By Jack Arnhold, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This Thursday, October 11th, fans of classic hip-hop are going to be in for a treat with a show from one of the biggest rap groups of the nineties, Cypress Hill, who are dropping in to Hub RJ for one night as part of a South American tour.
In the early nineties, Cypress Hill became famous for their gritty lyrics, psychedelic-tinged sound, and a unique Latin-rooted hip-hop that saw their debut album, 1991’s ‘Cypress Hill,’ go double-platinum.
Their follow-up, 1993’s ‘Black Sunday,’ debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 200, going triple-platinum, and earned them three Grammy nominations that year, as well as placing Cypress Hill at the front and center of the nineties hip-hop explosion.
In 2000, the band were again innovators, creating a popular mix of heavy metal guitars with hip-hop vocals in the album ‘Skull & Bones,’ which featured Eminem, and the nu-metal band, Deftones, among others.
The band has sold more than 20 million records, sold-out concert halls and festivals worldwide, and have even been immortalized by a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a cameo in an episode of ‘The Simpsons.’ Numerous artists have also sampled their songs, from Jay-Z and Black Eyed Peas to A$AP Rocky and Chance the Rapper.
People who recently caught the Tupac tribute concert can expect to hear many of the hits that made Cypress Hill famous, including ‘Insane In The Brain’ – which was included in VH1’s top 100 hip-hop songs – ‘Latin Lingo,’ ‘Dr Greenthumb,’ and ‘How I Could Just Kill A Man,’ as well as tracks from their newest album, ‘Elephants On Acid,’ such as their first single, ‘Band of Gypsies.’
Their latest release, and the band’s ninth album, ‘Elephants On Acid’ consists of 21 tracks that present a rap odyssey around the world, developed between trips to Egypt and the Joshua Tree Reserve in California.
This Thursday, the group will be joined by Mix Master Mike, MC Marechal, as well as Djs Saddam, Tamenpi, Tamy, and Jimmy Jay.
What: Cypress Hill
When: Thursday, October 11th; 9:30PM
Where: Hub RJ, Av. Prof. Pereira Reis, 50 – Santo Cristo, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 20220-800
Entrance: R$80-R$280; available here