1 / 13

Big Pun's Big Debut - On April 28, 1998, Big Pun released his Loud Records debut Capital Punishment. The vessel launched the Bronx MC into hip hop royalty as he showcased his lyricism on tracks like "You Ain't a Killer" and "Twinz," as the album has stood the test of time for the past 16 years.The LP was also a first by a Latin MC to go platinum. Read on as BET.com takes a look at several key co-defendants who went on trial with the Puerto Rican MC to deliver his classic Capital Punishment verdict. ― Michael Harris (@IceBlueVA)(Photo: Loud Records)

2 / 13

Black Thought - The Bronx and Philly connected nicely on this Rockwilder production as Big Pun and Black Thought showcased the actual art of MCing on "Super Lyrical." Over the years, The Roots' silent frontman has stayed active dropping albums with his group. The hip hop band will drop their thirteenth, ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin, in May. Black Thought and the Roots have also backed artists like Jay Z for Unplugged specials, with The Roots laying the instrumental backdrops and Black Thought stepping in as impromptu hype man. In 2009, Black Thought and The Roots became the house band for Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. When Fallon took over The Tonight Show this year, The Roots also followed. They sometimes partake in skits on the show as well.    (Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for GQ)

3 / 13

Joe - R&B crooner Joe and Pun set the dance floors on fire back in 1998 with the hit single "Still Not a Player." Since then, Joe has had a string of hits with several other rappers, including Mystikal, 50 Cent and G-Unit, on tracks like "Stutter" and "Ride With You."Joe has been a mainstay on the R&B scene since his debut in 1993 and will be dropping his eleventh studio album, Bridges, June 24, fueled by the new single "Love & Sex Part 2" featuring Kelly Rowland.(Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images For BET)

4 / 13

Fat Joe - Fat Joe helped introduce the world to Big Pun when he featured him on his sophomore album, J.O.E. (Jealous One’s Envy), and he went on to serve as one of the executive producers on Pun's own debut, Capital Punishment. Joe and The Terror Squad appeared on the track "Glamour Life," produced by L.E.S., but unfortunately that would be one of the last crew recordings. After Pun died, Terror Squad and family all seemed to have issues with Joe, in particular Cuban Link and Remy Ma. Despite that, Fat Joe went on to have major success with albums like J.O.S.E. (Jealous Ones Still Envy) and hit singles like "We Thuggin" and "What's Love" with R. Kelly and Ashanti, respectively. In 2013, Joe served four months in prison related to tax evasion charges. Since his return, he's been releasing singles through the Internet and a new LP is...

5 / 13

Miss Jones - Miss Jones lent her sweet vocals over Punisher's "Punish Me” as The Bronx MC discussed his tribulations with the opposite sex. Though her singing career never took off outside of supplying a few hooks for hip hop classics like AZ's "Sugar Hill" and her only album, The Other Woman, which dropped in 1998 on Motown, Jones has forged her way and become a successful radio personality. Her radio career has included stints on New York's Hot 97, Power 99 in Philly and several Internet radio broadcasts.(Photo: Shareif Ziyadat/FilmMagic) 

6 / 13

Wyclef Jean - Wyclef and Big Pun traded verses on the island-hopping "Caribbean Connection." Since the collaboration, The Fugees MC released several successful solo projects, including Masquerade and The Preacher’s Son. A huge humanitarian, Wyclef played a major role in raising funds for his native Haiti after the country suffered a devastating earthquake in 2010. Wyclef also attempted to run for president of Haiti that year. These days, Clef also continues to tour and reconnected with Carlos Santana for the 2014 World Cup anthem "Dar um Jeito." Along with international artists Alexandre Pires and Swedish DJ Avicii, they will perform the song at the final game of the World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, July 13.(Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images

