| Capital Punishment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 28, 1998 (1998-04-28) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 71:53 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| Big Pun chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Capital Punishment | ||||
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Capital Punishment is the debut studio album by American rapper Big Pun, released by Loud Records and Fat Joe's Terror Squad Productions. Released on April 28, 1998, it is the only album released during his lifetime and is regarded as a hip-hop classic, described by Black Thoughtofthe Roots as "super groundbreaking" upon release.[1] The album peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 charts and number one on the Top R&B Albums chart for two weeks. It was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 1999 Grammy Awards, but lost to Jay-Z's Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. It was also the first solo Latin hip hop record to go Platinum.[2]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| Christgau's Consumer Guide |  [4] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[5] |
| The Indianapolis Star | [6] |
| Los Angeles Times | [7] |
| Q | [8] |
| RapReviews | 9.5/10[9] |
| Rolling Stone | [10] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [11] |
| The Source | [12] |
The Indianapolis Star said that "as a character, Punisher often falls into routine street posturing but the personality is as solid as big body that accompanies it."[6] Entertainment Weekly stated: "Everything about this Bronx-bred Puerto Rican rapper is generous, his 400-pound girth, his multiple rhyming within each line, and his talent for spewing out verses without stopping for breath."[5] Q wrote: "Displaying huge lyrical prowess and the requisite 'sensitive' side...[the album] established Pun as a serious rival to Biggie Smalls and something of a ladykiller to boot... Outrageously good."[8] The Source determined that "he'll rhyme every possible word in a line because he wants to be twice as nice... Capital Punishment's all about execution."[12] Rap Pages concluded that "Big Pun is at his best with all barrels firing bullets lacing the air like embroidery on grandmama's quilt."[13]
Rolling Stone included Capital Punishment on its list of "The 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time", at 128.[14]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | 0:33 | ||
| 2. | "Beware" |
| 3:15 | |
| 3. | "Super Lyrical" (featuring Black Thought) |
|
| 3:28 |
| 4. | "Taster's Choice" (skit) | 1:20 | ||
| 5. | "Still Not a Player" (featuring Joe) |
|
| 3:56 |
| 6. | "Intermission" |
| 0:21 | |
| 7. | "The Dream Shatterer" |
| 3:33 | |
| 8. | "Punish Me" (featuring Miss Jones) |
| 4:15 | |
| 9. | "Pakinamac Pt. I" (skit) | 1:35 | ||
| 10. | "You Ain't a Killer" |
| 4:14 | |
| 11. | "Pakinamac Pt. II" (skit) | 0:57 | ||
| 12. | "Caribbean Connection" (featuring Wyclef Jean) |
|
| 3:24 |
| 13. | "Glamour Life" (featuring Cuban Link, Triple Seis, Fat Joe & Armageddon of Terror Squad) |
| 4:43 | |
| 14. | "Capital Punishment" (featuring Prospect) |
| 4:20 | |
| 15. | "Uncensored" (skit) (featuring DJ Funkmaster Flex) | 2:12 | ||
| 16. | "I'm Not a Player" |
|
| 3:41 |
| 17. | "Twinz (Deep Cover '98)" (featuring Fat Joe) |
| 3:49 | |
| 18. | "The Rain & the Sun" (Interlude) (featuring dead prez) |
| 1:49 | |
| 19. | "Boomerang" |
| 3:35 | |
| 20. | "You Came Up" (featuring Noreaga) |
|
| 3:54 |
| 21. | "Tres Leches (Triboro Trilogy)" (featuring Prodigy and Inspectah Deck) |
|
| 4:19 |
| 22. | "Charlie Rock Shout" (skit) | 0:26 | ||
| 23. | "Fast Money" |
|
| 3:48 |
| 24. | "Parental Discretion" (featuring Busta Rhymes) |
|
| 4:33 |
| Total length: | 1:11:53 | |||
"Still Not A Player" is edited on all pressings. The original uncensored version can be found on the promo single.
Sample credits
Credits for Capital Punishment adapted from the album liner notes.
| Year | Album | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard 200 | Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums | Top Canadian Albums | ||
| 1998 | Capital Punishment | 5 | 1 | 11 |
| Year | Song | Hot 100 | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | Hot Rap Singles | Rhythmic Top 40 | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | "I'm Not a Player" | 57 | 19 | 3 | - | 7 |
| 1998 | "Still Not a Player" | 24 | 6 | 13 | 5 | 1 |
| "You Came Up" | - | 49 | 43 | - | - |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[15] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[16] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
