Cypress Hill Album: “Cypress Hill (Explicit)”

Cypress Hill's Debut Album (along with second album "Black Sunday") is their best album effort......After Virtually coming from nowhere to take a firm stranglehold on the then floundering Hip-Hop scene, which was lacking innovation, sleazy Lo-fi fat Beats with a distinctive sound all of their own (Courtesy of D.j Muggs) , coupled with rapper "B-Real's" latino-voiced pro-marijuana rhetoric (which was to prominently feature in all their albums)....tracks such as "How I Could Just Kill a Man", "Hand on the Pump" & "The Phuncky Feel One" went on to became Club Classic's thanks to Cypress Hill ability to back up "B-Reals" Pot-smoking fantasies with Thumping Funky Beats (that have been nicked for various Latin / Jazz & Soul artists, and given reworked to work within a Hip-Hop Blueprint, endlessly Drug-influenced but with a playful Rambunctious Party feel, that defined Cypress Hill throughout the 90's. And although people will debate which of the Cypress Studio albums is/was their best work...the majority of people will usually cite this & "Black Sunday" as a careers best.

Back when Cypress Hill first started rapping, they utilized beats and lyrics in a way that only they could. But, after they started focusing on only the "weed" aspect of their music, they dropped off considerably. I don't recommend any of their newer albums, but this album is in a class all it's own. Definitely a must-own for any rap fan.

I can't believe anyone in their right mind would give this album anything less than 5 stars.

1) If you are a HIP HOP fan(not rock fan who ALSO likes "rap")

2) If you were actually alive when this came out(or at least old enough to ride a bike)

3) If you are an American(props to Euros keeping Hip Hop alive, but you guys have different taste)

4) And finally if you have actually listened to this album start to finish, 2 or 3 times...

...THEN YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS CYPRESS HILL'S BEST ALBUM EVER. STRATIGHT UP PRE-LOLAPALOOZA/MTV/CROSSOVER HIP HOP DOPENESS. Peace to you heads who were around when this joint dropped.

It's kind of weird for me to see such a group like Cypress Hill debut so long ago, that I wonder where has the time gone? Their self titled debut ranks as one of the top debuts in Hip Hop history. B-Real's nasal flow makes his vocals sound very unique here on the album. Then there is DJ Muggs, who shows his stellar production all throughout the album. Then there is Sen Dog (Mellow Man Ace's brother), who just sound hilarious to me, especially with his background vocals.

Throughout this album, the standouts are easy to pick out. The singles "How Could I Just Kill A Man" and "Hand On The Pump" are both great. Further on the album, you have the track "Stoned Is The Way Of The Walk". Muggs places a spin on the loud horns all on the track. In fact, Muggs' production helps a lot of the tracks standout. It works with Sen Dog on his solo track "Latin Lingo", and I believe that is him rhyming in Spanish on "Tres Equis". Everything comes together on "The Cypress Hill ****", as that is one of my favorite tracks from the group.

Only tracks that really didn't standout for me are "Psycobetabuckdown", and "Real Estate". Both tracks have an innovative Cypress Hill sound, but did absolutely nothing for me.

Cypress Hill's self titled album hold high regards to their longtime fan base. Many may consider this as their best album, and I have to agree. I also recommend you listen to their 1993 follow up album

, as it follows the same route as this one. An album with excellent production and great concepts, this album is definitely worth a purchase to add in your collection. Peace.

Lyrics: A-

Production: A

Guest Appearances: N/A

Musical Vibes: B+

Top 5 Tracks:

1. The Cypress Hill ****

2. Hand On The Pump

3. How Could I Just Kill A Man

4. Stoned Is The Way Of The Walk

5. Tres Equis

Honorable Mention:

1. Born To Get Busy

2. Light Another

This is the best hip-hop albumn ever. Period.