Christopher Lee Rios (November 9, 1971 - February 7, 2000), better known as Big Pun or Big Punisher, was a Puerto Rican American rapper who emerged from the underground rap scene in The Bronx in the late 1990s. He first appeared on albums from The Beatnuts on the track "Off the Books" and on Fat Joe's second album in 1995, Jealous One's Envy, on the track "Watch Out", prior to signing to Loud Records as a solo artist. Big Pun's career was cut short in 2000 at age 28 by a fatal heart attack due to his obesity. He is survived by a wife, Liza Rios, and three children. Big Pun was the first solo Latino rapper to sell over one million LPs. His first stage name was Big Moon Dawg. His name comes from the Marvel comic book anti-hero The Punisher.
Born in the Bronx during the early years of hip-hop, Christopher Rios grew up in an athletic tradition, enjoying basketball, boxing, and other sports. At the age of five, he broke his leg in a Manhattan municipal park, which would later (after several minimum wage jobs in New York and Miami, where he briefly relocated) net him a settlement from the city, to the tune of $500,000. At the age of 15, Pun dropped out of Stevenson High School. Sometime during the '80s, Rios began to write rap lyrics, forming the Full A Clips Crew with Triple Seis, Cuban Link, and Prospect. After meeting fellow Puerto Rican and Bronx rapper Fat Joe, in 1995, Pun became increasingly associated with him, making his commercial debut on Fat Joe's second album, Jealous Ones Envy (J.O.E.).
After an advertising blitz, "I'm Not a Player" (featuring an O'Jays sample) was an underground hit. The song's remix, "Still Not a Player" (featuring Joe), became Big Pun's first major mainstream hit. His full-length debut, Capital Punishment, followed in 1998, and was the first album by a Latino rapper (and a Latino solo artist) to go platinum. Around this time, Big Pun became a member of The Terror Squad, a New-York-based group of Latino rappers founded by Fat Joe, with most of the roster supplied by the now-defunct Full A Clips Crew.
Big Pun was also a member of the Digging in the Crates Crew, alongside Fat Joe and various New York hip-hop legends such as Diamond D, Lord Finesse, Big L, and O.C.
Due to issues with his broken leg and drug abuse, Pun's health declined during these years. The once-athletic man struggled with overeating problems and weight issues for several years, his weight bounding between 450 and 700 pounds (200 and 300 kg). Though he checked into a North Carolina weight loss clinic and lost 80 pounds (35 kg), the final effort was not enough to save Pun's health. At the age of 28, on February 7, 2000, Big Pun died of a heart attack at 700 lbs. (300 kg).
Big Pun's second album, Yeeeah Baby, was already scheduled to be released at the time of his death, and was issued in March 2000. A second posthumous album, Endangered Species, was released in 2001, a collection of "greatest hits," new material, guest appearances, and remixed "greatest verses."
Pun's supporters generally praise him for his complex rhyme schemes, intricate wordplay, ability to stay on-beat, and relentless flow and breath control (despite his immense size, which would generally render his complex phrasing too difficult).
Glamour Life
Big Punisher Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lose the ice, 100 mil kid, money, money, money, mo
Platinum status, yeah, what up, what up?
