Their first album, which was self-titled, was released in August 1991. Its single was "Phuncky Feel One", but it was the B-side "How I Could Just Kill A Man" (formerly "Trigga Happy Nigga") that attracted more airplay on urban radio and college radio. Based on the success of the single and other tracks such as bilingual track "Latin Lingo" and X-rated Spanish track "Tres Equis", the album sold two million copies in the US alone. Subsequently, DJ Muggs produced the first House of Pain album, then worked on other projects like Funkdoobiest. The band made their first appearance at Lollapalooza on the side stage in 1992.
Black Sunday, the group's second album, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in 1993, recording the highest Soundscan for a rap group up until that time. Also with their debut still on the charts they became the first rap artists to have 2 albums in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 at the same time. With "Insane in the Brain" becoming a crossover hit, the album went triple platinum in the U.S. and sold about 3.25 million copies.
Cypress Hill was banned from Saturday Night Live after Muggs smoked cannabis on-air and the band trashed their instruments while playing their second single "I Ain't Goin' Out Like That". The band headlined the "Soul Assassins" tour with House of Pain and Funkdoobiest as support, then performed on a college tour with Rage Against the Machine and Seven Year Bitch. In 1993, Cypress Hill also had two tracks on the Judgment Night soundtrack, teamed up with Pearl Jam and Sonic Youth.
The band played at the 1994 Woodstock Festival introducing their new member Eric Bobo, formerly a percussionist with the Beastie Boys. Bobo is the son of salsa musician Willie Bobo. Rolling Stone magazine named the band as the best rap group in their music awards voted by critics and readers. Cypress Hill played at Lollapalooza for two successive years, topping the bill in 1995. They appeared on the The Simpsons episode "Homerpalooza".
Their third album Cypress Hill III: Temples of Boom was released in 1995 selling 1.5 million copies and reaching number 3 on the Billboard 200 on the strength of the hit single "Throw Your Set in the Air". Cypress Hill also contributed a track "I Wanna Get High" to the High Times sponsored Hempilation album to support NORML.
Feud With Ice Cube
Ice Cube asked to put "Throw Your Set in the Air" on his Friday soundtrack, but B-Real refused, prompting Cube to record a new song "Friday" with a similar chorus; Cypress Hill responded with the track "No Rest For The Wicked." Westside Connection replied with the diss track "King Of The Hill" and "Cross Em Out & Put a K", to which Cypress Hill replied with "Ice Cube Killa," which uses the same beat as "King Of The Hill" and disses Ice Cube and Mack 10. "Ice Cube Killa" has never been released officially. In 1997 B-Real of Cypress Hill and Ice Cube were invited to a late night talk show in order to reconcile their differences for the benefit of the hip hop community, and the feud thus ended. Cube And B-Real would work together later that year as guest features on the track "Men of Steel" for the soundtrack of Shaquille O'Neal's film Steel. B-Real and Cube did even feature as guests in Warren G's single "Get U Down" which also featured Snoop Dogg.
Continued career
Sen Dog took a break from the band to form a Los Angeles based punk-rap band SX-10. Meanwhile in 1996, Cypress Hill appeared on the first 'Smokin' Grooves' tour, featuring Ziggy Marley, The Fugees, Busta Rhymes and A Tribe Called Quest. The band also released a nine track EP Unreleased and Revamped with rare mixes. In 1997, band members focused on their solo careers. Muggs released Muggs Presents ... the Soul Assassins featuring contributions from Wu-Tang Clan members, Dr. Dre, KRS-One, Wyclef Jean and Mobb Deep. B-Real appeared with Busta Rhymes, Coolio, LL Cool J and Method Man on "Hit Em High" from the multi-platinum Space Jam Soundtrack. He also appeared with RBX, Nas and KRS-One on "East Coast Killer, West Coast Killer" on Dr. Dre's Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath album, and released an album entitled "The Psycho Realm" from his side project of the same name. Though the focus that year was not on Cypress Hill, the band played Smokin' Grooves with George Clinton and Erykah Badu.
