"The first album was 99 percent hard core to show you I was the best rhymer in the world"

The quote from Big Pun explaining his first album as "99 percent difficult core to show you I was the best rhymer on the planet" speaks volumes about his creative intentions, self-perception, and the competitive nature of the hip-hop industry.

First of all, the phrase "99 percent difficult core" stresses the intensity and authenticity Big Pun intended to task in his debut album. In the hip-hop genre, being hardcore is typically related to preserving a sense of rawness, streetwise narrative, and lyrical prowess that resonates deeply with real-life experiences and struggles. Big Pun's choice to make most of his album hardcore suggests his commitment to these fundamental elements of hip-hop, signifying to both the audience and his peers that he was not jeopardizing on quality or intensity.

Furthermore, Big Pun's declaration that the album was designed to demonstrate he was "the best rhymer in the world" points to his self-confidence in his skills and his desire to set a high bar for himself and others. In hip-hop, being acknowledged as a top rhymer is important; it's about wordplay, circulation, and the capability to mesmerize listeners with storytelling and sharp lyrics. By explicitly stating this objective, Big Pun highlights his awareness of the competitive landscape of hip-hop. He was, in essence, laying down a difficulty to the market and his contemporaries, positioning himself as a major competitor for lyrical supremacy.

This statement also shows the cultural context of hip-hop throughout that era. Artists often had to assert their dominance and take a niche in a congested and sometimes unforgiving market. Big Pun's proclamation can be seen as a type of branding, making sure that his intro to the hip-hop scene was memorable, strong, and unequivocally agent of his skills.

Overall, Big Pun's quote is a testimony to his dedication, self-assurance, and the tactical method he took in crafting a landmark launching that aimed to protect his status as a standout artist in the world of hip-hop.