Throwbacks: Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill

When Cypress Hill dropped on August 13, 1991, West Coast hip-hop was busy polishing its cinematic funk. But out of Image Recording Studios in Los Angeles came a debut that sounded like it was recorded in a weed-smoked mausoleum. Released through Ruffhouse and Columbia Records, this self-titled album introduced a wildly different aesthetic. DJ Muggs handled the production, stripping away the traditional bounce. He built tracks out of dusty, squealing loops and heavy, dragging drum breaks.

Muggs is the true MVP of this era. His raw, unpolished grit hits harder than almost anything else coming out of California at the time. The beats gave B-Real's nasal, high-pitched delivery and Sen Dog's barking ad-libs the perfect grim backdrop. The record went double platinum, moving over two million units in the US alone. It dominated urban radio. It also crossed over, taking over college radio stations with its unapologetic, blunted haze. Hit play below.