to immortalize the Hip Hop legend.
Video of the momentous occasion was uploaded to Big Pun’s official Instagram account and shows a sizable crowd rocking masks as Pun music bumped in the background. Fat Joe also shared how much this moment means to him with an emotional Instagram post.
“Congrats to my big brother BIG PUN on getting a Bronx block named after him,” he captioned the post. “My brother you deserve it I’m proud of you and the Bronx for acknowledging my brother PUN God bless you rest in paradise.”
Born Christopher Lee Rios in 1971, Big Pun rose to prominence in the mid-90s under the tutelage of his Terror Squad brethren Fat Joe, appearing on his sophomore album Jealous One’s Envy.
In 1998, Pun dropped his inaugural solo album, Capital Punishment, which included the track “I’m Not A Player.” The subsequent Knobody-produced remix, “Still Not A Player” featuring R&B singer Joe, became Pun’s breakout anthem, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop chart and No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100.
As a result, Capital Punishment catapulted to platinum status and marked the first time a Latin rapper had ever achieved this feat. The project peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Beat Rap Album category.
Late Rap Star Big Pun Gets Sneaker Collaboration With NBA Legend
Pun’s sophomore album Yeeeah Baby was released posthumously, just two months after his death. Once again, the project was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling over 179,000 copies in its opening week and landing at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
Last November, NBA legend Patrick Ewing’s Ewing Athletics released their fourth and final collaborative shoe in their series honoring Pun. Retailing at $150, the Ewing 33 High Big PUN featured a black, yellow, white and red colorway inspired by both of his studio albums. Meanwhile, his son Chris Rivers carries his father’s torch with consistent references in his own rap music career.
Check out the “Still Not A Player” video featuring Joe below.
You have to tell this dumb ass current demographic of “hiphop fans” Big Pun was Fat Joe’s protégé otherwise they say stupid shit like “who?”
I think “Wife Beater Blvd” sounds better but then again they might think about Dr Dre with that too lol.
Does this really need to be titled “Fat Joe” protege? As if there was some other Big Pun?
Might as well have titled this “Big Pun, late rapper, whose publishing checks have been lining Fat Joe’s pockets since his death, and somehow managed to convince this “protege that splitting everything he ever made with Joe 50/50 was a solid business arrangement”
Delusional much. The reason Big Pun didn’t get that much credit and still doesn’t is because ironically the same people that were supposed to be holding him down after his death were taking credit for his success and profiting off of it, name-dropping him every chance they got but never doing anything for his actual family, and unfortunately airing out Pun’s dirty laundry about his wife beating and other nasty habits which she and others confirmed. So if you blame anyone, blame the people in his circle.
You mean Fat Joe’s Late Protege
Great news. Big Pun Plaza. Patrick ewing sneakers 2 ? big pun 4 ever
The tittle of this article is horrendous, Fat Joe affiliate??? yes he is, but give the man some respect, one of the best lyriscists ever, obviously Generation Z doesnt knw him, doesnt mean you should title the article carelessly. “bronx street named after late platinum selling rapper, big punisher” Stop giving kids these articles to present.
Fuck the haters Big Pun nomero uno
Late Fat Joe Affiliate? Capital Punishment is a certified classic- front to back. Zero respect on Pun’s name. This is a HIP HOP site, correct? It’s almost as like you can guess who wrote the article before you click it around here…
Top 5
Certified legend! One of my top 10 emcees! Well deserved!
There is no need to state “fat joe associate”.. he’s a legend. If people don’t know, google it. Don’t bring him down by applying that tag. Fat Joe should be known as “Big Pun associate” but the game is all messed up now.