Big Punisher

Despite his untimely passing and limited discography, Bronx rapper Big Pun (born Christopher Rios) is widely acknowledged to be one of the most gifted MCs ever to breathe life into a microphone. His main claim to pop success was his debut's radio-friendly "Still Not a Player," but there's much on Capital Punishment worthy of praise. The music is filled with ominous bass loops, sharp drum stabs, and soul-filled R&B. When Pun teams up with other MCs -- the Roots' Black Thought on "Super Lyrical;" mentor Fat Joe on "Twinz" (a remake of Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg's "Deep Cover"), Wyclef on "Caribbean Connection,"; Noreaga on "You Came Up,"; Mobb Deep's Prodigy; and Wu-Tang's Rebel INS (Inspectah Deck) on "Tres Leches" -- he shines with intricately laced, breathless strings of words. On his own he's just as deadly, as he proves on "The Dream Shatterer" and "Beware" where he boasts, "Y'all niggas can't do shit to me/Physically, lyrically, hypothetically, realistically/I'm the epitome of catching wreck."

Rios died of a heart attack in 2000. Released two months after his death, Yeeeah Baby is musically adventurous, blending sublime R&B ("It's So Hard"), operatic stylings ("Off With His Head"), raunchy ballads ("My Dick"), and Latin tunes ("100%"). His legendary humor is on display through self-deprecating skits and numbers like "Laughing at You" and "Nigga Shit." He's still as ferocious an MC as ever, letting off beautifully scripted barrages of rhyme on "We Don't Care" and "Leather Face."

The posthumous Endangered Species features former highlights, unreleased numbers, and past cameos. The inclusion of star-studded posse cuts such as "John Blaze," "Wishful Thinking," and "Banned from TV," next to remixes of Brandy's "Top of the World" and Ricky Martin's "Livin' la Vida Loca," showcases the full range of Pun's verbal dexterity and makes this a worthy sendoff for a star that shone bright but briefly. (KRIS EX)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide