[Si] TV

Big Pun's legacy not only impacted millions of fans, but his close friends as well--perhaps none more than Cuban Link. Before he became Terror Squad's most feared lyricist, Pun promised to bring Cuban with him. Unfortunately Pun's untimely passing left the dream unfulfilled. Today, Cuban still holds his pana close to his heart and also remains at odds with Fat Joe. Fresh off of a diss song ("You're Not Hood") targeting Joe, DJ Khaled and Rick Ross, Cuban spoke to Sí Entertainment about Pun and the truth about his falling out with Joe.

Si Ent.: What's you favorite memory of Pun?
Cuban Link: Ah there's so many! The most life-changing for me was when I got out the hospital from being stabbed up. I was getting ready to quit the game, [because of] all the drama that was going on in my life at the time. Pun came to my house and told me, "I need you in my life, you're gonna roll with me and we're gonna do this together." Then he gave me a pen and a pad and told me, "You gotta start writing." But he was my brother for real, the way Pun carried himself was the way he carried himself in lyrics and they're ain't too many rappers that do it like that anymore. I owe more than a quarter of my style to Pun.

Si Ent.: What was the last thing you and Pun spoke about before his passing?
CL: It was a business conversation about Fat Joe being greedy; he didn't want to break bread with Pun. Big Pun was ghostwriting for Fat Joe and told Joe let's write up a contract. Because [on] the first Terror Squad album Fat Joe got [a] $15,000 bonus and kept it to himself, he didn't give Pun any percentage of that. So that's how appreciative Fat Joe is towards his people.

Si Ent.: But why did you diss DJ Khaled and Rick Ross on your song "You're Not Hood?"
CL: There's a lot of personal s**t involved, it was the situation after Pun died where the biz wasn't going good for any of us ‘cause I guess we were depressed. And s**t was just numb then. Fat Joe had a fallin' out with Atlantic at the time. Then one night we were chillin' at the club after we had parted ways and Fat Joe took a swing at me. I got up, rocked his boat backwards then security came and that's pretty much what sparked everything. But he's a f****t because he'll lock a lot people out the game by talking s**t about them, just because he don't like them. And he ain't wrote a rhyme in the past 10 years, he's got nothing but ghostwriters. To me it's about being humble in the game and Fat Joe ain't humble. And I ain't dissin' on Rick Ross just because he's rolling with Fat Joe. Rick Ross got on a track like a year ago and said something' about me! DJ Khaled and me used to be cool, but when Fat Joe and I started beefing he went on Fat Joe's side. But I'm not hating I just want to expose him for who he really is, ‘cause he ain't "so hood." He's rolling with Terror Squad and he thinks he's gangsta, but he's not.

Si Ent.: What's going on with your career?
CL: There's a lot of bulls**t going on right now getting my music played at the radio station. It wasn't a matter of money, it wasn't matter of connections, it was just a matter of something going on at that station where they don't like me and it's obvious. And plus I gave Kay Slay something like eight months ago and I know he don't got love for me ‘cause of Joe. And I wasn't trying to make it funky with anybody at the radio station I just went the professional way about it, trying to keep it business. But it just all goes back to Joe when it comes to that. And the people are calling and asking to play Cuban Link but they never play me, so I know it's deeper than that. But I'm not worried all the lies about me will come to light.

Si Ent.: So what would have to happen for Cuban Link and Fat Joe to be friends again?
CL: If he could just die [laughs]. Serious though, if he'd could die . . . but nah there really ain't nothing that could happen to make me friends with him. Even if he died I'd end up meeting him in hell or heaven or where ever and boxing him there. He crossed the line in my barrier and he crossed Pun's line. He crossed the gun line, and I don't got no real hate for Terror Squad it's just that fat f**k!

Additional writing from Navani Otero.