I can remember when I first heard Cypress Hill’s first hit single, “How I Could Just Kill a Man,” like it was yesterday. Except it wasn’t yesterday; it was 15 years ago and I was in second grade, which means this year’s freshman class had just finished breastfeeding when B-Real, Sen Dog and DJ Muggs burst on the scene with their brand of Latin rap-rock.
While it is obviously easy to ridicule Cypress Hill’s members for their age — Sen Dog recently introduced himself to his 40s, and B-Real will be lighting 36 candles this June — Cypress Hill know how to put on a show. Due to the crossover success of their rap-rock-reefer fusion, Cypress Hill have played at Lollapalooza multiple times, as well as making an appearance at 1994’s Woodstock Festival. Cypress Hill may have gained the most notoriety, however, with their appearance on Saturday Night Live in October 1993. While performing their single “I Ain’t Goin Out Like That” from Black Sunday, DJ Muggs sparked a joint as B-Real and Sen Dog trashed the stage. The group was subsequently banned from SNL, but the publicity didn’t hurt their album sales, as Black Sunday went double platinum.
Unfortunately for UCSD students, these incidents highlighted the peak of their fame and success, and they took place over 10 years ago. After the success of Cypress Hill and Black Sunday, their next two albums, Temples of Boom and IV, were not as well received, as both went gold amid mediocre reviews. Muggs and B-Real, however, revised and further explored their unique sound, blending a rap aesthetic with rock energy. The result was the surprisingly popular “Rock Superstar” and “Rap Superstar,” which propelled the otherwise forgettable Skull & Bones to double-platinum status.
If it’s possible, the 21st century has seen an even more smoked-out version of the group, as more of a reggae influence is easily observed on 2001’s Stoned Raiders and 2004’s ‘Til Death Do Us Part. Longtime fans of the group were disappointed by these forced attempts at commercial success, eclipsing the original formula they had used in the past.
It is hard to put a tremendously positive spin on Cypress Hill’s upcoming performance, as we are clearly catching them at the tail end of their career — but at least it’s not House of Pain. Their affinity for weed will also make for an enjoyable experience, as you’re going to need something in you as the alcohol makes its way through your body, leaving you with a headache and a ravaged digestive system. As my parents say, no one ever died from smoking a joint, so I’d tell you to smoke some, kick back, enjoy “Insane in the Brain” and then get out of there before My Chemical Romance get anywhere near that stage.
