CraveOnline: For starters, the last time the masses heard from you was on Till Death Do Us Part [2004], Cypress Hill's last studio set -- Since that time, where have you been?? And, what all have you been up to during this musical time off and/or hiatus??
B Real: I've been in L.A. recording for a solo album that I'm trying to put out sometime this year. So, really there has been no time off for me. Recently, a partner of mine, and myself, have took over a studio for other projects as well. So, we're keeping busy. When I do have time off, I play a lot of paintball for a team called the 'Stoned Assassins.' Other than that, it's all work.
CraveOnline: Were you, at all, disappointed and/or upset at the commercial success of Till Death Do Us Part?? And, why do you feel that this project wasn't as well received as previous Cypress Hill releases??
B Real: Obviously you want every album to do well, and when it doesn't there's definitely gonna be disappointment. But, I had a feeling that the ball would be dropped when it came to the support of this album by Sony (Music). We had been there so many years, and had some up and downs, but after 13 or 14 years, labels try to look for new blood, and when the people who believed in what your doing leave the company and go elsewhere, it leaves you with new people who might have another agenda which is to make a name for themselves in the game. They may have to work your project, which is their job, but if their heart is not in it, and they are looking for the new thing that will help elevate their career, then you get limited support and that is death for any album. We felt we had some material on this album that could have made noise, but the right single was not picked, and I think our part of the blame was we tried too many things musically on one album. It was like we were searching for a new sound, and found too many. So, we have to take part of the blame, but overall even with that, it was lack of support by Sony that held this record down because in spite of the difference in musical styles, it still had some songs that could have been big singles. Another thing was they didn't want to follow the same marketing plan as we implemented for Skull & Bones, which worked very well for us. It seemed like they just wanted to get it over with and finish our contract.
CraveOnline: There have been talks for such a long time now about a, possible, B Real solo record -- So, why has it yet to materialize?? And, if it is still in your future plans, what can you divulge about it so far??
B Real: Only after Till Death Do Us Part did I start thinking of really doing it. I mean I thought about it in the past, but I was so dedicated to Cypress that I didn't see the need to do it yet. But, as time went by I started thinking more about it, and one day while on tour, my good friend Busta Rhymes encouraged me to do it. It took me a while before that registered in my head on what he was telling me, but eventually it sunk in. Basically he said, "You've accomplished more than a lot (of) others in Hip-Hop music as Cypress Hill, so why not take a chance on yourself?? People wanna hear you on different things now and then, and Cypress has been one thing for so long. It's time for you to get out there and work with some different people, and let people know that B Real has more fire than people know. Cypress is legendary, and loved, but now you can take it to the next level when you decide to do your own thing. Cypress will always be there, but take a chance on yourself."
CraveOnline: Then I guess it wasn't always in the plans for you to go solo -- So, are you presently signed to a recording contract at this particular time??
B Real: No, we never had that in our plans. It was only after that conversation with Busta that made me think about it. I have a few offers on the table, but it's all about finding the right situation for myself now. This doesn't mean that if I go solo, that I won't make another Cypress record, because we have not broken up or disbanded. We all have our individual projects we are working on, and after we accomplish our individual goals with these projects, we will begin work on the next Cypress record. But, that might be awhile being that we are also trying to figure out where would be the best new home for Cypress being that we are out of our contract with Sony.
CraveOnline: Well that's great news for your fans -- They'll be happy to know that this doesn't signify the end of Cypress Hill.
B Real: Cypress Hill (is) in idle (mode). Once we our done with our individual projects, we will get back to recording another Cypress album -- Probably sometime next year. We have not broken up or disbanded. We still are performing shows in between recording, so there is no truth to rumors of a break up.
CraveOnline: In regards to your solo stuff -- How do you feel that it measures up to previous Cypress Hill efforts?? And, how would you say it either differs and/or compares to those other group albums??
B Real: Well, that remains to be seen. I mean, I can (do) whatever I want (now), but the fact remains that it's up to the fans to decide how it measures up. Asking me that is like asking a person which one of your kids do (you) like best. I put so much behind anything I do musically, so I can't really answer that. As far as how it differs, I think that's a matter of content. Things that I don't normally talk about with on Cypress records, I will get to do on my record. And, the fact that other producers that I'm working with will give it a different vibe. With Cypress, (DJ) Muggs did all the beats, so Cypress had a specific formula. I'm not trying to recreate that formula, I'm trying to make a new formula, so that there is a distinction between both projects. So, at the end, no one can say that I recycled (Cypress Hill).