(Big Punisher) Stick around
Yo, I plan to live a life a-glamour
Like my man Tony Montana
Stand and pose in front of cameras
Smoking havanas, drinking Don P
Thinking beyond deeper than Ghandi, while I'm in the Diamante
Counting my G's, I'm out to be a millionaire
Dipped in gear, flickin' hundred dollar bills in the air
Oh yeah, Cuban Link is into getting benjamins
'Cause if doesn't make dollars, then it doesn't make sense
I represent, I'm in to be the king of New York
Went from living in tenements to up in house resorts
I'm the latino, that'll take you to war like Al Pacino
Even De Niro know not to gamble in my casino
Vino wanna rock, slaps, to dinners with mobsters
I got shit locked from Prospect Ave. to the tropics
Sitting on top of the world like the sun
A living legend from the Bronx, second to none, unless it's Pun
[Chorus]
It's the glamour life, blow up the kids and the wife
Players who ain't half as nice swear to, but they sacrifice
Bottle the rock, freeze the ice, stash the dope and rice
And get ready for the glamour life
Ripped off from the Infiniti
Dump the body an' the shottie down the lake, leaving no identity
Just the memory, a casualty as I casually make move on my rivalries
All eyes I be, on the quest for loot
Pushing a Lexus coupe, to pursuit them troops, against the big-joker
Sipping alimoca, playing poker with some chocha
Heard an approacher, must be fam', but damn I had to smoke Pun
(Get the motherfucking gun)
Since ? become the one wanted for a lump sum of G's
Dirty rats pack gats for cheese
Bullets of breeze at light speed
Taking your pretty wife life and sacrificing your seeds
Indeed, we let him bleed for 50 G's
Ship his body to the states, filled with 50 keys
Please, no remorse for your two face
Inside a symbol, my life throughout the motherfucking suitcase
You about to take who's place? Not Seis
Your body'll be laced, and left without a trace
The glamour life, the glamour life, yo
[Chorus]
Yo, It's the motherfucking Don Cartagena
The leader, Terror Squad cleaner
Leave your family crying for you like Argentina, mira
Sweet dreamer like Nas, my entourage is thick
Camouflaging this bitch, so God forbid you start some shit
My squad's equipped with an arsenal of ammunition
Hollow tips an', cop killers with the ?
Accounts in Switzerland for rainy days
Nigga I'm staying paid, you's a joke
Always broke with your lazy ways
Anyway, back to the subject, in the bub-Lex
In the back seat, having rough sex
I love this glamorous life I live, having the ice and shit
Think twice, I give Christ your kids
I live life for gifts, keep the five burning while the tires turning
I blaze an L and seek a higher learning
Kaiser's learnin' everything illegally
We could de friend for years, cross me once that's theivity
[Chorus]
Yo, the dough, the rap, the audience, party heavy till the 40's in
Ill like the Yakuza run the Orient
Take all the rent, and no man wept the path his daughter went
Dicks with the fallopian, wide as auditorium
She fuck for dough for opium, prostitute emporium
500 Benz, 500 friends sell Cambodian
8's cup of vodka, four cup of juice for sodium
Money, money, sweet as the smell of magnolia
It's get you down, but you spitting image of Appalonia
Now how can I go broke, pumping twenties of coke
Plus songs I wrote, milkin' dumb honeys I poke
The young blood sat on the bench in Vant Courtland, slingin'
Singing how he trying to get cash for Jordans
Another cat toss his Beamer to get the insurance
Currency's gonna murder me, it's never enough
Breakin' my ass gettin' it, just as fast as I spend the stuff
Calling Uncle Sam's bluff dun, taxes don't bite us, bite us
My life
My life
[Chorus]
The glamour life, play precise, defense is tight
I'm out to settle the score, let's do it right
Enough for looking at grave, It's paying back tonight
Yo Twin pass the lah, pass the light
The glamour life, this life I live is trife as shit
Least my wife and kid got somewhere nice to live
I used to live in the gutter, me and my mother
Now she's fifty years old, pushing a hummer
The glamour life, hand me a knife I'll slice and dice
Mini-mize, send them to Christ in the after life
Pass the mic down the line, let them hear it
Let them fear it, send it screaming to the Holy Spirit
Glamour life, the glamour life, the glamour life
It's the glamour life, yo it's the glamour, it's the glamour life
Glamour life, glamour life, glamour life
Cock the hammer, in this motherfucking life, bitch
The song “Glamour Life” by Big Punisher featuring Cuban link depicts the life of luxury, fame, and fortune that they aspire to live. The lyrics paint a picture of lavish lifestyles, money, and power, all while showcasing their strength and dominance. The song features the two rappers taking turns rapping about their aspirations and the measures they will take to achieve their desire to be millionaires. The reference to famous movie characters like Tony Montana from “Scarface” indicates the their willingness to go as far as necessary to secure their place at the top. The use of words like “bottle the rocks, lose the ice, 100 mil kid” alludes to their desire for material things, with money being at the forefront of it all.