Cypress Hill released IV in 1998 which went gold in the U.S., even though the reviews were somewhat negative,[citation needed] on the backs of hit singles "Tequila Sunrise" and another tribute to smoking cannabis "Dr. Greenthumb." Sen Dog also released the Get Wood sampler as part of SX-10 on the label Flip. In 1999, Cypress Hill helped with the PC crime/very mature video game Kingpin: Life of Crime. Three of their songs from the 1998 IV album were in the game ( "16 Men Till There's No Men Left", "Checkmate" and "Lightning Strikes"). B-Real also did some of the voices of the people in the game. Also in 1999, the band released a greatest-hits album in Spanish, Los grandes éxitos en español. Cypress Hill then fused genres with their two-disc release, Skull & Bones, in 2000. The first disc, "Skull" was comprised of rap tracks while "Bones" explored further the group's forays into rock. The album reached the Top 5 on the Billboard 200 and number 3 in Canada. The first single was "Rock Superstar" for rock radio and "Rap Superstar" for urban radio. The band also released Live at the Fillmore, a concert disc recorded at the Fillmore (in San Fransico) in 2000. Cypress Hill continued their experimentation with rock on the Stoned Raiders album in 2001. However, its sales were a disappointment, as the disc did not even reach the top 50 of the U.S. album charts. In 2001, the group appeared in the film How High.
Cypress Hill recorded "Just Another Victim" for the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as a theme song for Tazz. At the time, WWE was using original music for almost all of the wrestlers, so this was an unusual step for the company to take, but it remains one of the more memorable songs to emerge from the wrestling organization. The band released Till Death Do Us Part on March 23, 2004. The album saw the band experiment with reggae especially on the lead single "What's Your Number". The track features Tim Armstrong of Rancid on guitar and Rob Aston of The Transplants on backup vocals. It is based on the classic song "Guns of Brixton" on The Clash's London Calling and has proven to be a success on the modern rock charts. However, the album represented a further departure from the signature sound of their first four albums. The album also features appearances by Damian Marley, son of Bob Marley, Prodigy and Twin of Mobb Deep and producer the Alchemist.
In 2004, the song How I Could Just Kill A Man was included in the popular videogame Grand Theft Auto San Andreas created by Rockstar Games, playing on West Coast hip hop radio station Radio Los Santos. In December of 2005 a best of compilation album titled Greatest Hits From the Bong was released including 9 hits from previous albums and 2 new tracks. The group's next album was tentatively scheduled for an early 2007 release. In the summer of 2006, B-Real appeared on Snoop Dogg's single "Vato". Pharrell Williams produced the track, and originally sang the hook, but because of the video idea, B-Real was asked to sing the hook. Sen Dog is now currently touring with the Kottonmouth Kings, Kingspade and Dogboy on the Joint is on Fire Tour
In 2007 Cypress Hill toured with their full line up as a part of the Rock the Bells tour, held by Guerilla Union, and headlined with Public Enemy, Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, and a reunited Rage Against the Machine. Other acts included Immortal Technique, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, The Roots, EPMD, Pharoae Monch, Jedi Mind Tricks, Erykah Badu, MF Doom, Sage Francis, Brother Ali, The Coup, Blue Print, Lucky I Am, Living Legends, Felt, Cage, Mr. Lif, Grouch & Eligh, and Hangar 18.
Departure from Sony
Having fulfilled their contractual obligations with Sony Music, Cypress Hill will release an as-yet untitled album through a different record label in 2008.
Recently, it was announced that Cypress Hill will be members of the Kannabis Kartel along with the Kottonmouth Kings and Potluck. Their album will be released on Suburban Noize Records.
STYLE
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Production
One of the band's most striking aspects is B-Real's exaggeratedly high-pitched nasal vocals, which fits and emphasizes the lyrics' concentration on parodied gangster stories.
Sen Dog's lyrics are progressively more violent and tend to involve fewer rhyme schemes compared with B-Real's. In addition, as the style is today, some words are emphasized by adding a background voice to say them, however, Sen Dog's emphases are always more prominent, mostly shouted alongside with the rapping.
The sound and groove of their music, produced by Muggs, is also notable for its influence and stoned aesthetic; with its bass-heavy rhythms and odd sample loops ("Insane in the Brain" is notable for having a horse neigh looped in its chorus), it carries a psychedelic value, which lessened in the later albums.
The band is also known for involving rock instruments in their songs. This has caused the band to sometimes be classified as a rapcore group. In IV, there is Lightning Strikes which doesn't truly use electric guitars, but a synthesized version of it. Skull & Bones has an entire disc using such instruments, labeled Bones. As for their later works, their involvement in rock ended with the album Stoned Raiders (the tracks Trouble (also the first single of the album), Amplified and Catastrophe being the songs).
