Cypress Hill Discussion Thread

[GUCCI CONDOMS]

It still kind of perplexes me why black Sunday was so loved by people that like rock and not rap

[manwhore]

i think because it had a few higher tempo songs, plus b-reals unique voice?

[step one]

It still kind of perplexes me why black Sunday was so loved by people that like rock and not rap

On Black Sunday Cypress' whole image seemed aimed towards that crowd - the design of the cover and the videos etc.
It wasn't that uncommon back then for rock fans to like Public Enemy, NWA etc. You had groups like Cypress and Ice Cube doing Lollapalooza. Skate kids I knew tended to listen to rock and rap.
The beats were heavy and noisier around that time so I guess that was part of the appeal, along with the anti-establishment lyrics which got phased out of rap by the mid-90s after the whole Bush Killa/Cop Killer controversies.

[MC Homeless]

self titled all the way

[The Afronaut]

It still kind of perplexes me why black Sunday was so loved by people that like rock and not rap

On Black Sunday Cypress' whole image seemed aimed towards that crowd - the design of the cover and the videos etc.

I would question whether their crossover was intentional or if organically thats just where they were headed. It never seemed forced to me.

[Roy Johnson]

DJ Muggs was in the conversation for production MVP in 91, 93, and 95. Too bad that DJ Premier and The RZA were peaking during the same time period.

I'd say that Temples Of Boom is his masterpiece. It's a tremendous front-to-back listen, minus Throw Your Set In The Air, which is an anthem for fucking morons (similar to Insane In The Membrane).

If I was hearing everything for the first time, then the debut would probably get my vote, which is to say that Temples Of Boom has more replay value.

[The Afronaut]

This is a favourite

I'd never heard this before this thread. Loving it now.

[Comedy Quaddafi]

The original Illusions is probably the best ever paranoia weedhead song.

Right now, somewhere in a remote Eastern European village, some kid is discovering their discog like I did about 15 years ago. The fact that they never made a single song about women or nice cars means they have real staying power over here.

[Busta Ry]

I think skin color had a little bit to do with Cypress Hill's broad appeal. Lest we forget that alternative radio stations still bump "Jump Around" from time-to-time. And it isn't that rare to hear a Besties joint. Of course now Eminem and Macklemore sell a kabillion records, and Macklemore is about to win a grammy for a song that makes "Ice Ice Baby" sound like a work of art, there's nothing really alternative about white rappers is there? The unwritten rule (probably written somewhere, actually) is that a song by KRS or Nas would not appeal to their targeted demographic on an alternative radio station.

[ChaMerZ]

I think skin color had a little bit to do with Cypress Hill's broad appeal. Lest we forget that alternative radio stations still bump "Jump Around" from time-to-time. And it isn't that rare to hear a Besties joint. Of course now Eminem and Macklemore sell a kabillion records, and Macklemore is about to win a grammy for a song that makes "Ice Ice Baby" sound like a work of art, there's nothing really alternative about white rappers is there? The unwritten rule (probably written somewhere, actually) is that a song by KRS or Nas would not appeal to their targeted demographic on an alternative radio station.

To be fair, white suburbia is what's keeping a lot of these artists afloat. Also most of the extremely wealthy, well off rap artists out there aren't even white. People are just taking an isolated event and blowing it out of proportion. Let Mackemore do his thing. He's not the first wack rapper, black or white to make money off of his inferior craft.

[Jayou Ayen]

I decided to break out the cd and see if a proper listening would change how I felt.
I don't think I've listened to Black Sunday more than 5 times, at the most.
Went into the home theater, turned down the lights, and gave it another spin.

While it's not as bad as I remember, it still pales in comparison to the 1st & 3rd albums.
The string baseline joints on the first half of the album sound like something meant for the Hooliganz.
Muggs' style was evolving, and it wasn't yet at the level he displays on Temples of Boom.
To me the best songs on BS are the basic loops similar to the first album like 'When The Shit Goes Down' and 'Hits From The Bong'.
'What Go Around' sounds like a leftover Funkdoobiest beat, and 'Break Em Off Some' would be at home on Divine Styler's debut.

Step One was on point about how the imagery and design reflected a darkness that had more in common with rock than hip hop.
Even on the intro, I can just see this being in permanent rotation for potheads who also listen to Bob Marley and Sublime.

I'm going to listen to Temples of Boom too, to see if it still holds up after all this time.



39

[GUCCI CONDOMS]

It still kind of perplexes me why black Sunday was so loved by people that like rock and not rap

On Black Sunday Cypress' whole image seemed aimed towards that crowd - the design of the cover and the videos etc.

I would question whether their crossover was intentional or if organically thats just where they were headed. It never seemed forced to me.

they forced it in later years with shit like this tho...

