Born on this day in 1971 in Bronx, NY, Terror Squad lieutenant Christopher ‘Big Pun” Rios grew from an exceptional emcee that stood side to side by Fat Joe during his Jealous One’s Still Envy heyday to morphing into one of the game’s greatest lyricists of all time.
Big Punisher initially entered the rap game in the mid-80s as a member and founder of underground hip-hop collective Full-A-Clips and at the time, went under the moniker Big Moon Dawg, which was drawn from a famed pro wrestler with the same name. Recordings from the collective have been concealed and remain unreleased, but are known to be the earliest recordings of the late Puerto Rican emcee.
After Pun received a Grammy for “I’m Not A Player”, the full-length, double-disc version of his debut Capital Punishment was released the following year,. The album went platinum causing Pun to make history as the first Hip Hop solo act of Latino descent to achieve the mark.
On February 7th, 2000 during a momentary stay at Crowne Plaza Hotel in White Plains, New York, Pun faced a fatal heart attack and respiratory failure. He weighed 698 pounds at the time of his death, the highest weight in his lifetime. He withdrew from a Saturday Night Live performance two days prior where he was scheduled to perform with Fat Joe and Jennifer Lopez.
On this date in 1998, Terror Squad general Fat Joe released his third full length album Don Cartagena on the Atlantic/Big Beat/Terror Squad imprint.
On his first “official” release of Terror Squad as a crew and label, Fat Joe garnered the support from his then TS crew Armageddon, Triple Seis, Cuban Link and new recruit standout Big Punisher to pull together a superstar-laden album that would catapult TS to an equal level of success. With Pun’s almost overnight stardom from the smash single “Still Not A Player”, it gave Joe the leeway to bring in the rest of the crew sans Remy Ma, who was in Bedford Hill Correctional Facility. Singles such as “Bet Ya Man Can’t (Triz)” and “The Hidden Hand” left fans looking for that Terror Squad album with the original cast members, but internal strife only allowed those tracks to bring those thoughts into fruition. The real album feature was of course the Ski-produced “John Blaze”, which featured Nas, Jadakiss, Raekwon and Pun, is still considered one of the greatest joint tracks ever laid.
The album’s commercial success reflected the response from the fans, being Joe’s first top ten Billboard 200 release, grabbing a A- from EW and selling 100,000 in its first week was right in line of the thinking of The Don. Within a month, Don Cartagena was certified gold by the RIAA.
Salute to Joe, Pun(RIP), the entire original Terror Squad, Just Blaze, Dame Grease, Preemo and everyone else involved in the making of this Hip Hop classic!
The Bronx’s vibrant streets have birthed numerous hip-hop legends, and Fat Joe stands tall among them. His journey from rough neighborhoods to becoming a hip-hop legend is a testament to his strength and talent. Hitting the scene in the early ’90s, Joe quickly stood out with his strong presence and lyrical ability. From his beginnings with Diggin’ in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C) to creating Terror Squad Records, Fat Joe has always found ways to stay relevant in an ever-changing industry.
Further, Fat Joe has undeniably impacted rap music with several unforgettable hits throughout his career. Not only does his music capture what’s happening on the streets, but it also resonates worldwide. These five songs are all essential pieces of Fat Joe’s career because they represent different points where he showed how universal he could be as an artist while remaining timeless in his appeal. Each one also signifies growth and just why he will go down as one of history’s greatest artists within this genre.
1. “Lean Back” – Terror Squad ft. Fat Joe & Remy Ma
In 2004, the Terror Squad released their album True Story, featuring the hit single “Lean Back.” It took over radio stations and dance floors almost immediately after its release. The track’s production got people moving, thanks to Scott Storch. This sparked a new trend where people would lean back while doing some easy but memorable steps as they danced along with it. Further, Fat Joe’s delivery of this song was also powerful, making Remy Ma’s verse stand out, making them one of the best rappers at that time.