The band's music is constantly subject to change; while the first album follows a more minimalistic and funky sound, Black Sunday, the successor, has a slightly darker side to it. III (Temples of Boom) and IV are mostly influenced by psychedelic music. The band abandoned that on Skull & Bones and got closer to the modern rap as it is today. Stoned Raiders has a more authentic sound than the rest, and Till Death Do Us Part carries reggae influences.
The band is also known to involve horns in their songs, and often have guitar and horns together in the instrumentals. What's Your Number?, Trouble, Tequila Sunrise, and (Rock) Superstar have become some of the bands most popular songs featuring these elements. Cypress Hill's experimenting in different genres of music even includes reggaeton in their track "Latin Thugs" which features Tego Calderon.
Some fans feel that the band has drifted somewhat from the values of their earlier albums. For example in "Strictly Hip Hop" from Temples of Boom, the band complain about hip hop artists who have an album of hardcore tracks but have one or two pop songs which just so happen to be the singles. Cypress have arguably fallen into this trap with the single "What's You Number?"
The sound contribitions of DJ Muggs seems to be clearly influenced by marijuana consumption. Since one of the effects of a cannabis high is an altered audio sensual perception, the often slow paced and deep bass can be better appreciated. Furthermore, psychedelic sequences underly some parts of certain tracks such as "I Wanna Get High" for example. This is an interesting feature of their music, that had also been used before, especially during the 60's and 70's (e.g. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles).
Lyrics
The lyrics of tracks like "How I Could Just Kill A Man" offer an insight into the cultural expression of social stratification in L.A. at that point in history. Many other songs have cited topics such as police brutality, racial profiling, gang violence and anecdotes about invasion of privacy by police.
Furthermore the celebration of marijuana consumption is what they are often associated with in songs like "I Wanna Get High", "Stoned Is The Way Of The Walk" or "Hits From The Bong", the themes of recreational use of marijuana are prevalent.
Many of their songs also protest the current marijuana laws and voice their opinions on the hypocrisy of drug enforcement institutions.
Their lyrics often reflect the hip hop culture of Los Angeles in their earlier work such as their self-titled album and Black Sunday, which were very influential not only to Latino hip hop of the time but to many other hip hop groups around the world as well.
Throughout their career they have commonly incorporated Spanish into their lyrics as well as slang used by some Latinos in Los Angeles on songs like "Latin Lingo". Their album "Los Grandes Exitos En Espanol" features Spanish translations of many of their hit songs.
Years active 1987 - present.
Cuban Necktie
Cypress Hill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'ma "Goodfella" just like De Niro, punk
I'm a ten, you just a fucking zero, huh
I get your woman off like Robbie Shapiro, what
You want jellyroll son, I'm a hero, oh
You're on your knees on my dick like a clit hoe then
You say you hate me but you follow my career though huh
Want to see a trick I make you disappear yo, yo
Want to test you coming up shorter than DeVito
I'll scar your face when I cut you like Pacino
You gamble with your life inside of my "Casino"
Hold up I'm running shit just like Gambino
I got the hogs sweatin' more than Bob Barino
I switch tongue buenos caso me camino
Then I switch it back 'cause in that style I swing yo
Beat your head like a drum, yeah todo ritmo
I sit back simply pretend I'm regal
Slay you any style yeah whatever type of lingo
I'm a "Natural Rhyme Killer" like Tarantino, yeah
Run your mouth, with your chest out
Go get you a wreck check, dealt with real quick
All that fake tough guy shit, rough guy shit
All that rah rah shit, go get your neck slit
Call me breakin' think you know my nigga Dino
With the Ratpack nigga sipping on vino
I give it to you double XXL like Chino
I'm the eastsida who's repping Angelino's
I know you tripping but I'm due another single, ha
Treat the music like my honey gotta mingle, yeah
I'm the mushroom making people giggle
You couldn't hang with a joint from Domingo's
So, you gotta make room when you hear my jingle
Like I crack your head with the bat, big bambino style
You smoked out there in San Bernadino
We fuck shit up with the hardcore steelo
Bandito, light your lighter then a kilo
I'm megachron got you wet like a Primo
Cancerous rhyme now that you needin' chemo
Peace to my fam out in El Cerino
That's right punk, its the soul asesino
Better watch your back, who's pilin up cochinos
Keep running your mouth, with your chest out
