Big Pun will finally get some big “flowers” posthumously.
The rapper will be bestowed with Big Pun Plaza, a street in the Bronx borough that birthed the rhyme beast, AllHipHop has confirmed exclusively. The street will be a new one that will bear the legendary rapper’s name.
Big Pun Plaza’s specific block has not been revealed at the time of this writing. The honor is a long time coming for a rapper that has numerous honors. Born Christopher Rios, Pun was the first solo Latino rapper to go platinum with his debut album Capital Punishment. Capital Punishment was the crowning artistic achievement of the Terror Squad, which was founded by fellow Bronx rapper Fat Joe. The 1998 album was also a commercial success, being Grammy-nominated and soaring high atop the Billboard 200.
Tragically, Pun would die before he could release a second album. He suffered a fatal heart attack coupled with respiratory failure on February 7, 2000, after his weight reached a reported 698 pounds. By that time, his skill as a rapper with dense bars, a hardcore demeanor, and uncharacteristic humor cemented his legacy. His second album would be completed by August of 2000 and spawned the hit “It’s So Hard.” His team would also drop Endangered Species in 2001.
Pun’s wife Liza, and their three children, Star, Vanessa and rapper Chris “Dragon” Rivers have kept the rapper’s legacy alive. Producer Domino released a Pun EP titled “Bronx Legends Never Die,” which featured rare songs and remixes.
Big Pun has numerous murals in New York, particularly The Bronx, but Big Pun Plaza is an official honor similar to the way Christopher ‘Notorious B.I.G.’ Wallace Way pays homage to a legendary Brooklyn peer.
AllHipHop will continue to give updates on Big Pun Plaza as they become available.
