Released:  July 20th, 1993

Recorded:  1992

Genre:  Hip-Hop, Latin Hip-Hop, Alternative Hip-Hop

Record Label:  Ruffhouse / Colombia

Duration:  43:38

Producers:  DJ Muggs, T-Ray

[expand title=”Personnel” trigpos=”above” tag=”h22″](Regular group members in bold.)

• B-Real – vocals
• Sen Dog – vocals
• DJ Muggs – arranger, producer, executive producer, mixing, scratching/turntablism
• Joe Gamble – engineer
• Andy Kravitz – engineer
• Manuel Lecuona – engineer
• Joe Nicolo – executive producer, mixing
• Jay Papke – design
• Jason Roberts – engineer
• Chris Schwartz – executive producer
• Chris Shaw – engineer, mixing
• T-Ray – producer (“I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That”)
• Anthony Artiaga – photograph [/expand]

[expand title=”Track Listing” trigpos=”above” tag=”h22″]

1. I Wanna Get High
2. I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That
3. Insane in the Brain
4. When the Shit Goes Down
5. Lick a Shot
6. Cock the Hammer
7. Lock Down (Interlude)
8. 3 Lil’ Putos
9. Legalize It
10. Hits From the Bong
11. What Go Around Come Around Kid
12. A to the K
13. Hand on the Gloc
14. Break ‘Em off Some [/expand]

[expand title=”Singles” trigpos=”above” tag=”h22″]

1. Insane in the Brain – 1993
2. I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That – 1994 [/expand]

Why Black Sunday is One of My Favorites

Black Sunday stayed in heavy rotation among my CD players for most of my teenage years.  I was pretty anti-rap when I first got into this album at around age 13 or so, but Cypress Hill was one of the cool groups that “rockers” and “freaks” were supposed to like, so, likely by complete chance, picked up Black Sunday.  It took some time for me to get into the lo-fi production, but something about the muddy beats, squeaky samples, and B-Real’s adenoidal voice was nigh hypnotizing, which I suppose was appropriate considering the subject matter.

How these guys managed to pull off the whole mellow stoner act on top of the standard gangsta rap cliches always perplexed me.  Did they want to just sit down and have a blunt with everyone and work out their problems, or did they want full-on gang warfare over turf and rackets and the drug trade?  Who knows.  But their easygoing side is definitely reflected in Black Sunday, an album that is all at once familiar and new.

It’s tough to say what makes Black Sunday so enjoyable.  The beats themselves are rather murky and generic, but the slow ones (“I Wanna Get High,” “Hits from the Bong”) have an almost calming effect; they really did a great job of lacing their sound with the feel of marijuana.  The ones that aren’t slow still aren’t that fast, and I guess I would best describe them as energetic, but not aggressive.  There’s an understated brilliance beneath the simple musicality that makes them extremely accessible despite how minimal most tracks are.

“I Wanna Get High” is the slowest cut, but it’s filled with some great rhymes, especially the first few lines.  “Tell Bill Clinton to go and inhale” is a funny line for those of us who remember, and while references to popular culture may eventually date the album, I suppose all music about pot being an illicit substance will seem pretty dated within a couple of successive generations. “Outlaw, kickin’ it like Billy Ray Cypress Hill” is another funny reference found in “I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That,” which really shows B-Real and Sen Dog’s abilities to play off of each other’s rapping.  “Insane in the Brain” is the track that everyone remembers, with its unmistakable squeal in the background.  My favorite part is when most of the beat drops out and briefly plays a carnival/circus theme while B-Real quibs, “Like Louis Armstrong, playin’ the trumpet / I’ll hit that bong and break ya off somethin’.”  “When the Shit Goes Down” keeps itself moving with a simple funk sample, and “Lick a Shot” stands out as perhaps the “most gangsta” track of all on Black Sunday.

A few tracks later, “Lil’ Putos” takes on one of the album’s most unusual beats and the fellows change up their raps a little for something a little offbeat.  “Hits From the Bong” is easily one of my favorites.  The guitar sample from “Son of a Preacher Man” keeps it smooth and mellow.  “What Go Around Come Around, Kid” is a bit slow as well, but there’s something about the steady beat and B-Real’s drawn out hook that make this a great example of how hypnotizing this music can become within a few seconds.  “Break ‘Em Off Some” is another unique track with its erratic beat and overall faster tempo, featuring some of B-Real’s best flows.

As I said, it’s not easy pinpointing the exact moments that make Black Sunday great, but then again, Black Sunday isn’t really made up of a bunch of great moments.  It’s a tight, cohesive body of work that functions exceptionally well as an entire album.  It’s easy to slide right through the whole thing and not even realize it.  Normally I tend to think that this type of stripped down rap prevalent in the 90’s did its MCs a disservice, though the unique rhythms and the use of 2 rappers seem to be enough to carry these tracks on their own.  “I Wanna Get High,” “Insane in the Brain,” and “Hits From the Bong” are all highlights of Black Sunday, yet I would be hard-pressed to reduce this album down to a few tracks.  It’s best enjoyed as a whole.  This is the Cypress Hill experience from the 90’s.

Written by The Cubist

Back to The Cubist’s 90’s Albums