Gone get you in a wreck check, dealt with real quick
All that fake tough guy shit, rough guy shit
All that rah rah shit, go get your neck slit
Keep running your mouth, with your chest out
Gone get you in a wreck check, dealt with real quick
All that fake tough guy shit, rough guy shit
All that rah rah shit, go get your neck slit
Killin' niggas like a Sicilian named Gino
When your numbers up all my nigga yell regal
You a fine woman, was a fine Phillipino, then
She looked good in the black Benzino, yeah
Yo' style's not yours like Doritos
With the fabulous fall just like the Beatles
Platinum dust oh now you want to sprinkle, well
I clown niggas much more than Melenko's, heh
For all the wild ones and all my vecino's
Never get your ass caught up with a stank hoe
Pussy weigh deeper than a big fucking Zinko
Don't be mad I'm looking out for my amigo
You want to copy my style go to Kinko's
Watch it I'm reload it just like Carlito
My style so dope they should label it illegal
You want beef then I call my nigga Steebo
Whip your ass up just like Niccoleo
Saying my name burst your mark like Tapatío, Punk
You can't deal with it, you can't deal with it
You can't deal with it, it's Cypress Hill with it
Keep running your mouth, with your chest out
Gone get you in a wreck check, dealt with real quick
All that fake tough guy shit, rough guy shit
All that rah rah shit, go get your neck slit
Keep running your mouth, with your chest out
Gone get you in a wreck check, dealt with real quick
All that fake tough guy shit, rough guy shit
All that rah rah shit, go get your neck slit
The lyrics of Cuban Necktie by Cypress Hill seem to be a message of power and dominance over others. The first stanza seems to establish the singer as a powerful figure, reminiscent of the character played by Robert De Niro in the film 'Goodfellas'. The singer asserts their superiority over others, claiming to be a 'ten' while calling others 'zeroes'. The lyrics then become more aggressive, with the singer suggesting they possess the ability to make people disappear and leaving no room for others to question or doubt their authority. The second half of the song continues in this vein, with the singer using violent imagery to suggest their dominance over others while warning listeners not to cross them.
The lyrics of Cuban Necktie reflect a common theme in Cypress Hill's music, which is the idea of power and dominance over others. The use of violent and aggressive imagery is a common feature in their music, as they take on the roles of outlaws and rebels. The lyrics are also notable for their use of slang and references to popular culture. The song contains references to films and cultural figures, such as Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Al Pacino, The Beatles, and Carlito Brigante.
Line by Line Meaning
I do it to ya all like in your earhole, 'cause
I'ma "Goodfella" just like De Niro, punk
I'm going to dominate you just like the famous movie character, and I'll do it in a very up-close and personal way.
I'm a ten, you just a fucking zero, huh
I am superior, and you are nothing compared to me.
I get your woman off like Robbie Shapiro, what
I can please your girlfriend better than you ever could.
You want jellyroll son, I'm a hero, oh
You're on your knees on my dick like a clit hoe then
You're begging for my attention, but I'm too busy being a hero to care about you.
You say you hate me but you follow my career though huh
Want to see a trick I make you disappear yo, yo
You may claim to dislike me, but deep down you're still interested in what I do. If you cross me, I'll make you vanish.
I make it hotter than a fuckin' inferno
Want to test you coming up shorter than DeVito
I have an intense presence that can't be matched. If you try to compete with me, you'll fall short.
I'll scar your face when I cut you like Pacino
I can inflict damage upon you like the famous actor did in his well-known films.
You gamble with your life inside of my "Casino"
If you mess with me, then you're playing a dangerous game that could lead to your end.
Hold up I'm running shit just like Gambino
I am in charge, just like another notorious figure.
I got the hogs sweatin' more than Bob Barino
I can make people fear and sweat just by my mere presence.
I switch tongue buenos caso me camino
Then I switch it back 'cause in that style I swing yo
I can effortlessly switch between different languages and dialects to keep people guessing.
Beat your head like a drum, yeah todo ritmo
I sit back simply pretend I'm regal
I will make you suffer, but I do so with a sense of royalty and elegance.
Slay you any style yeah whatever type of lingo
I'm a "Natural Rhyme Killer" like Tarantino, yeah
No matter what words you throw at me, I will defeat you with my natural ability to rhyme. Quentin Tarantino is also a master at his craft, just like I am.
