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As REAL as it gets
Topics: B-Real, Cypress Hill, Bakotopia, DJ Mikey Munoz, interview, May 2009, Rockin' Roots, hip-hop, Smoke n' Mirrors
Posted by djmikey1200 Tue May 26, 2009 12:46:32 PDT
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0 responses 1 comment Location: 3805 Chester Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93301

As REAL as it gets
Interview: Legendary MC, B-Real, has a solo hit on his hands - at Rockin’ Roots June 7!

Above: B-Real

By DJ Mikey, Bakotopia.com contributor

For Cypress Hill’s B-Real, there is no other way but to keep it bona fide.
          
At a time when the roots of hip-hop seem to struggle for credibility in a music biz only concerned with booty anthems rather than lessons in reality, B-Real’s here to re-school fans. Bringinging his groovetastic greenery to the Rockin’ Roots main stage June 7, it’s time spark it up once again.

If you’re a Bako hip-hop historian, you might remember Cypress Hill’s Bakersfield appearance in the early ‘90s at the Kern County Fairgrounds, courtesy of local DJ/promoters, the Baka Boyz. Plus, it’s no secret that Cypress introduced the blunt to b-boy style - pre Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic.”


Above: Cypress Hill

Awarded the VH-1 Hip-Hop Honor in 2008 for the group’s contribution to all things hip-hop, the multi-talented producer/MC has just dropped a solo set of hits (“Smoke N Mirrors,”) to keep you rollin’ away into your good night.


Above: "Smoke 'N' Mirrors" cover

Bakotopia recently spent a few moments with B-Real via-telephone from his LA office:

Before you formed Cypress Hill in South Gate, California, you were in a group called DVX. How did it get started and who was in the group?

B: Basically, it was Mellow Man Ace, Sen Dog, D-Funk from Funkdoobiest, myself and one female rapper - she’s not around anymore. But we all came from the same area. Mellow went to start his own career, and Sen and I went to do our thing.

When we got our record deal, we had to come up with a different name for the group because DVX just wasn’t cuttin’ it. DJ Muggs had played us a track from the “Wild Style” soundtrack, and this old school rapper named Grand Mellow Z shouted out this place called “Cypress Hill.”

Cypress Avenue was the name of the block that we lived on, so we were like, “we should call ourselves “Cypress Hill?” We lived on the Cypress Avenue block, so we just had to add the Hill and that’s pretty much how it started.
  
In 1991, Cypress Hill’s self-titled album is released. How was it coming out as a one of the first Latino hip-hop group's to hit the mainstream?

B: It was a little hard at first, but we didn’t let them label us as a Latino group, because we knew if we would have done that, they would have only marketed us to Latin audiences. Plus, at that time - outside from the kids in the street - there was no big demand for hip-hop records as far as the Latino music market.

We were just labeled as a hip-hop/rap group, and eventually, later on, people came to find that we were Latino. But that was later after we made our mark.

Your new album “Smoke N Mirrors” is out now now, released on your own Audio Hustlaz label. How’s the response been?

B: The response has been pretty good, man. Surprising for me, you know what I mean, because I know we did a great record, but there’s a bunch of critics out there that bring you down and try to de-value what you’ve done. Fortunately, we’ve been getting a lot of great comments and a lot of good reviews. You can’t please everyone, so there are gonna be some f****d up reviews, but for the most part, it’s been well received.

On this album, you worked with Alchemist (Dilated Peoples), Xzibit, Kurupt and Too Short, among others. You got reggae on one side and straight West Coast hip-hop on the other. How was it working with Damian Marley and Snoop?

B: Well, with Snoop, I’ve worked with him before, and with Damian, on two separate occasions, so there was already a history there and it made it easy.  Snoop Dogg - with him, it’s just getting around his schedule. With Damian, it’s the same thing ‘cause he’s so busy. He travels back and forth from Miami to Jamaica, and then off on tour and stuff like that.
                
What can we expect from B-Real on stage at Rockin’ Roots June 7?

B: You know, I’m gonna try to give a live, energetic performance. Same as we do with Cypress.

www.cypresshill.com

Rockin Roots 2009
w/ Taking Back Sunday, B-Real, Anberlin, Millionaires, Saosin, Jeffree Star, Bizzy Bone, Big B, DJ Mikey, and more!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Stramler Park, 3805 Chester Ave
11a.m. - ? / $29 / All Ages
www.timgardeapresents.com

Also printed in Bakotopia magazine, issue 55. 5-28-09

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Comment From: matt

B-Real is gonna go off as always. I saw Cypress with 311 & Pharcyde at UCSB for the Temples of Boom tour. One of the best shows ever. Hopefully Sen Dog and Muggs will show up!