On the Billboard Hot 100 chart, “Lean Back” reached No. 1 for three weeks straight during its run in the Top 10. It also earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group! Additionally, it became successful not only commercially but also culturally. Therefore, if there ever was any doubt about his place in hip-hop history, then tracks like these should put all those arguments to rest because they show how capable he is when creating music that large numbers can appreciate.
Released in 2002 from Fat Joe’s album Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.), “What’s Luv?” became one of the early 2000s’ defining tracks. Featuring the sultry vocals of Ashanti and inspired by Tina Turner’s classic “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” the song blends hip-hop and R&B. The contagious chorus and smooth production by Irv Gotti made it a massive hit, appealing to a broad audience and receiving extensive radio play. “What’s Luv?” also peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking one of Fat Joe’s highest-charting singles. The song’s success was further cemented with its Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration nomination. “What’s Luv?” again highlighted Fat Joe’s skillset as an artist but also showed his ability to create timeless hits that echo across different music genres
“Make It Rain” is one of the most successful tracks from Fat Joe’s album Me, Myself & I released in 2006. The song features Lil Wayne and is characterized by the hard-hitting production by Scott Storch. The track tells about showing off money and success which goes perfectly with the high-energy beat. Hardly surprisingly, “Make It Rain” reached impressive heights on the charts – No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Moreover, this single has been certified platinum in digital sales by RIAA and has over a million downloads. It was also Grammy-nominated for Best Rap Performance Duo or Group. Further, its music video, directed by R Malcolm Jones, matches the opulent theme visually. These days, you still can hear “Make It Rain” being played at any club spinning Fat Joe records.
4. “All The Way Up” With Remy Ma Ft. French Montana & Infrared
Released in 2016, “All the Way Up” marked a triumphant return for Fat Joe, featuring longtime collaborator Remy Ma, along with French Montana and Infrared. The song was the lead single from Fat Joe and Remy Ma’s joint album Plata O Plomo. It features a booming beat and an anthemic chorus, showcasing the chemistry between Fat Joe and Remy.
“All the Way Up” achieved impressive commercial success, peaking at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning platinum certification from the RIAA. The track was also nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song. Its energy and hook made it a staple in clubs and on radio. Meanwhile, the music video, set in Miami, emphasized the song’s lavish and celebratory vibe. “All the Way Up” reinforced Fat Joe’s relevance in modern hip-hop and solidified his ability to produce hits across different eras.
5. “Flow Joe”
Unleashed in 1993 as the lead single from his debut album Represent, “Flow Joe” marked Fat Joe’s entry into mainstream hip-hop. The track features gritty lyrics and a hard-hitting prodution by Diamond D, reflecting the raw sound of early ’90s East Coast rap. It also highlights Fat Joe’s remarkable storytelling ability and his powerful presence on the mic.
“Flow Joe” also achieved notable chart success, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart. It also reached No. 89 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 62 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. The song’s success established Fat Joe as a formidable rapper and set the stage for his future music career. “Flow Joe” remains an important track in Fat Joe’s discography.
26 years ago, on this date, Christopher Rios, aka Big Punisher, put out his first LP, Capital Punishment, on Loud Records.
Released by Fat Joe and the Terror Squad on Loud Records, Pun’s highly anticipated album showcased Pun’s unequaled lyrical ability, comedic punchlines, and ever-evolving style that his son Chris Rivers has inherited from his pops.
Album highlights include joints like “You Ain’t A Killer,” “Super Lyrical,” featuring The Roots’ Black Thought, and the platinum-selling album that propelled the album to a million sales, “Still Not A Player.”
Salute to Fat Joe, the Rios family, the Terror Squad, and the entire Loud staff for this classic!
On this day in 2000, the first posthumous L.P. to be released by the first “Latin to go platinum” entitled Yeeeah Baby was released on the Loud/Terror Squad imprint.
