The screwed-up version of the hook makes it a much more celebratory and joyous affair, taking the melody out of the bedroom and onto the dancefloor-though, somewhat ironically, the Pun song is much more explicitly about sex than the Russell song. "Still Not a Player" doesn't do much to alter the hook, except for winding it up a couple keys and several dozen beats per minute, and adding a light drum shuffle and a weird sort of clicking sound-halfway between a typewriter and a grasshopper chirping-to give it more of a sense of propulsion. It's not even the kind of piano hook you normally hear in '90s East Coast rap-think of the somber, reflective hooks of Nas' " The World is Yours" or Mobb Deep's " Survival of the Fittest"-and actually might have more in common with the rip-roaring piano hooks preferred by the house scene of the time, fueling dance classics like David Morales' "Needin U." It's so fun, so lithe, so light on its feet, that it sounds inextricable with the experience of partying with your friends and loved (or at least lusted) ones, the kind of hook that makes your reflexively raise your drink and wave it in the air when you hear it. It's not surprising that the song turned out to be Pun's biggest crossover hit (and only Top 40 entry), reaching #24 in the Summer of '98.īut more than anything, the thing that's made it endure as a classic party-starter 15 years later-and it celebrated its 15th anniversary earlier this week-is that piano hook. It's got all the ingredients: It's rooted in two songs that were previously hits (Pun's original " I'm Not a Player" and Joe's R&B hit " Don't Wanna Be a Player"), it's got fun, agreeable lyrics about getting down (with Pun specifically, a la Notorious B.I.G.'s "Big Poppa"), and it's got at least two instantly memorable vocal hooks (the "I'm not a player, I just fuck/crush a lot" line, returned from Pun's original "Player," and the " Boricua, morena" singalong started by Joe on the song's bridge). Punisher, Punisher, Big Punisher Punisher.Big Punisher's "Still Not a Player" was always destined to be a smash. Boricua, morena, boricua, morena No more rollin with an entourage Unless it's Pun and the Terror Squad
(In the) hot tub, poppin bubb-ly Rubbin your spot love, got you screamin Punish me But it don't stop, watch the Pun get wicked When I (stick it) even Luke be like "Don't stop, get it get it" I love from butter pecan to blackberry molass' I don't discriminate, I regulate every shade of the (ass) Long as you show class, and pass my test Fat (ass and) breasts, highly intelligent bachlorettes That's the best, I won't settle for less I wanna ghetto brunette, with unforgettable sex I lay your head on my chest, come feel my heartbeat We can park the Jeep, pump Mobb Deep, and just spark the leaf It's hard to creep since I found Joe Every pretty round brown (hoe) wanna go down low But this Boogie Down pro-fessional, I'ma let you know Once I put the blows, get your clothes, cause you got to go I could go downstairs, little brown hairs everywhere "You nasty Twin!" I don't care Round here they call me Big Pun, if you with the big guns Thick tongue, known to make a chick (come)
Hey yo I'm still not a playa but you still a hater Elevator to the top hah, see you later, I'm gone Penthouse suite, Penthouse freaks In house beach, french countesse, ten thou piece Rent-out lease, with a option to buy Coppin a five-oh Benz for when I'm not, far up in the sky Puffin the lye, from my Twinzito Up in the Benzito with my kiko from Queens, nicknamed Perico We go back like PA's and wearin PJ's Now we reach the peakage, runnin trains for three days Who wanna ride it won't cost you a dollar whether soft or harder of course you still gonna holla My my, I'm big huh, I rip my (prick) through your hooters I'm sick, you couldn't measure my (dick) with six rulers Hold up, chula, I'm all about gettin loot But I knock that boot, if you out to get HOOF
I don't wanna be a playa no more I'm not a playa I just crush a lot But Big Punisher, still got what you're lookin for For my thugs, for my thugs Uptown baby, uptown Don't wanna be, don't wanna be - I don't wanna be a playa no more I'm not a playa I just crush a lot But you know Big Punisher still down by law Who's down to crush a lot WhoahhaoohhH! Yeahheahhaa Don't wanna beeeee a playahh (T.S.)