Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group formed in South Gate, California in 1988 — the first Latin rap group to go platinum in the US. Black Sunday (1993) went straight to number one on the Billboard 200; start there or with the 1991 debut for DJ Muggs' dark, sample-heavy production. Shop Cypress Hill vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Cypress Hill formed in South Gate, California in 1988 around Cuban-American brothers Sen Dog and Mellow Man Ace alongside B-Real and producer DJ Muggs. Mellow Man Ace departed early to pursue a solo career; Eric Bobo (son of percussionist Willie Bobo) joined as percussionist in 1994. They signed with Ruffhouse Records (a Columbia subsidiary) and released their self-titled debut in 1991. Black Sunday (1993) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and became a landmark of West Coast and Latin hip hop. They were the first Latin rap group to achieve mainstream platinum sales in the United States.
Cypress Hill's sound combines West Coast hip hop, Latin rap, and stoner rap with DJ Muggs' distinctive sample-driven, dark, often horror-themed production and B-Real's nasal high-register vocal delivery contrasted with Sen Dog's deeper register. Their advocacy of cannabis culture became a defining cultural signifier of the group across their career.
Original Ruffhouse and Columbia pressings of the Cypress Hill catalog are widely collected. Multiple anniversary editions, including 30th anniversary editions of Black Sunday, have been issued.
Listeners new to Cypress Hill typically start with Black Sunday (1993) or the 1991 self-titled debut.
