Christopher Rios ( November 10 , 1971 - February 7 , 2000 ) was an American rapper better known by his stage name , Big Pun . Christopher Carlos Rios ( November 10 , 1971 -- February 7 , 2000 ) , better known by his stage name Big Pun ( short for Big Punisher ) , was a Puerto Rican rapper who emerged from the underground rap scene in The Bronx in the late 1990s .