Run your mouth, with your chest out
Go get you a wreck check, dealt with real quick
All that fake tough guy shit, rough guy shit
All that rah rah shit, go get your neck slit
If you want to act tough around me, be prepared to face the consequences. I don't tolerate fake or boastful behavior, and I'll make sure you pay for it.
Call me breakin' think you know my nigga Dino
With the Ratpack nigga sipping on vino
I give it to you double XXL like Chino
I'm the eastsida who's repping Angelino's
You may think you know what I'm about, but you have no idea. I'm from the east side and proud to represent my city.
I know you tripping but I'm due another single, ha
Treat the music like my honey gotta mingle, yeah
You may be jealous of my success, but I'm just getting started. Music is my love and passion, and I'm always looking to create something new.
I'm the mushroom making people giggle
You couldn't hang with a joint from Domingo's
So, you gotta make room when you hear my jingle
I can bring joy and fun to people just like the psychedelic drug. You're not strong enough to keep up with me, so you better make way when you hear my music.
Like I crack your head with the bat, big bambino style
You smoked out there in San Bernadino
We fuck shit up with the hardcore steelo
I can be violent and dangerous just like one of the most notorious baseball players in history. I'm from San Bernardino, and we're not afraid to cause chaos.
Bandito, light your lighter then a kilo
I'm megachron got you wet like a Primo
Cancerous rhyme now that you needin' chemo
I'm like a bandit, lighting up everything around me. My style is so potent that it will leave you breathless. People will need medical treatment after hearing me.
Peace to my fam out in El Cerino
That's right punk, its the soul asesino
Better watch your back, who's pilin up cochinos
I'm giving a shoutout to my family in El Sereno. If you mess with me, you'll face the wrath of a killer with a strong soul. Be careful, as you never know who's supporting me.
Killin' niggas like a Sicilian named Gino
When your numbers up all my nigga yell regal
I'm a ruthless killer just like a character from a famous movie. When it's your time to die, you'll know who's really in charge.
You a fine woman, was a fine Phillipino, then
She looked good in the black Benzino, yeah
I once knew a beautiful Filipino woman who caught my eye. She looked stunning in a black Benz car.
Yo' style's not yours like Doritos
With the fabulous fall just like the Beatles
You're not unique or original, much like a popular snack food. You may have a moment of popularity, but it won't last forever.
Platinum dust oh now you want to sprinkle, well
I clown niggas much more than Melenko's, heh
Now that I'm successful, people want to jump on the bandwagon. But I'm not afraid to make fun of those who try to cling to me for their own benefit.
For all the wild ones and all my vecino's
Never get your ass caught up with a stank hoe
Pussy weigh deeper than a big fucking Zinko
Don't be mad I'm looking out for my amigo
I appreciate my wild and fun neighbors, but I won't tolerate anyone bringing a bad influence around me. You can get yourself in deep trouble by messing around with the wrong type of woman. I'm just trying to look out for my friend.
You want to copy my style go to Kinko's
Watch it I'm reload it just like Carlito
My style so dope they should label it illegal
You may try to emulate me, but it won't work. I'm always evolving and improving, and I'm not afraid to show off my new techniques. My style is so amazing that it should be considered against the law.
You want beef then I call my nigga Steebo
Whip your ass up just like Niccoleo
Saying my name burst your mark like Tapatío, Punk
If you want to start a fight, I have a loyal friend and ally who is ready to defend me. They'll beat you up just like another famous movie character. The mere mention of my name is powerful enough to intimidate you.
You can't deal with it, you can't deal with it
You can't deal with it, it's Cypress Hill with it
You can't handle my talent and skills, and that's just the way it is. I am Cypress Hill, and my music will always be powerful.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Larry Muggerud, Louis M. Freeze
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@UnruleeJulee
"My styles so dope they should label it illegal"..... iconic line 💯
@tupakkaonhyvaa
That's all you got big lady?
@tomsawyer199
One of the coldest songs I ever heard around this time when it came out. It was a treasure to find this on the cd. Cant no one touch this.
@Well_Its_Me
Agreed, sounds like a song that should have been on the IV album.
@tupakkaonhyvaa
"Cant no one touch this" who you think you are? 😂
@samausb
youre fu**ing right!
@lojkas8924
Iam 10 you are fckin zero
@almightygenius1763
B Real went off on this Track OmG ! This Pure Hip Hop ! Bumping this in 2020
@christiank.7505
Legit huh
@mitchellloessl320
Now we in 2022!!