Big Pun

At the time of his recent sudden death, Big Pun was one of the most respected MCs in the game, a fact borne out by his high demand for appearances on other artists' records. A breathless flow, alternately merciless and witty lyrics and a natural charisma allowed him to satisfy mainstream and purist markets with ease. His debut, Capital Punishment, impressively overcame the scrutiny a high profile sticker campaign placed on it. For his second and final album, Pun's skills retain their initial appeal but the main problem with Yeeaah Baby is its struggle to juggle a variety of styles, a balancing act that was managed effortlessly on his debut. In an attempt to stay current with flavour of the month sounds and under-achieving cameos, Yeeaah Baby's strength is significantly weakened. However, his humour shines throughout and tracks like the heady "100%" and "NY Giants," with the ever raucous M.O.P., are vintage Pun reminding us of why we jocked his style in the first place.