7 / 13

Cuban Link - After Pun's passing in 2000, things went downhill for Terror Squad MC and Pun's best friend, Cuban Link. Link became involved in a contract dispute with Fat Joe, who had acquired a label deal through Atlantic. Because of the dispute, Link's major label release, 24K, was permanently shelved and the tensions turned violent in 2001 when Link’s face was slashed after an altercation at a record release party for Angie Martinez. He has released several mixtapes and independent projects throughout the years, but his career has yet to take off; he's publicly pointed the finger at Joe, accusing him of blackballing him in the music industry.  (Photo: Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)

8 / 13

Funkmaster Flex - Funkmaster Flex came in over the skit "Uncensored," as he joked with Pun about his groupie conquests since entering the hip hop arena. Flex was killing the airwaves then, and the same holds true today, after 20-plus years on New York’s Hot 97. A media mogul in his own right, Flex, a car enthusiast, has hosted several car shows on ESPN, Spike TV and MTV, including Ride With Funkmaster Flex and Funk Flex Fullthrottle. He has also partnered with Ford and customized a few of their vehicles and, in 2008, Ford released a Funk Flex Edition of their popular Expedition SUV.Flex is also starring with his radio co-horts on the scripted reality show This is Hot 97 Now! which airs on VH-1. In addition, he’s become a powerhouse on the web with his entertainment site, InFlexWeTrust.com, and Hot 97's parent company, Emmis Communications, just partnered w...

Photo By Photo: Brad Barket/Getty Images for Time Warner Cable

9 / 13

dead prez - dead prez is arguably one of the best hip hop duos ever, and they showed their production skills on the album's interlude "The Rain & The Sun." Since working with Pun, M-1 and stic.man have released several critically acclaimed projects, including Let’s Get Free, Revolutionary But Gangsta and 2012’s Information Age. The duo also remains busy with the release of several books and workout DVDs promoting health and fitness.  (Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

10 / 13

Noreaga - Noreaga, Pun and Fat Joe's chemistry was so tight that the three MCs were in talks to record a group project called The 3 Amigos prior to Pun's untimely death. On one of several creations together, Nore, now known as P.A.P.I., and Pun traded verses over the Rockwilder-produced "You Came Up." Since then, N.O.R.E. has remained a permanent fixture on the hip hop radar and released the slept on classic Student of the Game in 2013. N.O.R.E. has also been releasing a lot of music lately, showcasing a lot of up-and-coming MCs in his new crew, Good Belt Gang. (Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

11 / 13

Prodigy - Mobb Deep's Prodigy, Wu-Tang's Rebel INS and Big Pun represented their label LOUD Records to the fullest on the lyrical sparring session "Tres Leches (Triboro Trilogy)," and since then, P and Mobb Deep partner Havoc have released several critically acclaimed albums, including Hell on Earth and Murda Musik. Prodigy also served a three-year bid for gun possession and, after coming home in 2011, released the controversial biography My Infamous Life. He and Havoc had a group melt down in 2012 but patched things up and released their eighth album, The Infamous…Mobb Deep, in April 2014.    (Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)

12 / 13

Inspectah Deck - Inspectah Deck also fell through and caused ruckus with Punisher and Prodigy on the track "Tres Leches (Triboro Trilogy)." Afterward, Deck released a few solo projects, cultivating a career not quite as well known as some of his Wu-Tang brethren. But he still remains a dope lyricist and has shot a few darts on recent projects from Ghostface Killah and Raekwon. He'll also be featured on the upcoming Wu-Tang album, A Better Tomorrow. (Photo:  Craig Barritt/Getty Images)

13 / 13

Busta Rhymes - Busta Rhymes got busy on the hook of the Showbiz-produced Pun track "Parental Discretion," which closed out the album. The Leaders of the New School alum went on to become one of hip hop's biggest stars, leaving a road of platinum plaques on his trail of destruction. With certified albums like Genesis and Anarchy under his belt, Busta also attacked Hollywood and stood toe-to-toe with actors like Sean Connery in Finding Forrester and Samuel L. Jackson in Shaft.Now signed to Cash Money, Busta is working on his tenth studio album, E.L.E. 2 (Extinction Level Event 2).(Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Bud Light)