The chorus of the song reiterates the idea of glamour life, and the cost it comes with. The line “blow up the kids and the wife” indicates that they are practically prepared to sacrifice family for the luxurious life they want to live. In contrast, the line “stashing dope and rice” reinforces the illegal means they’re willing to use in order to make their dreams come true.
Line by Line Meaning
Glamour life style baby, bottle the rocks
Living a luxurious lifestyle, showcasing wealth and success
Lose the ice, 100 mil kid, money, money, money, mo
Getting rid of the flashy jewelry, focusing on making more money
Platinum status, yeah, what up, what up?
Achieving a high level of success and recognition
(Big Punisher) Stick around
Stay and witness the extravagant life I'm about to describe
Yo, I plan to live a life a-glamour
I aspire to live a glamorous life
Like my man Tony Montana
Similar to the iconic character Tony Montana from the movie Scarface
Stand and pose in front of cameras
Posing confidently in front of cameras to capture the glamourous moments
With my golden silk pajamas on
Wearing luxurious silk pajamas in a golden color
Smoking havanas, drinking Don P
Enjoying expensive Cuban cigars and drinking Don Pérignon champagne
Thinking beyond deeper than Ghandi, while I'm in the Diamante
Having profound thoughts, deeper than even Gandhi, while surrounded by diamonds
Counting my G's, I'm out to be a millionaire
Counting my money, aiming to become a millionaire
Dipped in gear, flickin' hundred dollar bills in the air
Showing off my expensive clothes and casually throwing hundred dollar bills
Oh yeah, Cuban Link is into getting benjamins
Cuban Link is focused on making money, specifically referring to hundred dollar bills (benjamins)
'Cause if doesn't make dollars, then it doesn't make sense
If something doesn't bring financial gain, it is not worth pursuing
I represent, I'm in to be the king of New York
I represent and strive to become the most dominant figure in New York City
Went from living in tenements to up in house resorts
Moved from living in low-income housing to luxurious resorts
I'm the latino, that'll take you to war like Al Pacino
As a Latino, I am not afraid to engage in a battle or conflict, similar to how Al Pacino portrays his characters
Even De Niro know not to gamble in my casino
Even Robert De Niro, a famous actor known for his roles in casino-related movies, knows better than to gamble in my casino
Vino wanna rock, slaps, to dinners with mobsters
Vino, likely a nickname, wants to attend parties, high-five friends, and have dinners with mobsters
I got shit locked from Prospect Ave. to the tropics
I have everything under control and well-connected, from Prospect Avenue (likely a street in New York) to the tropical regions
Sitting on top of the world like the sun
I am in a position of power and success, metaphorically sitting on top of the world
A living legend from the Bronx, second to none, unless it's Pun
I am considered a legendary figure from the Bronx, and there is no one better except for me (Pun)
It's the glamour life, blow up the kids and the wife
Referring to a lifestyle that involves extravagant spending and indulgence, even at the expense of family
Players who ain't half as nice swear to, but they sacrifice
People who are not as skilled try to imitate, but they have to give up something of value to do so
Bottle the rock, freeze the ice, stash the dope and rice
Collecting expensive champagne, preserving the diamonds, hiding drugs, and storing money
And get ready for the glamour life
Preparing oneself for a life of luxury and extravagance
Ripped off from the Infiniti
Stolen from the Infiniti car
Dump the body an' the shottie down the lake, leaving no identity
Getting rid of a dead body and the shotgun by throwing them into a lake, ensuring there is no way to identify them
Just the memory, a casualty as I casually make move on my rivalries
Only leaving behind the memory of the person, who becomes a victim as I casually make moves against my rivals
All eyes I be, on the quest for loot
Gaining attention as I am constantly striving to accumulate wealth
Pushing a Lexus coupe, to pursuit them troops, against the big-joker
