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
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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.
Never Know
Cypress Hill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You never know
I just might die tonight so lets get hight tonight
Might try to fight, some mothers cry tonight
Cig in my right hand cause you hold tight to life
But you ain't a bright man
You know I live with the biggest hitters, crime committers
Never had a quitter come with us
Who had the jitters sine some bitter tasting minute
I spit it for those who did it
Like a soldier so committed to winning
You never know who you running with nigga
Who you gunning with, who you thugging with
In times of struggle shit
Never be blinded by diamonds they signing for weak nigga
No sign of loyalty in anything you speak
You never know
You're breakable, celebrated but fadeable
You're biodegradeable
You just might die tonight
Get out of my sight cause
You ain't even know there's your fight
[Chorus: x2]
[Verse Two]
I been through the scandal and handled them better than other vandals
Hearing insane rambles saying that lifes a gamble
Praying for just a sample in amble times
To trample, example
Enemies who shit they need a pamper
You never know
Every thug nigga living his life
Giving his life meaning
Haters in the wings, they feeling their pride stinging
We here, death knocking its schocking
We keep it popping homey
We never stopping we keeping all you bitches dropping homey
You never know
I can see through and he got an evil intent
I'm gonna see to him
I think you all got the message its a hard lesson
Yo aye you go to pray to god stressing
[Chorus: x2]
The lyrics of Cypress Hill's "Never Know" explore the uncertainty of life, highlighting the fragility and unpredictable nature of human existence. The song opens with a chorus that acknowledges the possibility of death and urges listeners to live in the moment and enjoy life. The song's protagonist emphasizes the unpredictability of life, emphasizing that one never knows what the future holds. He raps about living with dangerous people and getting into criminal activities. He emphasizes the importance of being aware of one's surroundings and never knowing who you are "running with." The song emphasizes the transitory nature of life, urging listeners not to be blinded by material riches and reminding them that everyone is "breakable, celebrated but fadeable, biodegradable."
In the song's second verse, the singer raps about how he has handled scandals and enemies better than other "vandals." He advises against taking life for granted and against being overly confident, stating that "every thug nigga living his life, giving his life meaning." He also warns listeners against trusting people with evil intent and instructs them to pray to God when in stressful situations. The song ends with the chorus, repeating the message that we never know what the future holds, and it's crucial to live in the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
You never know
The future is uncertain and unpredictable
I just might die tonight so lets get hight tonight
Life is fragile and can end at any moment, so let's enjoy it while we can
Might try to fight, some mothers cry tonight
Violence and conflict can have devastating consequences for those involved
Cig in my right hand cause you hold tight to life
People cling to life, but often engage in risky behaviors that can harm them
But you ain't a bright man
The artist sees others engaging in dangerous behavior and deems it foolish
You know I live with the biggest hitters, crime committers
The singer associates with dangerous individuals and acknowledges their criminal activities
And bull shitters
The singer also associates with dishonest people who engage in deception
Never had a quitter come with us
The artist and their associates do not tolerate weakness and expect commitment from those they associate with
Who had the jitters sine some bitter tasting minute
Those who are fearful or hesitant are not welcome among the artist's associates
I spit it for those who did it
The artist empathizes with those who have engaged in criminal activity or other risky behavior
Like a soldier so committed to winning
The singer sees themselves and their associates as warriors in a struggle to survive and succeed
You never know who you running with nigga
It's easy to be misled or not fully understand the true nature of the people you associate with
Who you gunning with, who you thugging with
It's important to carefully consider who you align yourself with in life
Never be blinded by diamonds they signing for weak nigga
Material possessions and wealth can be illusory and misleading
No sign of loyalty in anything you speak
The singer values loyalty and distrusts those who do not exhibit it
You're breakable, celebrated but fadeable
Everyone is mortal and can be subject to decline and death
You're biodegradeable
Even after death, our physical bodies will eventually break down and decompose
Get out of my sight cause
The singer is unsympathetic to those who engage in dangerous or foolish behavior
You ain't even know there's your fight
Some people are unaware of the dangers they face and don't realize they're in a dangerous situation
I been through the scandal and handled them better than other vandals
The artist has experienced difficult and scandalous situations and believes they were able to handle it better than others
Hearing insane rambles saying that lifes a gamble
The artist has heard others claim that life is unpredictable and uncertain
Praying for just a sample in amble times
In difficult moments, people often seek small comforts or signs of hope
To trample, example
The singer may use small victories to crush and intimidate their enemies
Enemies who shit they need a pamper
The artist's enemies are weak and easily defeated
I can see through and he got an evil intent
The singer is wary of those with bad intentions and can see through their deceptions
I'm gonna see to him
The singer is prepared to confront and stop those with bad intentions
I think you all got the message its a hard lesson
The singer believes people should learn from their mistakes and be prepared for the challenges of life
Yo aye you go to pray to god stressing
In difficult moments, people often turn to religion or prayer for comfort and guidance
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Larry Muggerud, Louis Freese
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind