The first seeds of Psycho Realm were sown in the tough downtown Pico-Union neighborhood, right across the street from Doheny Park. First-generation Americans and the eldest two of the four Gonzalez boys, Jack and Gustavo, a.k.a. "Duke," grew up in the contentious neighborhood in the mid- and late-1980s.
"Our side of town is the 'Sick Side' of town. They have the South Side, North Side, East Side, whatever. Our side is the Sick Side," Jack explains over a lunch of Argentine Lomo and Mimosas on Hollywood's Melrose Avenue one recent Sunday, fresh off a series of concert dates in Italy.
The patriarch of the Gonzalez family came to the U.S. from Mexico at the age of 15 and supported his family by painting cars. Their house was filled with music: classic oldies, which surface prominently in Psycho Realm's tracks, along with regional Mexican music and giants of the 1960s and '70s like Creedence Clearwater Revival, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix.
Immersed in hip-hop as a middle-school student, Jack's neighborhood friend, Yonjo, got ahold of a record featuring a guy out of Miami rapping in Spanish. They threw it on the turntable and, inspired by what they heard, the boys wrote a Spanglish rap about all of the friends they grew up with and the growing specter of neighborhood gang warfare that would crest just a few years later in the early 1990s.
Older brother Duke was attending Cal State Northridge (CSUN) at the time, and Jack and Yonjo made the trip out one weekend to see Latin hip-hoppers A Lighter Shade of Brown play the on-campus pub. When the following act was late to the stage, a deejay friend of Duke's threw on an instrumental beat and persuaded Jack and Yonjo to get on stage. Their song about the neighborhood characters got the crowd going crazier than the headlining act, and Jack was hooked.
Eventually, Yonjo dropped out to work for his family's business, Duke got in on the act, and his days at CSUN soon came to an end as well. "I think he went with the intention of doing something, but didn't know what he wanted to do," says Jack. According to his little brother, Duke spent most of those two years with his '79 Regal backed up to the door of his dorm room, juicing up the batteries on his hydraulics with free electricity, courtesy of the Cal State University system. When the party was over, he left.
By now Jack was attending the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies' (LACES) magnet high school Mid-City. Always a talented writer, he once won an essay contest for an opportunity to travel to the Soviet Union, but those plans were derailed by the ill-timed collapse of communism. Jack also played first-chair trumpet in the band and rubbed elbows in Miss Cox's music class with Lucas MacFadden (a.k.a. DJ Cut Chemist of Jurassic 5, Ozomatli and the Brainfreeze projects with DJ Shadow), and a certain actor you may have heard of named Leonardo DiCaprio.
Jack admits that he and his boys used to give Leo a hard time, but when they ran into each other years later at a Playboy magazine party, there were no hard feelings. "He was like, 'Hey, your music's tight.' I was like, 'You're acting's dope,'" Jack remembers.
After graduating from LACES, Jack also took a stab at higher education, attending Santa Monica College on scholarship, taking random courses for credit like weight training. "My dad always wanted us to do the college thing," he says. "Get a good job, make eighty-, a hundred-thousand-dollars a year. Live the good life, you know?" But with an infant daughter to support (he's now the proud father of five girls) and a waning interest in academics, Jack decided that his energy was better spent working and nurturing Psycho Realm's music.
About that time, Psycho Realm caught what could be considered the band's big break. It was 1993 and they were playing a free "End Barrio Warfare" show at the Olvera Street Plaza downtown, which happened to be attended by B-Real of Cypress Hill. B liked what he heard, met with Jack and Duke after the show, and eventually signed Psycho Realm to his production company and the Ruffhouse/Columbia/Sony label, mentoring the fledgling duo. "He was a good mentor," says Jack. "He helped us structure our songs more.
Live shows, he taught us how to work the crowd."
B-Real was so impressed with Psycho Realm that he actually wanted to join the group and make it a trio, but Jack and Duke were reluctant to let anyone else in the fold. "We had the mentality of the old rock bands: If you can't do an album on your own, you ain't shit," says Jack. The brothers told B-Real they would pass, but he was persistent. "We told him if you're going to be in the group, you've got to do all the promotional stuff, too. You don't get superstar status. And he was down with it, so we were like, 'Let's do the whole album.' And we did the whole first album with him."
The Big Debut
When it came time to put out their self-titled debut album in 1997, Jack and Duke were adamant that it was credited only to Psycho Realm, minting them as their own brand. Sony didn't go for it. "On everything, every sticker, it said, 'Featuring B-Real of Cypress Hill,' " recalls Jack. "You can't really blame them because they're sinking so many dollars into it. They're going to go for the marketing aspect." It wasn't all bad news, though. Even now, when Cypress Hill comes up, Psycho Realm usually gets a mention, and vice-versa.
Timing was not on their side, however. Simultaneously, Cypress Hill, Nas, and the Fugees were all on the Ruffhouse label, and they all had big radio hits. Not being a radio-friendly group, Psycho Realm fell into a no-man's land, and consequently fell through the cracks. "They didn't know what to do with us," laments Jack. "Two Mexican guys from L.A. rapping. They were just like, 'What is this? How can we market this?' "
Psycho Realm eventually decided it was best to part ways with Sony. "Sony did give us a worldwide promotional campaign, so we're known all over the world now," says Jack. "We can go to Europe and have promoters pay us to do shows. And we have fans that are coming to the shows all over the world – Mexico, South and Central America, Europe, Australia."
With a DIY work ethic, the Gonzalez brothers have also cultivated a vast network of independent distributors around the globe, keeping their music, their fans – and their profits – close to their chests. Jack breaks it down: "Instead of making eighty cents a record, we're making six or seven dollars a record. It's more of a direct contact with the streets, too, because on a day-to-day basis I'm going around to stores dropping off product. People at the shows buy it, people see me on the streets. I'm out there every day. It's being accessible. I think a lot of people can relate to us and the fact that we're in everybody's face, we're standing next to everybody, it makes it that much more real."
The ugly face of Los Angeles street violence got a little too real for Psycho Realm in late January 1999, just a month before their second album, "A War Story, Book 1," was scheduled for release on their own Sick Symphonies label. After a Delinquent Habits show at the El Rey theatre, Duke and a few friends went in search of late-night nourishment, ending up at Tommy's burger stand at Beverly and Rampart. Following an altercation in the parking lot, Duke was shot in the neck, severing an artery, with the bullet ending up right between the "L" and the "O" of his "Los Angeles" tattoo.
War Story II
By the time Jack made it to the scene, Duke was already on his way to County-USC Medical Center, and only his jacket remained in the street, ringed by yellow police tape. He caught up with Duke in the hospital hallway, barely alive and disfigured by swelling, bandages and clamps. Duke survived, and the police arrested the shooter, but his injuries left him a quadriplegic at 28.
Jack calls the months after Duke's misfortune "The Dark Ages." "I wasn't really doing much," he says. "Not really making music, just cruising the streets." Duke eventually convinced Jack to get back to making music, and he hooked up with dedicated foot soldiers of the Psycho Realm promotion machine and fellow Angelenos, Street Platoon. Together they recorded "The Steel Storm," released in 2001. Dad went to nursing school so he could care for Duke full time and Psycho Realm eventually got back on track.
Now, along with his musical contributions, Duke runs Psycho Realm's cyber-domain, maintaining the Web site and mailing list. And L.A. hip-hop's favorite sons released their long-awaited third album, "A War Story, Book 2," in November 2003. On one of the 15 new tracks, "Poison Rituals," MTV News' Kurt Loder even recounts the night Psycho Realm's lives changed forever at the burger stand. Standout and single-worthy tracks also include head-bobbing party track "Good Times" and street anthem "The Killing Fields."
By all appearances, Psycho Realm barely missed a step. When they threw a record-release party at the El Rey, the same theater where they attended the Delinquent Habits show that fateful night in 1999, Sick Soldiers lined up around the block, and the 600-plus fans that were turned away incited a near-riot. The L.A.P.D. even showed up, decked out in riot gear, though the situation eventually ended peacefully.
"We do it all ourselves," says Jack. "For two guys [Street Platoon], me and my brother, who's quadriplegic, we're not doing too bad."
ONLINE:
For a list of independent retailers carrying Psycho Realm's catalogue, tour dates, news, and merchandise, visit www.psychorealmonline.com.
Dysfunctional
The Psycho Realm Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They say my function's interupted
By alcoholic consumption
Hennesey or Tennesse
Whiskey hunting for something more potent
For getting disorted when I'm recording
It's important my sorted
Thoughts ain't locked up in something dormant
I don't let dope
Get the best of me so it's strict
My habits and vices
Are what turn me into a sick poet
The good thing is I know it, control it
I ride snake to the side where minds are constantly stolen
Holding your thoughts so in a trance
You go in advance
Seems slow and enhanced
'til the roach dies slow in your hands
We're throwing these raps
While sporting the mask taking blast
I just wanted to thank the homeboys
Who sold me this bag
He showed me this shwag but
I went for the kush kill
One hit quit you go to the sick so sit still
Eat pills like colonopis
Slow you down when you pop 'em in
Welcome to my world of dysfunction,
Won't you come on in?
[Hook]
Pass me the hennesey
These people telling me
Drink so much whiskey
They call me Sick Jack from Tennessee
We're getting stoned again
Pop a colonopin
Welcome to my world of dysfunction,
Won't you come on in?
In all the places that I've been
Welcome to my world of dysfunction,
Won't you come on in?
(Sick Jacken)
Psychology's root word
Inked above my bird
My belly telling everyone
That my brain is disturbed
You may prefer being sober
To seeing a blur
Fire water gets me faded
Cause my vocals to slur
I know you heard,
Word travels fast like cash in the 'burbs
Street talk and they
Start up a whirlwind of rumors
Who knows who burns?
Who cares of words and stares
It doesn't matter anyway
'cause we're all fucked up in here
Dysfunctional living,
Drug driven parties with women
We're spiking and giving
Just to get 'em under the linen
We're crushing and swimming,
River flowing down while I'm in 'em
But don't get whipped just
Remember Yoko Ono and Lennon
We are dysfunctional
[Hook:]
Pass me the hennesey
These people telling me
Drink so much whiskey
They call me Sick Jack from Tennessee
We're getting stoned
Again pop a colonopin
Welcome to my world of dysfunction,
Won't you come on in?
The Psycho Realm's song Dysfunctional is about the lead singer SickJacken’s struggles with alcohol and drug addiction. He admits to having an addictive personality that often interferes with his ability to function. He mentions how alcohol consumption and drug addiction have caused him to have distorted thoughts while recording. However, SickJacken admits to having control over his addiction and not letting it take over his life entirely.
Throughout the song, SickJacken also mentions his knowledge of the consequences of drug use and addiction. He talks about how drug addiction leads to dysfunctional living, drug-driven parties, and relationships with women that are purely focused on physical intimacy. It’s a cautionary tale of how addiction can destroy lives and relationships.
Overall, the song brings attention to the struggles of addiction and how it can take over someone's life. However, it also highlights the importance of taking control of one’s life and not letting addiction control everything.
Line by Line Meaning
They say my function's interupted
People say that my ability to function is disrupted
By alcoholic consumption
This is due to my consumption of alcohol
Hennesey or Tennesse
I drink Hennessy or Tennessee Whiskey
Whiskey hunting for something more potent
I am searching for a stronger form of whiskey
For getting disorted when I'm recording
To be able to get into the right mindset for recording music, I need to be a bit intoxicated
It's important my sorted
It is important that my sorted
Thoughts ain't locked up in something dormant
My thoughts are not locked up in anything that is dormant
Don't it
Isn't that right?
I don't let dope
I do not let drugs
Get the best of me so it's strict
Take over my life, so I have strict rules around their use
My habits and vices
My bad habits and addictions
Are what turn me into a sick poet
These are what contribute to my creativity as a poet
The good thing is I know it, control it
The good thing is that I am aware of it and can control it
I ride snake to the side where minds are constantly stolen
I travel through some dangerous places where people's minds are constantly being stolen or altered
Holding your thoughts so in a trance
I can hold your thoughts captive
You go in advance
You move forward
Seems slow and enhanced
Seems slow but more intense
'til the roach dies slow in your hands
Until the joint has been smoked down to the end
We're throwing these raps
We're throwing down these lyrics
While sporting the mask taking blast
While wearing a disguise and taking hits
I just wanted to thank the homeboys
I want to thank my friends
Who sold me this bag
Who sold me this bag of drugs
He showed me this shwag but
He showed me this low-quality weed, but
I went for the kush kill
I went for the high-quality weed
One hit quit you go to the sick so sit still
One hit of this is enough to make you sick, so just sit still
Eat pills like colonopis
I take pills like they are candy
Slow you down when you pop 'em in
The pills slow me down when I take them
Welcome to my world of dysfunction,
Welcome to my world of mental illness and addiction,
Won't you come on in?
Won't you join me?
Pass me the hennesey
Give me the bottle of Hennessy
These people telling me
People are always telling me
Drink so much whiskey
I drink too much whiskey
They call me Sick Jack from Tennessee
People call me Sick Jack from Tennessee because of my reputation
We're getting stoned again
We're smoking weed again
Pop a colonopin
Take a pill of Klonopin (an anti-anxiety medication)
Psychology's root word
The root word of Psychology
Inked above my bird
Tattooed above my heart
My belly telling everyone
My actions are telling everyone
That my brain is disturbed
That there is something wrong with my mind
You may prefer being sober
You might like being sober
To seeing a blur
Instead of seeing things as blurry due to being intoxicated
Fire water gets me faded
Alcohol gets me drunk
Cause my vocals to slur
Causes my voice to become garbled or slurred
I know you heard,
I know you have heard
Word travels fast like cash in the 'burbs
Gossip and rumors spread quickly in suburban neighborhoods
Street talk and they
People are gossiping and talking about me
Start up a whirlwind of rumors
This leads to a lot of rumors circulating
Who knows who burns?
Who knows who is responsible for these rumors?
Who cares of words and stares
Who cares about the things people say or the way they look at me
It doesn't matter anyway
It doesn't matter in the end
'cause we're all fucked up in here
Because we are all messed up in this situation
Dysfunctional living,
Our way of living is dysfunctional,
Drug driven parties with women
Our parties revolve around drugs and women
We're spiking and giving
We are adding drugs to people's drinks and having sex with them
Just to get 'em under the linen
Just to have sex with them
We're crushing and swimming,
We are crushing pills and swimming,
River flowing down while I'm in 'em
The river is flowing as I am swimming in it
But don't get whipped just
But don't get too caught up in the moment
Remember Yoko Ono and Lennon
Remember what happened to Yoko Ono and John Lennon
We are dysfunctional
We are messed up in the head, individually and as a group
Contributed by Violet H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.