Big Pun honored with street corner in home borough The Bronx
Bronx rapper, Terror Squad member, and maker of one of the best ’90s rap albums (Capital Punishment), Big Pun has been honored with a street corner named after him in his home borough. As Bronx News 12 reported, the intersection of East Fordham Road and Grand Concourse is now known as Big Pun Plaza. There was a renaming ceremony on Monday (3/22) with speeches from Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr, Bronx council member Fernando Cabrera, Big Pun’s wife Liza and other family members, and other members of the hip hop community. You can watch a 23-minute video of the speeches right here:
See a few more photos and video clips below.
Big Pun (born Christopher Lee Rios) released his first single “I’m Not a Player” in 1997 followed by his debut album Capital Punishment in 1998. He also contributed to Terror Squad’s 1999 debut album Terror Squad: The Album and appeared on albums by Fat Joe, N.O.R.E., and more. His second and final album Yeeeah Baby was posthumously released in 2000, and the Big Pun compilation Endangered Species was released in 2001. He struggled with weight problems and died of a heart attack and respiratory failure in 2000 at age 28. He was survived by his wife Liza and their three children.