Dear Puerto Ricans: Big Pun is not the G.O.A.T


I know Big Pun meant a lot to his people, but let’s be serious here. I didn’t think much of it when Fat Joe went on and on calling him the greatest rapper of all time, I let the bias slide because that was his mans and them. But Pitbull just wrote a review over at AllHipHop (my part-time unpaid stomping grounds) proclaiming Capital Punishment to be stronger than it is by leaps and bounds. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a classic but it isn’t terribly hard to make a great album: Flow well, put a decent amount of thought into the bars you write and don’t settle for beats you wouldn’t want to hear anyone else rock over (Ghost does it all the time, Hov had a knack for it up until Kingdom Come but I’ll digress.)

You’re not the greatest to ever do something because you died prematurely. Unfortunate things happen to talented people and they’re remembered for what they did while they were here. But there’s this unwritten rule that adds future potential at the time of death when we examine one’s greatness. My understanding is that “100%” (the joint with the salsa sample) made Puerto Ricans feel great to have their music represented in hip-hop, which elevated him in their eyes even more than the street audience did with Capital Punishment. I just remembered the “Boricua, Morena” chant from Still Not A Player. That still doesn’t make him the best rapper who’s ever spit a verse.

Yes he was lyrically proficient, yes he could flow (although rumors say he used to punch vocals - that’s to stop and come back), yes he had an array of topics and was witty. But what separated him from say Pharaoh Monch or a plethora of other great MCs? Pun was very talented but he departed this earth with a classic debut and a sophomore release that fell short of the mark.

I’d settle for calling him the greatest Puerto Rican to do it up until his time of death in 2000. After all who knows what Ray Benzino Jr. might be capable of in 15 years?

(I would make similar points using Brooklyn and B.I.G., but who really needs that kind of beef?)