Cypress Hill, Rise Up
Posted on 22nd Apr 10 by Paddy Murphy | 
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It’s been six years since one of the most recognisable hip hop groups on the planet have released a record. In their long history Cypress Hill had never gone more than three years without releasing an album. Some worried that band were on a permanent hiatus. Thankfully this isn’t so as they’ve just released their [...]
It’s been six years since one of the most recognisable hip hop groups on the planet have released a record. In their long history Cypress Hill had never gone more than three years without releasing an album. Some worried that band were on a permanent hiatus. Thankfully this isn’t so as they’ve just released their eight studio album, Rise Up (their ninth album if you include the compilation Los Grandes Éxitos en Español)
Cypress Hill, Rise Up
There’s nothing like a label change to invigorate a group, gone are the shackles of the old label regimé and new life is breathed into something that, may have, became stale.
Cypress Hill’s most recent albums, Till Death Do Us Part (TDDUP) and Stoned Raiders really weren’t up to the standard that had been set by their first records. At least with TDDUP they attempted to experiment with their sound by using far more reggae influenced sounds that previously but this seemed to alienate some of their fans and they returned to their well known style with Stoned Raiders but that was the problem it didn’t sound fresh, actually it sounded forced and as lame as two legged mule.
But that’s all changed now. As said earlier they are with a new label (Priority Records, EMI‘s rap division) who specialise in hip hop. Cypress Hill’s DJ Muggs, as usual commands the producers chair but others have been involved too.
The record finds the group in full flying form and back to their best. The record can sit happily with the likes of their 1991 self-titled debut and the follow up Black Sunday.
The production is excellent and the beats are fantastic, you still have the same stoned beats that have made Cypress Hill so successful with fans of the herb but, this time, their long break has given the group time to perfect the songs before the release. Even during the set backs of putting off the release dates of the album they re-hit the studio to tweak the songs.
A few of the tracks are more self-reflected that what we’ve come to expect from the group, and Carry Me Away would’ve been a whole lot better without the cheesy chorus, it really could’ve been done a whole lot better.
The list of guests is impressive too, Tom Morello appear twice, title track Rise Up could have been an early Rage Against The Machine track from way back in the day. Daron Malakian (System of a Down‘s, SOAD, six-stringer) appears on Trouble Maker with a riff similar to something from SOAD‘s Mezmerize/Hypnotize records. Another notable guest is House of Pain‘s Everlast on Take My Pain, another self-reflective song that, unlike Carry Me Away, really hits home. Maybe it’s because Carry Me Away guests Linkin Park‘s Mike Shinoda.
Oh and Cypress Hill‘s favourite stoners Cheech and Chong get in on the action for a couple of skits too.
There’s one thing that must be said of Rise Up and it’s that while it is their best record in a long long time, it probably won’t win them many new fans. It is a record that will win back some of their old fans as it’s a reminder of how good they are but they don’t really try anything new here. Except for one track, that is, Bang Bang, but that’s by far the worst track on the album. It’s a shame that they didn’t go all out and try and win over some new fans but I guess they’re at a stage in their career when they want to reconnect with their original fans andl show them that they still have the talent and ability.
There are two howlers of songs on the record, Bang Bang, which has that really annoying sample that some of the tracksuits are down with. You know that one with the Alvin the Chipmunk effect, well, that shit is wack. Also there’s a tune with Pitbull and Marc Anthony and fuck knows what they hell they’re doing on a Cypress Hill record. Hopefully it was just done as a repayment for some weed that ‘Hill owed for.
If you’re downloading the record avoid tracks six and fifteen and maybe track nine if, like me, you’re not a big fan of Linkin Park. Having said all that , though, Rise Up is a return to form that we haven’t heard from the California group in quite a long time.
Drop-d Rating: 8/10
Tags: Black Sunday, Cheech and Chong, Cypress Hill, Daron Malakian, DJ Muggs, House of Pain, Hypnotize, Linkin Park, Los Grandes Éxitos en Español, Marc Anthony, Mezmerize, Pitbull, Priority Records, Rise Up, Stoned Raiders, System Of A Down, Till Death Do Us Part, tom morello