High Hopes for Rap

CYPRESS HILL IV

Cypress Hill

Ruffhouse/Columbia

As depressing as it is to admit, it is a sad fact of life that gangsta rap just isn't what it used to be. Gone are the glory days of Dr Dre's The Chronic, Snoop Doggy Dogg's Doggystyle and 2Pac's All Eyez On Me in which rap was a fearless institution that was invigorating because of its intelligent presentation and smart, pulsing sounds.

With 2Pac and the Notorious B.I.G. six feet under, Dr. Dre and Wu-Tang Clan brazenly shifting towards hip-hop sounds and stars like Snoop Dogg content to churn out uninspired drivel like "Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told," gangster rap is in danger of becoming little more than innocuous dance music.

Which is a damn shame, because rap has always made the musical world far more interesting, not only through its sharp, well engineered sounds, but also by the way it has always thumbed its nose at the conventional standards of society. While the ideas that gangsta rap preaches, such as cop killing, are far from condonable, they are presented with such obvious showmanship that ultimately the music is simply a harmless, creative outlet. Although gangsta rap is clearly fading, there are still several bright spots remaining, one being the West Coast trio of Cypress Hill.

Cypress Hill has always been an odd rap group, since they've been more inclined to croon about the legalization of marijuana than street violence or gang warfare; but over the last decade they've been one of the industry's most reliable assets. Their fourth album, Cypress Hill IV, is a sleekly polished and satisfying blend of the upbeat, flavorful tempos of their smash second album, Black Sunday, and the solemn, brooding tones of their third offering, Cypress Hill III (Temples of Boom).

B-Real, Sen Dog and DJ Muggs have always been a group that defies easy categorization since their sound is continually expanding and evolving. One need look no further then their eclectic blend of songs, from the pulse-pounding base tempos of "I Ain't Goin' Out Like That," to the dark ruminations of "Lick A Shot," to the eerie ghost wails of "Stoned Raiders," to the sharp-edged anger of "No Rest For the Wicked."

Surprisingly on their fourth effort, Cypress Hill moves away from their trademark drug preaching in favor of more traditional rap subjects: raining abuse on police officers and glorifying the hardships of the streets. This is clearly evident in their vicious opening song "Looking Through the Eye of a Pig" which purports that the lives of cops can be summarized as a string of violent murders, suicidal tendencies, drug abuse and unfaithful marriages. It is blatantly button-pushing, but the malevolent lyrics, coupled with the dark, piercing music, makes it a success.

Over the last few years, Cypress Hill has made a notable shift towards gloomier, more pessimistic sounds that are complemented nicely by the ultra-scratchy voice of lead singer B-Real, who sounds as if he's suffering from one too many hits from the bong. The extremely somber Cypress Hill III had a number of serious, grave successes, such as the grim "Killafornia" and the spooky, spiritual "Illusions." Thus it is not surprising that the best songs on Cypress Hill IV are the ones that boast the most chilling sounds. "Dead Men Tell No Tales" is a pleasingly eerie mesh of quiet guitar riffs, chimes and the voice of B-Real clucking "Da da da daaa." "Prelude to a Come Up" features a strikingly solemn piano line that punctuates the lyrics, creating a softly mystical aura. And the album's best song, "From the Window of My Room," is exhilarating through its creepy blend of synthesized violins, electric keyboards and juiced-up bass beats.

What distinguishes Cypress Hill IV from previous the group's previous albums though, is the diversity and variation of the music. The album's most experimental song, "Tequila Sunrise," is a sharp and satisfying piece of Southern music that is peppered by the sounds of Spanish guitars. B-Real spits out "Tequila Sunrise/Bloodshot eyes/Realize we are born to die/SO GET THE MONEY!," which is quite ironic since Cypress Hill is one of the few rap groups that is yet to become a sell out. The album ends with a powerful one-two punch, first with the epic-styled "Clash of the Titans," which tells of bloody swords and slayings, and finally, "Lightning Strikes," which is set to a series of blistering heavy-metal guitar riffs.

But, of course, it could never really be a Cypress Hill album without at least one pro-drug song. On their new release, there are two. The first is the hilarious "Dr. Greenthumb," which starts with a clever infomercial for a home-marijuana kit and a special screen to keep "those pesky porkchoppers" at bay. The song itself is a strong mix of bass, horns and Indian chants. The other drug song is the lackluster "High Times," which does little more than evoke memories of "Hits From the Bong" and "I Wanna Get High." Despite a couple of duds other, such as the overwrought "Feature Presentation" and the placid "Audio X," Cypress Hill IV is an album that arrives none too soon.

The trio's image of endearing pot-addled goofballs, which they established on Black Sunday, may have faded with the evolution of their music, but they are still one of rap's most vital groups. Cypress Hill IV shows that rap has not taken its final breath just yet. This offering, together with the impending release of Ice Cube's new album, shows that there is still some hope out there.