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.
First Day of Freedom
The Psycho Realm Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The time has come for some freedom
End of the revolution, we won
If we don't get what we want we fight on
(Sick Jacken)
War pigs retire, arms and cease fire
Law dogs pick up their slain troops, expired
Tight around our necks, no respect so they died
Those on my side risk their lives for the grand prize
Freedom in the eyes of those fed lies, we rise
Who opposed demised, we rebelled, the foes fell
War criminals get shipped to cells
Cuz they failed to let honor dwell, in their battallion or personel
Righteous absence instill hell to battle tales
Veterans flashback the attack on occasion
Remembering the first and last days of the invasion
(Chorus: Duke)
The time has come for some freedom
End of the revolution, we won
If we don't get what we want we fight on
(Sick Jacken)
This is our first day of freedom, the war's over, we beat 'em
People react to the way you treat 'em
You treat us hostile with raw style, but look now you lost out
Count your casualties, everything you lost is ours now
We walk out of tragedy thinking how could we possibly
Go through all those years acting savagely, battling the war years
Rebelling against those telling us we must trust rival weapons
Fighting for peace looking for that serene dream
Replace bombs with small explosions of mellow scenes
In the post-war era we do whatever it takes
Put our lives at stake to break sick weather, making lives better
Preventing lost cities from turning to gardens of stone
We roam in ruins and broken down homes, war repercussions
Freedom for now, the next step's reconstruction
(Chorus: Duke)
The time has come for some freedom
End of the revolution, e won
If we don't get what we want we fight
The Psycho Realm's song "First Day of Freedom" is an ode to the end of a revolution and the beginning of a new era marked by freedom. The lyrics, delivered by Sick Jacken and Duke, convey a sense of relief and satisfaction that comes with the end of hostilities. The song opens with Duke declaring that the time has come for some freedom and that the revolution has been won. The chorus is repeated throughout the song, reinforcing the theme of freedom.
Sick Jacken's rap verse delves deeper into the aftermath of the war, highlighting the toll it has taken on both sides. He describes the war pigs retiring and the law dogs picking up their slain troops, emphasizing the human cost of the conflict. Sick Jacken then celebrates the victory of his side, stating that they risked their lives for the grand prize of freedom from the lies they were fed. He also acknowledges the fallen enemies and warns that war criminals will be shipped to cells. The verse concludes with a reflection on the first day of freedom and the challenges that lie ahead in reconstruction.
Overall, the song is a powerful statement about the cost of war and the importance of freedom. The lyrics are vivid and provocative, painting a picture of the aftermath of conflict and the hope for a better future. The chorus and the rap verses work together to create a message of endurance and determination in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
The time has come for some freedom
It's finally time to experience true freedom
End of the revolution, we won
The revolution has ended and we emerged victorious
If we don't get what we want we fight on
We will continue to fight if our demands are not met
War pigs retire, arms and cease fire
The military leaders and soldiers have retired and a ceasefire has been declared
Law dogs pick up their slain troops, expired
Law enforcement officials retrieve their fallen comrades who have died in battle
Gave up the ghost in hopes of keeping ropes tied
Some individuals have surrendered in order to avoid harsh consequences
Tight around our necks, no respect so they died
The oppressors showed no respect for the oppressed, resulting in their defeat and death
Those on my side risk their lives for the grand prize
My allies have put their lives on the line for the ultimate reward
Freedom in the eyes of those fed lies, we rise
The truth has set us free and we have risen up against our oppressors
Who opposed demised, we rebelled, the foes fell
We fought against those who opposed us and emerged victorious
War criminals get shipped to cells
Those who committed crimes during the war are being sent to prison
Cuz they failed to let honor dwell, in their battallion or personel
Their lack of honor and integrity caused them to fail
Righteous absence instill hell to battle tales
The lack of righteousness led to terrible consequences in battle
Veterans flashback the attack on occasion
War veterans sometimes experience flashbacks of the traumatic events they experienced
Remembering the first and last days of the invasion
They recall the beginning and end of the invasion
This is our first day of freedom, the war's over, we beat 'em
We are finally experiencing true freedom now that the war is over and we emerged victorious
People react to the way you treat 'em
How you treat others will greatly impact how they react to you
You treat us hostile with raw style, but look now you lost out
Your aggressive behavior towards us has resulted in your loss
Count your casualties, everything you lost is ours now
The losses you suffered now belong to us
We walk out of tragedy thinking how could we possibly
We leave behind tragedy and reflect on how it all happened
Go through all those years acting savagely, battling the war years
We've spent years fighting the war and behaving in uncivilized ways
Rebelling against those telling us we must trust rival weapons
We rejected the idea of using weapons against each other
Fighting for peace looking for that serene dream
We fought for peace and a peaceful future
Replace bombs with small explosions of mellow scenes
We want to replace violent explosions with peaceful and calming scenes
In the post-war era we do whatever it takes
We will do whatever is necessary to restore peace
Put our lives at stake to break sick weather, making lives better
We are willing to risk our lives to bring about positive change
Preventing lost cities from turning to gardens of stone
We want to prevent cities from being destroyed and turned into ruins
We roam in ruins and broken down homes, war repercussions
We are left to wander among the ruins and destruction caused by the war
Freedom for now, the next step's reconstruction
We have achieved freedom for now, but the next step is to rebuild and reconstruct
Contributed by Colton T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.