Big Pun’s Family Rallies to Have Bronx Street Named After Him
Family members of the late rapper Big Pun, born Christopher Rios, are rallying once again to have a street renamed after him in the Bronx, the borough the lauded rhymer grew up in.
Pun's sister, Nicole Rodriguez, is spearheading the effort to have the cross streets of E. 163rd St. and Rogers Place in the Bronx's Longwood neighborhood renamed "Big Pun Place."
"I feel I owe this to my brother," Rodriguez told the NY Daily News. "He was not only my brother, he was a father figure. He stepped in when my parents couldn't. So I want to push for this. He deserves it. It would become a visual cemetery for everyone. My brother was cremated, so there's nowhere to visit him," she said. "This way, his legacy will live on close to home."
Rodriguez, who began the new effort on Feb. 21, has amassed approximately 2,100 signatures so far. She's encouraging Pun's fans and supporters to add their signatures to her petition at BigPunPlace.com.
Former Terror Squad member Triple Seis also weighed in on the issue, which has been building since 2000. "I think he really deserves this because he made such an impact in the community. Christopher was more than just an artist to me, he was a best friend, a brother," he said. "Whenever I needed something, I could count on him. It's only right for me to fight for him."
In the summer of 2010, Big Pun's fans made the most recent attempt to have a street renamed after the deceased rapper, but their actions never materialized. Rodriguez will hold a rally on the Bronx corner at 1PM on Saturday (April 9).
Before his death, Big Pun released two studio albums, 1998's 'Capital Punishment' and 2000's 'Yeeeah Baby.' 'Endangered Species,' which debuted in2 001, was his final, posthumous release.
Watch Big Pun's 'Still Not a Prayer'