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                              Big Pun

   Born Christopher Rios, Novbember 10, 1971 in the Boogie Down, Big Pun would forever leave a mark on Hip Hop Kulture. Growing up in the Nuyorican community of the South Bronx, young Christopher would eventually leave an unstable home and drop out of High School at age 15. While continuing his own self-education, interest sparked by MC'in and B-Boying culminated in 1989 when he and a few friends started "The Fulla Clips Crew", at which time Young Rios took the name "Big Moon Dog".

1995 turned into a banner year, as he adopted the name Big Punisher (yes, all of you comic geeks, he snaked it from the Marvel Comics character), then met and highly impressed fellow Boogie Down representer, Fat Joey Crack. A couple of Fat Joe guest spots (Firewater and Watch Out) and a spot on Funk Flex's "60 Minuts of Funk vol 1", Big Pun had acquired a name within Hip Hop's underground. 1997 blasted off with a guest shot on the Beatnuts' hit "Off the Books", soon followed by work with B-Real and Flesh-n-Bone, as well.

Rios' solo career was kick-started in 1997 with his single "I'm Not A Player" and his "You ain't a Killer" contribution to the Soul in the Hole basketball documentary soundtrack. While aided by Fat Joe, Pun was then signed to Loud Records with his solo debut album, Capital Punishment being released in 1998. Debuting in the Top Five due to the single "Still Not A Player", the Official Remix of "I'm Not A Player", Capital Punishment went to sell 2 million copies making Big Pun the first Latino MC to go multi-platinum.

1999 saw Big Pun's acting debut in "Thicker than Water", a gangsta flick starring Joey Crack and Mac-10 as long lost brothers involved in rival gangs. Following in 2000, Rios then had a role in "Boricua's Bond", from which OTT Immediate Family Member TR One often quote his line, "FUCK AWT SCHOO!!! JU WANNA DO AWT!?!?! THEN DO AWT!!! JU DON'T NEED SCHOO FOR THAT!! FUCK AWT SCHOO!!".

1999 also saw Pun and Joe's formation of Latino MC crew, Terror Squad, with other up and coming MC's, as well as the crew's self-titled debut album. Guest work with Noreaga and Jennifer Lopez served to keep Pun in the public eye, while working on his second solo album.

With Rios' longtime struggles with overeating and obesity overtaking his health, Fat Joe requested he check into a weight management clinic in North Carolina. After losing 80 pounds, Pun left the program before finishing to return to the Bronx, where he gained all 80 pounds back with additional weight on top.  He was said to be considering returning to weight management counseling when he was called home.

Suffering a fatal heart attack February 7, 2000, Big Pun's second complete album, Yeeeah Baby, was released entering the charts at number 3. 2001's Big Pun compilation, Endangered Species, went on to be a top-10 seller as well. Pun's life was also documented in the 2002 film, Still Not a Player.

Christopher "Big Pun" Rios is survived by his wife and three children.