You know the sound: DJ Muggs drops a beat that seems to contain both the deepest bass ever heard and piercing sirens, B-Real’s nasal voice cuts through the track, and Sen Dog bellows hooks in his signature “psycho beta” voice. Whether the group is espousing the benefits of recreational marijuana use on “I Wanna Get High” or telling violent tales of street life on “Hand on the Pump,” Cypress Hill has helped shape the musical identity of Black and brown Los Angeles for more than three decades.
Cypress Hill has endured its ups and downs over the years, with both Sen Dog and DJ Muggs taking leave from the group for a few years here and there. Over the course of 10 studio albums and several other projects, however, the trio has kept coming back together to deliver some of hip-hop’s most gloriously stoned anthems and ominous basement bangers. Along the way, they’ve peppered metal guitars, Spanish lyrics, spacey jazz samples, mischievous humor, and defiant activism into their songs, creating an immediately recognizable and influential brand.
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