Big Pun
Christopher Lee Rios
Big Pun is an American rapper from New York City, New York active since 1989.
- Profession
- Rapper, Songwriter
- From
- New York City, New York
- Born
- November 10, 1971
- Years active
- 1989–2000
Early life
Born to Puerto Rican parents in the South Bronx, Christopher Rios endured a turbulent childhood marked by homelessness and abuse before finding refuge in writing rhymes and immersing himself in the borough's battle-rap culture.
Career
Discovered by Fat Joe and the Terror Squad, his 1998 debut "Capital Punishment" became the first album by a solo Latino rapper to be certified platinum, powered by the breathless tongue-twisting single "Still Not a Player."
Major achievements
He earned a Grammy nomination and platinum certification, and his rapid-fire multisyllabic rhyme schemes are studied as a high-water mark of lyrical technique. He died of a heart attack in 2000 at age 28.
Legacy
Big Pun broke barriers for Latino artists in hip-hop and is remembered as one of the most technically gifted MCs the genre ever produced.
References
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