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Classic Albums: 'Capital Punishment' By Big Punisher

Published Thu, November 10, 2022 at 7:00 PM EST

The rapper named Christopher Rios came out of the Bronx in the late 1990s with a wave of anticipation, a bevy of major league co-signs, and a reputation for super lyricism. Big Punisher's ability was evident from the very beginning, and Pun set a new standard for rhyming when he broke onto the scene alongside Fat Joe and the soon-to-be-famous Terror Squad.

The few who were fortunate enough to hear Shaquille O'Neal's 1995 single "Shaq, Crack and Pun" aka "The Bigger They Are" caught Pun's multisyllabic rapid fire flow early as he spit:

Yo, why you rhyming like you killing niggas/You ain’t never feel a triggers screaming that you real, but you’re still beginners/I make examples out you ample rappers, smack you, make you trample backwards catch you falling flat then strap you back in Pampers/That’s a sample just to let you know, test me and invest in souls especially on some flesh meats that was left on skulls those opposing, holding grudges, will be holding crutches motherfuckers blasting me, that’s blasphemy/I’m old to roughage who’s the toughest?/As rough as they come, I’ll snuff ‘em any one of you bluffing, my name ain’t Punisher for nothing."

A remix of "I'm Not A Player" featuring Joe not only put Big Pun on prime time FM radio, it boosted sales of Capital Punishment considerably.

1997's "Twinz" (Deep Cover '98) was Fat Joe and Big Punisher's homage to Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg's 1992 classic and The Beatnuts "Off The Books" featuring Pun and Cuban Link all drove the anticipation for a solo Pun album. In April 1998, Pun dropped Capital Punishment to the satisfaction of legions of fans of his flow which he describes as a mixture of Kool G. Rap, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane and Eddie Murphy. The album starts with a skit (from the motion picture Fresh) where kids are arguing which superheroes are the best, and who can beat who. "Punisher be takin' out y'all stupid heroes", a kid says before the dark "Beware" with its Prodigy sampled hook starts. Juju of The Beatnuts blesses Pun with a string heavy mid tempo banger to set off he highly anticipated album.

"Super Lyrical" featuring Black Thought lives up to the song title and finds the titans going bar for bar with a delivery that feels competitive like two great MC's with mutual respect trying to outdo each other.

Over a bouncy Rockwilder track, Thought rhymes:

Black Thought, the super lyricist, your arch-nemesis still with the Punisher/That's my accomplice stressin' to emcees how they don't really want this electrifying shit/His excellency Thought spit these cats, they sentimental such with a gentle touch dancin' double dutch and all sayin' nothin' much/My sound wave liftin' your chin up like uppercuts new found ways of rippin' shit up, I develop."

Advance promo copies of the original version of "Not A Player" went out before Capital Punishment with the "Darlin' Darlin' Baby" sample by the Ojay's that served as the songs musical backbone. The remix which added Joe and a Salsa inspired track did for Pun and this album what Biggie's remix of "One More Chance" did for Ready To Die. "Still Not A Player" put Pun on prime time radio and boosted the sales of Capital Punishment considerably. It also debuted at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and # 6 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart. With its chanted "boriqua/morena" refrain it was a club hit and overall success.

The Domingo produced "The Dream Shatterer" is one of the more uptempo tracks on the album showcasing the intricate rhyme patterns and clever wordplay that are synonymous with Pun. The horn heavy Rockwilder produced "You Came Up" featuring N.O.R.E. is a declaration that he made it "from rappin' on the corner to possibly going platinum." Capital Punishment marks the first time that a solo Latino MC went Platinum making "We Came Up" prophetic. "Tres Leches" featuring Inspecktah Deck,and Prodigy is one of the albums better songs and the features fit the Rza produced track perfectly. "Caribbean Connection" featuring Wyclef finds Clef hardening his style to style in an effort to keep up with Pun, and he does. The two both ride the track perfectly and the combination feels organic.

"Glamour Life" featuring Fat Joe, Triple Seis, Cuban Link and Armageddon is mellow cool out track that espouses the spoils of street life while "Parental Discretion" featuring Busta Rhymes sees Bus on the animated hook while Pun rhymes about the under belly of New York and the crime ridden streets.

Capital Punishment has aged well and stood the test of time. Rolling Stone included it in their list of the 200 Greatest Hip Hop Albums of All Time at 128. The album peaked on the Billboard 200 at #5 and #1 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums.