In Memoriam Of: Big Pun

Today would have marked the 38th birthday for Christopher "Big Pun" Rios. The good folks at Digiwaxx share their thoughts on the talented rapper...

Neil "Nifty" Caesar - Big Pun made me want to be a fat Puerto-Rican that raps. ALL the girls LOVED him!!!! Miss U Pun.

Carlee Jean: They say the great die young. Only two albums and you're still in many people's top five. Having paved the way for Latinos in the rap game, we wonder where you would stack up against Jay or Wayne if you were alive today.... we'd like to think you'd be crushing them. You will be missed.

Knashae Smith: "Dead in the middle of little Italy/ little did we know That we riddled some middleman who didn’t do diddily..." "I rub your face off the earth and curse your family children/Like Amityville drill the nerves in your cavity filling..." ("Twinz Deep cover 98'") One hell of a lyricist. Pun was an MC. in retrospect -days like today make me feel like the ART of Hip-Hop passes with the greater of 'em.

Tory "2.0" Hogsett: Pun was the rapper that made Latin platinum.

Corey "CL" Llewellyn: There can never be enough said about Pun's lyrical talent and his impact on rap. From his debut on “Fire Water” you could tell he was the truth. From there he got better and better until he hit platinum. 'Nuff respect for that and you will always be missed.

Eb The Celeb: Amongst his club beats and catchy hooks a lot of his genius was hidden. Yes he threw in some street slang but little lines like "there's no longevity living off negativity" and "Lets call in order, give ourselves a chance to enhance, broader; advance where the minorities are the majority voter" I know being in the place we are now in America he would have had so much to say about it and hip hop misses that.

Gyvis: Its been almost a decade since the lost of the late great BIG PUN. And even today we are still in grief, it's not often we come across a "RAPPER" that leaves such a heavy influence on this HIP HOP CULTURE of ours!! Pun had STYLE, LYRICS, PUNCHLINES & overall GREAT RHYMES, Which today in this Crazy music industry really doesn't mean much!! BIG PUN LIVES!!!

Autumn Marie: Pun's skills are still revered by many even those not old enough to fully even remember firsthand when he was rapping but unfortunately he was not able to ever actualize his potential.. Praise for him bringing "Latinos" back to the forefront of hip-hop mainstream and hope his untimely death be a wake call for us to take better care of our health.

DOWNLOAD/STREAM: Big Pun: The Dream Shatterer (Original Version)

Beanuts - Off The Books featuring Big Pun and Cuban Link

Big Pun - You Came U featuring Noreaga