Big Pun - Endangered Species

[bad boy T]

Endangered Species is a compilation of unreleased tracks, guest appearances, and greatest hits by the late rapper Big Pun, released in 2001 following his death in February 2000. The proceeds from the album were to be given to Pun's widow, Liza Rios, and their three children, but despite reaching a peak chart position of #7, the album only went gold. Partly because the album mainly consist of music previously released, it was a decline in sales from his previous two which both sold more than 1 million copies. Liza Rios also claims to have only received a small royalty check from the sales of Endangered Species, and in response, auctioned off her husband's Terror Squad medallion in July 2005.

The single from the album was "How We Roll", featuring R&B singer Ashanti on the chorus. Fellow rapper and close friend Fat Joe, who was also the compilation's executive producer, revealed in the liner notes of the album that the title chosen for the compilation was in fact the original title for 2000's Yeeeah Baby. In a move that is somewhat unusual for many hip hop releases, all of Pun's lyrics were included in the booklet of the disc, partly due to the limited amount of promotional tools available to the label, and partly because of a desire to emphasize Pun's technique as a lyricist.



"Intro" – 0:15
"You Ain't a Killer" – 3:52
Produced by Young Lord
"Twinz (Deep Cover '98)" (featuring Fat Joe) – 3:48
Produced by Big Pun & Fat Joe
Contains: "Deep Cover" (André Young, Calvin Broadus)
"Whatcha Gon Do" (featuring Terror Squad) – 3:07
Produced by Juju Gigante of The Beatnuts
"How We Roll" (featuring Ashanti) – 3:34
Produced by Irv Gotti & Tru Stylze
"Still Not a Player" (featuring Joe) – 3:58
Produced by Knobody and Dahoud & Nomad
"Off the Books" (feat. The Beatnuts, Cuban Link) – 2:48
Produced by The Beatnuts
"Words from Nore" – 0:52
Performed by Noreaga
"Banned from T.V." (featuring Noreaga, Jadakiss, Styles P, Nature, Cam'ron) – 4:19
Produced by Swizz Beatz
"Mamma" (featuring Tony Sunshine) – 4:16
Produced by Alchemist
"The Beat Box" – 0:14
"Brave in the Heart" (featuring Terror Squad) – 3:56
Produced by VIC and Mike Heron
Scratches by DJ LV
Contains: "KRS-One Attacks" (Lawrence Parker, Chris Martin); "Making Believe That It's You" (Barry White, Emmett North)
"The Dream Shatterer (Original Version)" – 3:19
Produced by Buckwild
Contains: "Under the Influence of Love" (Barry White, Paul Politi)
"Words with Fat Joe" – 0:37
Performed by Fat Joe
"John Blaze" (featuring Fat Joe, Nas, Raekwon, Jadakiss) – 4:06
Produced by Ski
Scratches by DJ Spinbad for Cold Cuts Crew
"My World" – 3:29
Produced by EZ EIPee
"Pina Colada" (featuring Ruff Ryders, Sheek Louch) – 4:09
Produced by Swizz Beatz
"Top of the World (Remix)" (featuring Brandy, Fat Joe) – 3:48
Produced by Darkchild
"Livin' la Vida Loca (Remix)" (featuring Ricky Martin, Fat Joe, Cuban Link) – 2:43
Produced by Tone & Poke from Track Masters
"Fire Water" (featuring Fat Joe, Armageddon, Raekwon) – 4:15
Produced by Show
"Classic Verses (Drop It Heavy and Fantastic 4)" – 2:18
Contains: "Drop It Heavy" (Lawrence Parker); "Fantastic 4" (DJ Clue)
"Freestyle with Remy Martin" – 1:33
Produced by Sean Cane
Contains: "Everything Godd To You (Ain't Always Good)" (Sammy Taylor)
"Wishful Thinking" (featuring Fat Joe, Kool G Rap, B-Real) – 4:00
Produced by Show
"How We Roll '98" – 4:07
Produced by Rashad "Tumblin Dice" Smith and K-Cut
Contains: "Let's Wait Awhile" (Melanie Andres, Janet Jackson, James Harris, Terry Lewis)

This shit's real nice 9/10

[Jeru]

Has some good shit yeah, but it is just a compilation...7/10

[David Daniel Davis]

Fifteen year anniversary today. I appreciate getting the songs that were left on the cutting room floor from the Capital Punishment and Yeah Baby sessions. My World is the best of all the new joints. Audiophiles will want to add this one to their list of subwoofer straining classics such as Gripping the Grain, Throw It Up and Late Night Tip.

[Rev Jones]

this was put together very well, a great tribute to Pun. I like it better than Yeah Baby, whose second half was very questionable

[CharlesJones]

I've never heard this album and I'm gonna have to check it out on Youtube. I watched his I'm Not A Player video yesterday and I was surprised to see r&b group The Ojays in it LOL. I think he put them in the video because he was scared they were gonna sue him for sampling their song Darlin Darlin Baby LOL.

[TAURO]

The mix is different on "Off The Books" on this compilation compared to the version on The Beatnuts album. I like them both.