Driving a Lexus coupe while chasing after my enemies, especially the most powerful one
Sipping alimoca, playing poker with some chocha
Drinking alimoca (likely a beverage) and playing poker with attractive women
Heard an approacher, must be fam', but damn I had to smoke Pun
Noticing someone trying to come close to me, possibly a familiar face, but I had to eliminate them by killing Pun (likely a rival or enemy)
(Get the motherfucking gun)
Retrieve the firearm for protection or attack
Since ? become the one wanted for a lump sum of G's
Since this unnamed person became wanted for a significant amount of money
Dirty rats pack gats for cheese
Untrustworthy individuals carry guns in exchange for money
Bullets of breeze at light speed
Bullets are fired effortlessly and swiftly
Taking your pretty wife life and sacrificing your seeds
Killing your attractive wife and causing harm to your children
Indeed, we let him bleed for 50 G's
Indeed, we let him suffer injuries and bleed as we demand a payment of 50 thousand dollars
Ship his body to the states, filled with 50 keys
Send his dead body back to the United States, filled with 50 kilograms of drugs
Please, no remorse for your two face
There is no sympathy or regret for your deceitful nature
Inside a symbol, my life throughout the motherfucking suitcase
My life is contained within a symbol, representing the suitcase where I keep my belongings
You about to take who's place? Not Seis
You think you can replace someone, but it won't be Seis (possibly a reference to a person or nickname)
Your body'll be laced, and left without a trace
Your body will be covered in bullet holes and there will be no evidence left behind
Yo, It's the motherfucking Don Cartagena
Referring to oneself as the powerful and respected figure Don Cartagena
The leader, Terror Squad cleaner
As the leader, I am responsible for maintaining control and order within the Terror Squad
Leave your family crying for you like Argentina, mira
Causing your family to shed tears for you, similar to the way Argentina mourned during a tragic event (possibly a reference to the Dirty War)
Sweet dreamer like Nas, my entourage is thick
Having big aspirations like the rapper Nas, and being surrounded by a large group of people
Camouflaging this bitch, so God forbid you start some shit
Blending in and disguising myself, so it would be unfortunate if you were to provoke any trouble
My squad's equipped with an arsenal of ammunition
My team is prepared with a vast supply of weapons and bullets
Hollow tips an', cop killers with the ?
Using hollow-point bullets and bullets designed to penetrate police officer's bulletproof vests
Accounts in Switzerland for rainy days
Having bank accounts in Switzerland as a contingency for difficult times
Nigga I'm staying paid, you's a joke
I am consistently making money, while you are a joke and not successful
Always broke with your lazy ways
You are always lacking money due to your lazy habits
Anyway, back to the subject, in the bub-Lex
Anyway, getting back to the main topic, riding in a luxurious Lexus car
In the back seat, having rough sex
Engaging in rough sexual activity in the back seat of the car
I love this glamorous life I live, having the ice and shit
I enjoy living this glamorous life, having expensive jewelry and other luxurious items
Think twice, I give Christ your kids
Consider carefully, as I can harm your children and send them to meet Christ (possibly referring to violence or threats)
I live life for gifts, keep the five burning while the tires turning
I live my life for material possessions, keeping a five-dollar bill burning while my car tires are spinning
I blaze an L and seek a higher learning
I smoke a marijuana joint and aim to gain higher knowledge or spiritual enlightenment
Kaiser's learnin' everything illegally
Kaiser (likely a nickname) is learning everything unlawfully or through illegal means
We could de friend for years, cross me once that's theivity
We could be close friends for a long time, but if you betray me even once, it would be considered theft or treachery
The dough, the rap, the audience, party heavy till the 40's in
Referring to the money, the rap career, and the fans, partying excessively until the early hours of the morning (possibly related to alcohol)
