Cypress Hill: Insane in the Brain
review by Bobby Blakey
The unique, smoke-filled story of trailblazing hip-hop group Cypress Hill. Available in stunning 4K, Director Estevan Oriol creates a documentary that uncovers a treasure trove of never-before-seen archival footage alongside newly shot material to perfectly capture the brotherhood of hip-hop artists – B Real, DJ Muggs, Sen Dog and Eric "Bobo" Correa – who built a musical movement rooted in true authenticity. Cypress Hill’s genre-defying blend of Latin roots and West Coast style has withstood the test of time to create a truly original, everlasting legacy whose flame still burns bright today.
Authentic and distinguished from nearly every other artist in the game, Cypress Hill represented a modern group for the new age, resulting in a thirty-year career that continued to find relevancy in an ever-shifting music landscape.
I have been a fan of Cypress Hill since their self-titled debut studio album in 1991. Their sound was like nothing anyone had ever heard and I was instantly sold. From then on I have bought every album they have put out since and still have them all in heavy rotation in my music library. This documentary does an awesome job of diving into the group and sound to create a captivating look into this hip-hop innovators.
There were elements like their split that I never fully knew the story so was glad to see that as part of the history included in this film. They pull no
punched to tell the story of not only each member, but the development of their sound and evolution of the group. It is a gritty look into their full history that screams LA as it should.
Hearing their thoughts of the time and those around them further showcased their true impact on hip hop culture and music. A lot of people think these rap stars are just hood rats with no education, but so many of them are so much more. Every member of this group has gone on to do other things to expand their brand and revenue outside of their music while still maintaining their creative outlet musically. It is inspiring an inspiring story of their rise and dominance, but also just a piece of music history that should be seen.
As part of this documentary, the band also releasing a new single, “Crossroads” that was written and recorded specially for the film. The Muggs produced track appears throughout the documentary’s end credits and concludes the film with a song of triumph. The song is available on all streaming platforms.
See how the Phunky Feel One got its being with Cypress Hill: Insane In The Brain available now on digital from Sony.