Emerging in the early 1990s, the California-based group Cypress Hill was one of the first to incorporate elements of Latin music into rap. The collective, led by DJ Muggs (turntables, vocals, samples, production), is also known for its advocacy for the legalization of marijuana, its use of numerous samples, and the flow of its two vocalists, B-Real and Sen Dog. The group, which was joined by drummer and percussionist Eric Bobo in 1993, achieved considerable success with its second album Black Sunday, released that same year, which allowed it to reach a wide audience beyond rap fans, much like the Beastie Boys had done the previous decade. The group also has a strong visual identity, thanks to the macabre cover art on its albums and singles. Blending alternative or hardcore rap with rock and metal influences, Cypress Hill remained highly productive with the albums Cypress Hill III: Temples of Boom (1995), Cypress Hill IV (1998), Skull & Bones (2000), and Till Death Do Us Part (2004). It took six years before the release of Rise Up (2010), which featured numerous guest artists such as Tom Morello, Pitbull, Marc Anthony, Everlast, and Snoop Dogg. Eight years later, in 2018, the original quartet refocused on its core strengths for its ninth album Elephants on Acid, followed by Back in Black (2022) and a recording with The London Symphony Orchestra for Black Sunday: Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2025). On July 24, 2026, the group released Dios Bendiga, their first album performed entirely in Spanish, preceded by the singles âWacha Truchaâ and âCampeones.â Featuring Alemán, Mellow Man Ace, and Trueno, among others, the album marks a definitive return to Cypress Hillâs Latin American roots.
Read All
Read Less