Christopher “Big Pun” Rios passed away just shy of two months before his sophomore L.P.’s release and anticipated success, which came on the heels of his debut album, Capital Punishment. With appearances from the entire Terror Squad and executive production by the T.S. general Fat Joe, the 16-track album showed Pun’s acute diversity in his lyricism and approach to song-making, which yielded some of the most memorable songs of his career. The album took longer to record because of Pun’s extreme obesity since his breathing problems couldn’t permit him to spit his custom, rapid-fire flow freely.
Some of the L.P.’s favorites are the Puerto Rican anthem “100%” with Terror Squad crooner Tony Sunshine on the hook, “New York Giants” featuring M.O.P., “Ms. Martin,” an ode to his protege Remy Ma and the touching single “It’s So Hard” featuring Donnell Jones.
Salute to Big Pun, Pun Jr., and the entire Terror Squad for this remarkable piece of Hip Hop History!
On this date in 2000, the Hip Hop community was shocked and saddened by the untimely death of lyrical giant Christopher “Big Pun” Rios. As the premiere artist for Fat Joe’s Terror Squad, Pun became the first Latino Hip Hop artist to go platinum and discovered TS’ First Lady, Remy Ma.
Pun is regarded as one of the game’s best lyricists ever to do it, or as he is aptly described, one of the best “dead or alive.” His only two full-length releases, Capital Punishment and Yeeahhh Baby, are considered classic albums among true Hip Hop aficionados and continue to get radio play on his smash singles “I’m Not A Player” and the posthumous “It’s So Hard.”
Rest In Peace to Pun, and sincere condolences to the Rios family from the entire Mind Squad.
Fat Joe is someone who loves the NBA. Overall, if something happens in the league, you can expect him to have something to say about it. This NBA season has been a lot of fun so far and Joe has had a lot to talk about so far. For instance, Draymond Green is making a lot of noise right now. He was suspended indefinitely by the NBA and now has to undergo counseling. This all happened after he ended up punching Jusuf Nurkic upside the head. It was a pretty shocking incident that had a lot of fans fuming.
Now, it remains to be seen when Draymond will come back. In the end, it will be entirely up to him when he will be able to come back. Although most believe he should be gone for close to 25 games, he may only be gone for about 10 or so. No matter what, this is all very unique for the NBA. They have never asked a player to go through this before, at least pertaining to on-court behaviror. In Fat Joe’s eyes, however, Draymond is simply a different guy. In fact, Joe believes the NBA star could be a Terror Squad member.
“I’m also convinced that Draymond Green is Terror Squad. I want to give him a TS chain bad. Your man Draymond Green is Terror Squad. He’s suspended but he might get some new shines,” Joe said. “I might have to pull up on him and give him some shines. Let me tell you something, the man got a bad temper. Draymond got a bad temper. He don’t know how to do it — oozah. He just get busy.” At this point, Green probably wants to shed his reputation as oppose to feed into. Although who knows at this point?
Let us know what you think of the Draymond situation, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and athletes.
Raul Conde, a founder of Terror Squad and the father of Erica Mena’s first child, has passed away following a long battle with illness. Following the news of his untimely loss, Mena, DJ Khaled, and Fat Joe were among those who paid their respects and tribute to him. While her family grew since then, she still expressed heartbreak for not just herself, but for their 14-year-old son King. As of writing this article, it seems like not much else is known about the circumstances behind Conde’s death. Our prayers, condolences, and best wishes go out to all those who were touched by his life and presence.
“My Son officially has a broken heart…” Erica Mena wrote on her Instagram Story on Thursday (November 23) along with a picture of Conde with King. “Life is so short. Please love your people.” “Love you my brother @raul.ts,” DJ Khaled expressed in an IG post of a picture of them together. “You are very rare you the definition of a true brother friend. U always wanted to see everyone win. RAUL I LOVE YOU BROTHER! GOD BLESS. WE GOING MISS U, @raul.ts the legendary RAUL! Love for ever!”
