Capital Punishment
In the beginning, hip-hop's heavyweights were relegated to the role of class clown--what with fat guys being jolly and all. But in the mid '90s, artists of a certain heft broke free of that stereotype and asserted themselves as powerful in both muscle and mind. On this much-anticipated full-length debut, Christopher "Big Punisher" Rios shows he's capable of competing in both arenas, waxing as intelligent as can be on rhymes like "Super Lyrical" (where he's joined by the Roots' always provocative Black Thought) and "Parental Discretion" (a duet with Busta Rhymes). Big Pun's hit "Still Not a Player" is, of course, included here, and while its nasty Bronx groove sets the tone for much of the 24-song set, the big man also pays his respects to the Big Apple's other boroughs on "Tres Leches (Triboro Trilogy"). He even sets sail for the islands--accompanied by Fugee frontman Wyclef Jean--on "Caribbean Connection." One of the most ambitious hip-hop debuts in years.--David Sprague