[Comedy Quaddafi]

^ Not really IMO.

For an international smashhit I'd say that song is gutter as fuck and totally in line with the rest of their discography. Pretty serious subject too, with good lyrics and a hard beat to match. Just compare it to Drake singing about kittens and rainbows over limpdick productions without drums, for reference.

[The Afronaut]

@ GC

I'd be a bit more inclined to agree with you at that point in their run. I mean they made to versions of that track "rap/rock" superstar. But I maintain that Black Sunday didnt seem like that type of thing. It pretty much just expanded on what they were doing on the debut.

Jay may be right, perhaps Muggs was in transition, but there are some jams on that album.

[step one]

One of the best live Rap acts I've seen for what its worth -saw them once in '94 headlining at the Reading Festival and again in '03 warming up for Eminem. Killed it both times.

[Larry2times]

Yeah I saw then on that Eminem tour and they were far and away the highlight. Was cool seeing Krondon pedal a trike round on stage though.

[Huldrich Bullsh!t]

they have more than one track that kind of catered to the rock audience but it's cool. look at Muggs he almost looks like a mexican hells angel. in his interviews he always said he listened to a lot of Rock and Metal




as far as favorite album: hard to decide nowadays really was one of those groups i've listened to too much not only at home but because it was popular with other people and as arleady said with a non-hip hop crowd. i guess the revamped and remixed EP is my go to thing mostly at this point

[MC Homeless]

It still kind of perplexes me why black Sunday was so loved by people that like rock and not rap

On Black Sunday Cypress' whole image seemed aimed towards that crowd - the design of the cover and the videos etc.

I would question whether their crossover was intentional or if organically thats just where they were headed. It never seemed forced to me.

they forced it in later years with shit like this tho...

awful song

[thekeentwo]

what thun said

voted III but first record is so special
but III is magic

special vs magic

[catfish hunter]

spent a lot of time skateboarding in the years all these albums came out and still have love for all 3. Most skaters back then got their music suggestions from skate mags and videos and Thrasher always backed Cypress (still do, B-Real is in the newest issue). Skate videos led me to shit like Diggin In The Crates & Del The Funky. To chime in on the whole Black Sunday phenomenon with Black Sunday I think it was one of the key crossover albums that really introduced the suburbs to Hip Hop along with Doggystyle, Ice Cubes single "It was a good day", ATCQ and probably some shit like Sir Mix Alot. At the same time you had the whole Ice-T/Cop Killer controversy on TV & in Rolling Stone plus Rage Against The Machine (Ithe Dawg) and Lollapalooza having rap acts perform. It was just a perfect storm for Cypress Hill and a lot of those groups to crossover. Then factor in how weed makes white kids feel so urban and hardcore and there you have. I remember playing Temples Of Boom around white homies when it first dropped and most of them were over it since it didn't have catchy hooks and songs dedicated to bongs.

for me
Cypress Hill
TOB
BS

[Sigma]

S/T for me. John Peel played "How I Could Just Kill A Man" and "The Phuncky Feel One" on his radio show and I liked those enough to cop the album when it came out, which I still love to this day. Not one of my friends got into Cypress Hill until "Insane In The Brain" came out, but most of my friends are cunts to be fair.

[clark bent]

their debut as it compares to the rest of their catalog is kinda similar to how 36 chambers is to wu's subsequent releases...its got that gritty dusty four track demo sound

and for me that puts it on a pedestal by itself

It's a time thing. Usually, the albums you listen to first are more nostalgic. I listened to Black Sunday first, and then drifted into the other albums later. I totally get you. I have the same problem with Tribe. Midnight Marauders is a great album, So is PITPOTR. Low End though? Low End's what started it all for me & there will always be special place in my heart for it.

i know what you are saying but im not talking about a feeling what i heard first nostalgia or a place in time.....im talking about the sound and the fact that its just a better album than any of their other records imo

[Dap]

really hard for me but i think i got temples of boom SLIGHTLY ahead of the the self titled which is SLIGHTLY above black sunday.


all three get some spins from me til this day

[thekeentwo]

what about IV tho

[illuminati_guy]

iv had good shit, steel magnolia, looking thru the eye of a pig, dr greenthumb. its last cypress hill album i bought too if the spanish album doesn't count

[DJCommunist]

Voted Black Sunday. Hand on the Glock>>

Gotta love these non album joints:

[capable_keL]

forgot how dope that production is from FRIDAY

tasty...

[Spartan]

Thread made me check out their last few albums. I streamed and listened to every Cypress Hill album since IV. Pretty torturous to be perfectly honest.

[The Afronaut]

I can only imagine. Although I heard this randomly and thought it was jammin:

[ChaMerZ]