Christopher Rios (November 10, 1971 – February 7, 2000), better known by his stage name Big Pun (short for Big Punisher), was a Puerto Rican rapper who emerged from the underground rap scene in The Bronx in the late 1990s. He first appeared on albums from Fat Joe’s second album Jealous One’s Envy in (1995), on the track “Watch Out”, And with The Beatnuts, on the track “Off the Books” in (1997) prior to signing to Loud Records as a solo artist.

Capital Punishment is the solo debut album by rapper Big Pun, released on April 28, 1998. The album received critical acclaim, and Big Pun became the first solo Latino rapper to go Platinum. The album peaked at #5 on on the Billboard 200 charts. It also was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 1999 Grammy Awards

Yeeeah Baby is the second solo and final studio album by rapper Big Pun. In the wake of Big Pun’s death in February 2000, it was posthumously released in April of the same year as planned, peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 charts, and subsequently was certified Gold

Big Pun’s career was cut short in 2000 at age 28 when he died of a heart attack.

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