Christopher "Big Pun" Rios, Rapper, 28

["Deathwatch Central" <cdw@slick.org>]

http://www.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/07/obit.rios.ap/index.html

Grammy-nominated rapper Big Pun dies at 28
February 7, 2000
Web posted at: 9:51 PM EST (0251 GMT)


NEW YORK (AP) -- Christopher Rios, the platinum-selling rapper known as Big
Pun who was respected for his imaginative lyrics and smooth delivery, died
Monday. He was 28.

Rios was pronounced dead at 3:53 p.m., and the cause of death was to be
determined by the medical examiner, said a spokeswoman at White Plains
Hospital in suburban New York. His publicist, David Granoff, said it
appeared Rios died of a heart attack.

"He was beloved, and admired, and accomplished, and rich," Granoff said.

He credited Rios, who was Puerto Rican, with working to bring Latino
entertainers into rap, a style traditionally dominated by black artists.

The rap world started to take notice of Rios -- whose stage name was short
for Big Punisher -- after appearances with fellow rapper Fat Joe and a
feature on "The Mix Tape Vol. 1" put together by Funkmaster Flex.

His street hit "You Ain't a Killer" was featured on the "Soul in the Hole"
soundtrack and his first album, "Capital Punishment" went double platinum
and was nominated for a Grammy last year.

Rios' second album, " Yeah, Baby," was due out in April.

"Big Pun possessed a lyrical gift of incessant breath control and a knockout
punch with the rhymes," a reviewer wrote about rapper for sonymusic.com.

Known earlier in his career as Big Moon Dog, the entertainer was once an
avid basketball player and boxer, but later said he took to eating "until he
couldn't tie his shoelaces."

Jimmy Rodriguez, a longtime friend, said he would be missed.

"Anybody that knew or ever come in contact with Big Pun would have walked
away saying that they just walked away from a gentle giant," Rodriguez said.
"He was so special."


Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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