CraveOnline: Let's take it back to your early beginnings...For those who do not already know, tell me when you first became interested in music?? How did it all begin for B Real??
B Real: It was a hobby, something we did for fun. I heard Run DMC for the first time, it caught my attention, and I never stopped listening from there. As the years went by, more groups came out that influenced me to keep writing and rapping. Run DMC got me listening, but I gotta say Mellow Man Ace, and his brother, Sen Dog, were the first rappers in the city of South Gate, where we all met, and they got me into doing myself -- Not just listening and being a fan.
CraveOnline: Aside from Run DMC -- Coming up, who were some of your other musical influences??
B Real: I did grow up in L.A., and the things we heard out here were Uncle Jam's Army, Egyptian Lover, Ice T, LA Dream Team, and, eventually, N.W.A. -- But, I gotta say, I was influenced and inspired more by the East Coast rappers at that time. At the time, they were so far ahead of us back then, so everything coming from there was advanced compared to what was going on here. When N.W.A. hit the scene and (Dr.) Dre started producing monster songs, that's what woke me up in regards to what L.A. can bring to the table in Hip-Hop. It gave us hope in L.A., and inspiration, when the East Coast embraced them.
CraveOnline: In those early days did you ever really think you'd end up choosing rap music as your profession??
B Real: I didn't decide on it, it just happened. There was a time where I left it alone for a while, and was on the streets gangbangin' and sellin' drugs, and I lost touch with it. It wasn't until Muggs, Sen, and Mellow convinced me to come back to the music and take a chance. They started to take it serious. Muggs was doing a record with 7A3, (and) Mellow did his solo record with Delicious (Vinyl), so they were taking steps toward making things happen. I thought they were crazy, and didn't want to do it at first. I was too deep into what I was doing on the street to wanna leave it, but they were persistent and eventually convinced me to take the chance.
CraveOnline: What particular string of events led to your initial hooking up with both Sen Dog & DJ Muggs, and eventually forming the group, Cypress Hill?? And, where did the group's name actually originate from??
B Real: I was running with my neighborhood at the time that they approached me in regards to recording some songs. I wasn’t into (it) at first, and it took time for them to convince me, but I decided to take the chance. As far as where the name is derived from, it comes from the block that Sen Dog and Mellow Man lived on called Cypress Ave -- We took Cypress and added the Hill.
CraveOnline: How would you describe and/or define the style of music that you all create(d) and perform(ed)?? Do you feel that your solo material, in comparison, can be equally defined??
B Real: I could only say that what we created was raw Hip-Hop, and eventually the fusion between Hip-Hop and Metal. Some say we were Alternative, but we were just making music and taking chances.
CraveOnline: With Cypress Hill you have sustained nearly fifteen years in this business -- What do you attribute your success to??
B Real: It’s very simple; you have to be yourself, be good to your fans, have a level of consistency with the quality of your music, and have a good live show. As long as we love making the music, and performing, I think we can be around for as long as we want.
CraveOnline: During you career you have acted both on film and in television -- Will you continue in your pursuit of the Silver Screen??
B Real: I like doing films here and there, but music is my life -- It’s what drives me.
CraveOnline: Are you happy with the current state of Hip-Hop music??
B Real: The state of Hip-Hop is always gonna be in question, depending (on) who you ask. The real question is, "What do you think of the Hip-Hop music getting radio play right now??" I’m sure that a lot of what is played on radio doesn’t represent, or reflect, all of Hip-Hop, but being that what they play on radio is what dictates what’s happening now, people get sucked into all that. But, obviously there is better shit out there, you just have to find it. Sirius and XM (Satellite) play non-traditional radio songs, as far as the playlist goes, and even then it still doesn’t represent everything. But, I think it's fine, and it will always go in cycles. At times people will be excited about, and other times they will be disappointed in, the genre.
CraveOnline: What does B Real enjoy doing in his spare and/or free time, completely away from the music??
B Real: Hanging with my woman, playing paintball tournaments with my team the 'Stoned Assassins,' and building low-riders.
CraveOnline: Looking ahead -- What does the future hold for B Real??
B Real: I think I’ll be more into producing music and events, and if all goes well within these next few years, running my own label called Audio Hustlerz Inc.
CraveOnline: Any parting words??
B Real: For any info on Cypress Hill, or my solo album, (you) can go onto brealonline.com or myspace.com/cypresshill.