Ill like the Yakuza run the Orient
Powerful and skilled like the Yakuza (Japanese organized crime syndicate) who control the Orient (referring to Asia)
Take all the rent, and no man wept the path his daughter went
Taking all the money, leaving no man to cry or worry about the path his daughter took in life
Dicks with the fallopian, wide as auditorium
Referring to men with a strong sexual appetite and prowess, using a metaphor comparing their genitals to the size of an auditorium
She fuck for dough for opium, prostitute emporium
She engages in sexual acts for money to buy opium, working in a place where many prostitutes gather
500 Benz, 500 friends sell Cambodian
Driving a 500 Benz car and having 500 friends who sell Cambodian drugs
8's cup of vodka, four cup of juice for sodium
Mixing an 8-ounce cup of vodka with four cups of juice for the purpose of diluting the sodium content
Money, money, sweet as the smell of magnolia
Referring to the pleasing and addictive nature of money, comparing it to the pleasant scent of magnolia flowers
It's get you down, but you spitting image of Appalonia
Money can have negative effects on people, but you resemble Appolonia (possibly referring to a person) closely
Now how can I go broke, pumping twenties of coke
There is no way I can run out of money, constantly selling twenty-dollar bags of cocaine
Plus songs I wrote, milkin' dumb honeys I poke
In addition to the money from selling drugs, I also make money from the songs I write and manipulate naive women for financial gain
The young blood sat on the bench in Vant Courtland, slingin'
Referring to a young drug dealer sitting on a bench in Vant Courtland (likely a park or area) while selling drugs
Singing how he trying to get cash for Jordans
Singing about his attempts to get money to buy expensive Air Jordan sneakers
Another cat toss his Beamer to get the insurance
Another person deliberately wrecks their BMW car to collect insurance money
Currency's gonna murder me, it's never enough
The pursuit of money is going to be my downfall, as it is an insatiable desire
Breakin' my ass gettin' it, just as fast as I spend the stuff
Working hard to earn money, but spending it just as quickly
Calling Uncle Sam's bluff dun, taxes don't bite us, bite us
Challenging the authority and power of the government (Uncle Sam) when it comes to taxes, implying that taxes don't affect us or bother us
The glamour life, play precise, defense is tight
Referring to the extravagant lifestyle where everything is well-planned and executed, and being cautious and protected
I'm out to settle the score, let's do it right
I am determined to get revenge and resolve any conflicts, doing it in the correct and effective way
Enough for looking at grave, It's paying back tonight
No need to wait until death to seek revenge, I will make them pay tonight
Yo Twin pass the lah, pass the light
Referring to someone named Twin, asking them to pass the marijuana joint and share the lighter
This life I live is trife as shit
The life I lead is full of hardship and difficult situations
Least my wife and kid got somewhere nice to live
At least my wife and child have a comfortable and luxurious place to live
I used to live in the gutter, me and my mother
In the past, I lived in poverty and difficult conditions with my mother
Now she's fifty years old, pushing a hummer
Now that she is fifty years old, she drives a Hummer car
Hand me a knife I'll slice and dice
Pass me a knife, and I will skillfully cut and chop
Mini-mize, send them to Christ in the after life
Minimize their existence, sending them to meet Christ in the afterlife, possibly referring to causing harm or eliminating enemies
Pass the mic down the line, let them hear it
Passing the microphone to others so they can hear and witness the words being spoken
Let them fear it, send it screaming to the Holy Spirit
Let them be afraid of it, sending the words screaming towards the Holy Spirit, possibly referring to the intensity and impact of the message
Lyrics © JELLYBEAN MUSIC GROUP, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHRISTOPHER RIOS, LESHAN LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind