Fat Joe has no issue with “Big Pun Back”

Fat Joe Stands Behind Joell Ortiz Amid “Big Pun Back” Backlash

Joell Ortiz never expected his tribute to Big Pun to cause a firestorm, but that’s exactly what happened when he released “Big Pun Back.” Ortiz viewed the track as a homage to his biggest inspiration. However, Big Pun’s widow Liza Rios, along with Cuban Link, Tony Sunshine, and Peedi Crakk, saw it as disrespectful to the late Bronx legend.

Now, Fat Joe has entered the conversation, and he’s not holding back. In a recent XXL interview, the Terror Squad leader blasted Ortiz’s critics. As a result, calling them “f-cking idiots” and defending the Brooklyn rapper’s intentions.

Fat Joe: “How Do You Get Backlash for Honoring Big Pun?”

Speaking with XXL, Fat Joe couldn’t wrap his head around the backlash against Ortiz. He called out Cuban Link, Tony Sunshine, and Peedi Crakk. Thus, accusing them of trying to tarnish Pun’s legacy instead of protecting it.

“I thought it was incredible – I thought it was great. I never seen a guy in my f-cking life get backlash for f-cking bigging up somebody,” Fat Joe said. “See, what happened is Big Pun was surrounded by an enormous amount of idiots. And, sad to say, as big of a genius he was, and as beautiful as he was, it’s unfortunate he was surrounded by a bunch of f-cking idiots. Nincompoops.”

Fat Joe explained that instead of celebrating Ortiz’s tribute, these individuals chose to tear it down. He emphasized that Joell Ortiz is one of the few younger Spanish rappers willing to openly honor Pun’s impact on hip-hop. Yet he has faced unwarranted criticism.

Cuban Link and Tony Sunshine: The Root of the Controversy

The strongest opposition to “Big Pun Back” came from Cuban Link, who previously outlined his three major reasons for rejecting Ortiz’s tribute:

1. Ortiz referring to himself as “The New Christopher Rios” — Cuban Link believed no one could replace Pun. Therefore, making the line disrespectful.
2. The “Heart Attack” Lyric — Ortiz rapped, “45 will hit you like a heart attack,” which Cuban Link found offensive since Big Pun died from a heart attack in 2000.
3. Ortiz’s Shoutout to Fat Joe — Cuban Link has ongoing issues with Fat Joe and saw the reference as another sign of disrespect.

Despite Ortiz explaining that his intentions were pure, Cuban Link refused to endorse the record. Thus, calling Ortiz’s tribute an opportunistic move rather than a heartfelt homage.

Fat Joe Responds to Cuban Link and Other Critics

Fat Joe made it crystal clear that he doesn’t take Cuban Link’s complaints seriously. In his XXL interview, he dismissed the outrage and argued that it only proves how difficult it has been to properly honor Big Pun.

“This is the sh-t, I hope people can open their eyes and see the sh-t that Fat Joe has been dealing with for the last 12 years. It’s f-cking idiotic. It’s f-cking lunacy at its finest,” he said.

Fat Joe also accused Cuban Link and his associates of trying to control who can and can’t honor Big Pun, arguing that their gatekeeping mentality hurts Pun’s legacy instead of preserving it.

“N-ggas can’t do the tribute to Pun, all proceeds to his kids. N-ggas can’t do the VH1 Honors, ‘cause these niggas are straight scums of the Earth. Straight scumbags,” Fat Joe stated.

“Big Pun Was Surrounded By Idiots” — Fat Joe’s Harsh Words

One of the most eye-opening moments in Fat Joe’s rant was his blunt assessment of the people who once surrounded Big Pun.

“Big Pun, as beautiful as he was, as an angel of a guy, was surrounded by an enormous amount of idiots,” Fat Joe said. “Big Pun would take a crackhead off the streets and give him chicken at his house and rice and beans in one second. He was a great dude and a great father. But it’s sad that he was surrounded by so many f-cking bad people.”

According to Fat Joe, these same individuals are now attacking Joell Ortiz, not because they genuinely care about Pun’s legacy, but because they want to control who gets to speak about him.

Meanwhile, Joell Ortiz is also doing great work with Dr. Dre on Detox. So, in Joe’s eyes, their concern isn’t genuine. Having battled with these people for years, Joe said he’s used to this. However, Cuban Link is strong in his convictions about Joell Ortiz.

The Bigger Picture: Why Fat Joe Is So Upset

Fat Joe’s frustration isn’t just about Joell Ortiz — it’s about a deeper issue within hip-hop.

• Who gets to decide how a deceased artist is honored?
• Should every tribute require family approval, or does hip-hop’s tradition of homage allow for more creative freedom?
• Is Cuban Link protecting Big Pun’s legacy, or is he gatekeeping who can celebrate it?

Fat Joe argues that gatekeeping hurts Big Pun more than it helps. Instead of letting artists like Ortiz shine a light on Pun’s influence, Cuban Link and others are shutting down opportunities for Big Pun’s name to live on in rap.

“How do you expect anybody else to honor Big Pun?! Or talk about him in a good way?!” Joe asked. “Where’s the disrespect? I never seen shit like this in my life. Amazing, man.”

Final Thoughts: Hip-Hop Needs To Respect Its Own Tributes

At its core, the Joell Ortiz vs. Cuban Link debate isn’t about one song—it’s about the right way to honor a hip-hop legend.

• Fat Joe believes Joell Ortiz showed love to Big Pun and deserved support, not backlash.
• Cuban Link believes Ortiz’s lyrics crossed a line and that true tributes should involve family approval.
• Joell Ortiz himself has maintained that he meant no disrespect and doesn’t need permission to pay homage.

In the end, this controversy only proves how much Big Pun meant to hip-hop. If anything, the heated debate shows that his legacy is still alive and deeply important to the culture.

Whether Joell Ortiz’s tribute was right or wrong, one thing is clear: Big Pun’s name still carries enormous weight in hip-hop, even 11 years after his passing.

And that, more than anything, is a true testament to his greatness.