“My Day 1,” Fat Joe chimed in on the social media platform with a picture with Raul and Usher, joining Erica Mena in her grief. “How can a man love another man more than your own biological family. You are 1 of 1 the most loyal EVER. We did it since kids we did everything we dreamed of I love you with every fiber in my body. I thought we’d get old together and look back at the times we had and laugh. No one understood me like you, you we God sent my brother I wish I could get one last talk with you.
“My Condolences to the CONDE FAMILY ty for letting us have RAUL for all these years,” he concluded. “I can tell you not a moment in my life I won’t love and cherish every minute every second I’ve had with RAUL. I want everyone to with my brother a safe passage to Heaven cause he loved GOD SO MUCH. WE ARE TERROR SQUAD 4 Life I love you RAUL TILL WE MEET AGAIN.” For more news and the latest updates on Erica Mena, DJ Khaled, and Fat Joe, come back to HNHH. Rest In Peace Raul Conde.
Born on this day in 1971 in Bronx, NY, Terror Squad lieutenant Christopher ‘Big Pun” Rios grew from an exceptional emcee that stood side to side by Fat Joe during his Jealous One’s Still Envy heyday to morphing into one of the game’s greatest lyricists of all time.
Big Punisher initially entered the rap game in the mid-80s as a member and founder of underground hip-hop collective Full-A-Clips and at the time, went under the moniker Big Moon Dawg, which was drawn from a famed pro wrestler with the same name. Recordings from the collective have been concealed and remain unreleased, but are known to be the earliest recordings of the late Puerto Rican emcee.
After Pun received a Grammy for “I’m Not A Player”, the full-length, double-disc version of his debut Capital Punishment was released the following year,. The album went platinum causing Pun to make history as the first Hip Hop solo act of Latino descent to achieve the mark.
On February 7th, 2000 during a momentary stay at Crowne Plaza Hotel in White Plains, New York, Pun faced a fatal heart attack and respiratory failure. He weighed 698 pounds at the time of his death, the highest weight in his lifetime. He withdrew from a Saturday Night Live performance two days prior where he was scheduled to perform with Fat Joe and Jennifer Lopez.
By now, most of the internet has grown tired of the never-ending headlines surrounding Jada Pinkett Smith and her juicy new memoir. The mother of two didn’t hold back when reflecting on the ups and downs of her life, from her marriage to Will Smith (which she’s since confirmed has seen them living separate lives since 2016) to her close friendship with the late Tupac Shakur. Though she says she didn’t have romantic feelings for him, Jada is under the impression that the “All Eyez On Me” hitmaker was her “soulmate,” and also alleged that he struggled with alopecia, similarly to her.
Even before we knew the finer details of what was going on behind closed doors in Will and Jada’s life, the internet often clowned The Fresh Prince actor for his wife’s inability to let Tupac go. Things are only becoming more intense amid the memoir’s debut. Still, Will remains unbothered and focused on his own energy. For her part, The Matrix actress continues to promote her book while linking up with other celebs – some of whom have given her epic gifts.
Among them is Fat Joe, who came through with an exclusive pair of Terror Squad Air Force 1 sneakers for Jada. Of course, she was happy to add the shoes to her collection, but there are still some who are trying to bring Tupac into the situation. As Fabolous pointed out, the TS initials on the kicks could just as easily represent the Baltimore native’s full name as it does Joe’s New York-based rap group. Elsewhere online, others have pointed out that they might even be seen as standing for “The Slap,” when Will struck Chris Rock across the face at the Oscars for insulting his co-parent.
The hottest topic in pop culture news this week has definitely been the controversy surrounding Jada Pinkett Smith’s memoir. Besides addressing her unconventional marriage to Will, the Girls Trip actress also reflected on her past selling hard drugs as a teenager. Read Dipset alum Jim Jones’ reaction to that at the link below, and check back later for more music/pop culture news updates.
