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Christopher Lee Rios aka Big Pun helped change the face of hip-hop in 1998 with the release of his platinum debut Capital Punishment. The album's single "Still Not a Player," transformed Pun from a local New York talent to a worldwide phenomenon. After becoming the first solo Latino rapper to sell over a million copies, Pun went on to earn a Grammy nod for his effort. While he didn't win, Pun stood as an inspiration for Latinos everywhere, that's why his unexpected death on February 7, 2000, after heart failure, hit the community so hard. Sí Entertainment sat down with some celebrities and our bloggers to discuss Big Moon Dog's impact and legacy.

DJ Disco Wiz (Puerto Rican hip-hop DJ and pioneer): "I remember when he went platinum, how proud that made me feel, it was as if we all went platinum! I used to spend a lot of time with Carlito Rodriguez who was the senor editor of The Source Magazine around this time, and when he passed we all took it very hard. I went to the wake and service it was very tough! Everyone came through to pay their respects; the turnout was incredible. I had the pleasure of meeting him once he was a very humble and real brother."

Joell Ortiz (Puerto Rican MC): "Pun opened doors for Latin rappers. He had the crossover ability to get to the Black audience just as a Black rapper would and he kind of chipped away at that divisional wall of like, "Yo, you're nice for a Puerto Rican rapper." I'm still chipping away at that wall too. Pun has been influential in my career ‘til this day because it's just like line-for-line, I mean a lot of guys today can't do anything with Pun's old verses. I'm a hip-hop fan. I'm a fan first before a rapper and when you mention Big Pun it kind of stutters me because I'm a huge fan and I wish he was still here. He got jipped. There should definitely be a Big Pun Award at some of these hip-hop events."

Pitbull (Cuban-American MC): "When I heard Big Pun first rapping I didn't think he was Puerto Rican or Latin. I thought he was Black. When I found out who he was and who he represented it gave me a breath of fresh air like, "Damn we can make it in the game." For me it was a sense of inspiration [and] motivation as far as being an artist."

Jessy Terrero (Dominican-American filmmaker): "At the time you had artists like Fat Joe who were trying to break down the walls and here comes Big Pun, who smashed down the gates. He made people understand that Latinos can rap just as good as anyone else. I think it was a crucial time when Pun came because he wore that Puerto Rican flag on his back. He exposed the mainstream audience to the culture of Latin rappers in a way it hadn't been done. Pun became an artist that people respected and adored. Pun will go down as one of the best. Sometimes when people talk about the top 10 rappers, Pun doesn't fall into that for the simple fact that he wasn't around enough."

Rick Gonzalez (Puerto Rican actor): "Personally as a Puerto Rican [Big Pun] meant a lot to me; seeing him succeed made me so proud. When we see one of our own do well we all embrace it. His success just solidified Puerto Ricans' role in hip-hop. He re-established the idea that Latinos can do good work in hip-hop."

Termanology (Puerto Rican/French MC): "That n***a was just my favorite MC! I just want to try to keep his name alive and just remind people that he is ill. To this day I feel like no one can ever match lyrically where he was at. My favorite verse ever is off of "Dream Shatterer" the third verse "You know the Pun will diss you...." [recites the verse]. That was my jam. I just relate to him so much."

Malverde (Mexican-American MC): "When that tragic day fell upon us and he wasn't with us no more it left a vacuum in the hip-hop world period; let alone Latinos. When Pun came out there was this big, fat f**kin' Puerto Rican and he's just destroying mics. To show that you can transcend race and even language; hip-hop is culture and a movement. I am here because of Pun and all the MCs who happened to be Latino who led the way."

Additional reporting by Zayda Rivera