Artist: Big PunTitle: Capital Punishment (CLASSIC REVIEW)Rating: 5 StarsReviewed by: Pitbull
Let’s face the facts, there will never be another Big Pun. The Bronx bomber went in so hard (pause), it will be almost impossible to replicate his ill combination of innate raw lyricism and loveable playboy charisma. On his debut Capital Punishment, he displayed a little bit of everything; hardcore, thug, commercial, and even some backpack, making it an instant classic when it dropped. But sadly, Pun left us too early, passing away in 2000, and we are still missing him like crazy. TVT rap artist Pitbull is one of those people. The Miami native puts it best himself “That [album] made me more than a fan, it made me a fanatic. Read up on how El Mariel chops it up on this masterpiece. -Martin A. Berrios
“Intro”
Pitbull: The opener, when I heard the opening for the first time I thought it was different you know. He had the kid talking about The Punisher is coming and he flipped the double meaning. So it was definitively innovative.
“Beware”
Pitbull: This record right here, he just showing n***as that he can spit dog. When I first heard the album man, Pun was an inspiration to me. Everything he did, I was like that damn Chico done really made it in the rap game and that’s what Pun was to us. A record like “Beware” is letting them know that I am coming. Like, get ready, for real.
"Super Lyrical" featuring Black Thought
Pitbull: On this record, they went and got one of tightest MC’s that was respected, meaning Black Thought [of The Roots]. It was like [Pun] saying “Look man ya’ll can’t f**k with me, dog.” Listen to him, every word he [is] saying is rhyming with every [other] word, dog. Just to get Black Thought on there, it put him on another level. It’s like oh s**t, this n***a rhyming with someone who is not just respected but someone who is not mainstream, but is still nice with it.
“Still Not A Player”
Pitbull: “Still Not A Player” showed the versatility of Pun. But more than that it showed that he can make a hit record. He can rap all day and can make hit records. Plus it was beautiful at the time when n***as was saying “I’m not a player, I just f**k a lot.” That’s what every n***a would say. The video was cool, I was straight. But you know how some videos outdo the record, this record was so big man you couldn’t make a video to capture how big this record was.
“The Dream Shatterer”
Pitbull: When you hear him rap he came with so much intensity. Every record on here he was proving something to somebody especially since he was a Puerto Rican in the game, you know. I think every record he did on this album he just showing how talented he really is. This album is a classic, dog.
“Punish Me” featuring Miss Jones
Pitbull: This is the joint he did with Miss Jones. This is showing the softer side of him right here. [He’s] just showing he got feelings too. Just showing what he been through. How he caught his friend crushing in the back of the Camaro. I remember that s**t. Anything Pun said was believable. That’s what made him such a tremendous artist. If you look at his album it’s just a variety of music. He got all types of music on there.
“You Ain’t A Killer”
Pitbull: This is the first time I heard Pun. And when I first heard this record I thought it was some Wu-Tang n***a or something, I didn’t even know it was Pun. And much less a Puerto Rican. When I found out that he was Puerto Rican, I felt like he was our savior. I was like, “Oh s**t.” Another thing I like about this song is where he says “It’s not where you from it’s where’s your gat.” I really liked that s**t. It was a time in Miami when everyone was saying that it’s all New York rappers making it. And Pun put it like “It’s not where you from it’s where’s your gat” I really liked that s**t.
“Pakinamac (Interlude)”
Pitbull: Oh I love this s###. This one we used to f### around with all the time my n####. Once I heard that s### I thought that s### was funny as f###. This is one of the interludes that will forever stick in your head.
“Caribbean Connection” featuring Wyclef
Pitbull: “Caribbean Connection” showed more of his roots you know. Also, nobody outshined him on this album. His flow is so precise.
“Glamour Life” featuring Fat Joe and Terror Squad
Pitbull: This is a record where you put on all your dogs or whatever. And the thing is all of them were looking to live this lifestyle, the glamour life. Anyone that knows the record business knows that’s the last thing it is. You can see on this record how they looked up to Tony [Montana of Scarface].
“Capital Punishment”
Pitbull: Here you hear his versatility, man. He could rap about deep s**t too, you know what I’m saying? As far as what he is doing on Capital Punishment, he touching on s### that he has been through and what is wrong with society.
“I’m Not A Player”
Pitbull: This is the first “I’m Not A Player.” The first time I heard this was on a mixtape. And it was cool but when that remix came out with Joe, that’s when that s**t took off.
“Twinz (Deep Cover 98)”
Pitbull: “Twinz” was the s### that made me really love Pun. That “Dead in the middle of little Italy,” was like Oh my god. When I heard this s**t, because this one was one of the hardest beats and when Pun come on, he kills it. You can tell he was on some mobster s**t too. He loved the mob. I love [Fat] Joe, my n***a, but Pun murdered that s**t, dog. That dude really showed what he got on this record.
“You Came Up” featuring Noreaga
Pitbull: It’s just him saying we done made it. We went from nothing to something. The having fun on record, and of course with Noreaga on [it]. That’s something you notice on his album, he brought a lot of people together.
"Tres Leches (Triboro Trilogy)" featuring Prodigy & Rebel INS
Pitbull: As far as for this, Pun put some of the tightest n***as on the album to show that he can hang with them. Because really, he out did them! I liked that he named it “Tres Leches.” I don’t eat that desert because I don’t like sweets, but it’s good.
“Fast Money”
Pitbull: He just going at it there from a dope boy perspective. Just being on the block hustling. He was saying some sick s**t too, like “Get the camcorder run a train on his grand daughter.” You know what, on each one of these records you can tell how hungry he was dog. He is just trying to outshine everything moving.
“Parental Discretion”
Pitbull: This had more of a laid back, old school New York Hip-Hop s### [feel]. With the production he definitely stuck to his roots. He didn’t really veer off too much. He stuck to his New York roots but also his Latin roots. With Pun dog, I think he did the album like that to let everyone know that he was nice. This is that New York s**t and who better to have on the record than Busta Rhymes, a n***a that’s been apart of Hip-Hop since Leaders Of The New School. With Pun, he can get in deep, and the way he flows over it, he bounces. I don’t know how he does it but every f**king word would rhyme on his records. Rest in peace too. He was definitely a big inspiration for me. Capital Punishment was a classic. With Yeeeah Baby it was straight; this one you really felt. I think it’s like that with every rapper. Only a couple rappers are an exception. His hunger on this album was evident.