Disco de Cypress Hill: “Till Death Do Us Part [Edited]”

I've been listening to Cypress Hill since Black Sunday, so my review will be in the context of a pretty solid Cypress Hill fan.

Firstly, as many of the other reviewers have stated, the beats on most of the songs leave a bit to be desired. The production values are good; the music is very clear, except for parts that are intentionally not supposed to be (samples from vinyl, for instance). However, the beats just aren't that memorable. "Another Body Drops," "Street Wars," and "What's Your Name?" are really the only songs that you'll listen to over and over again.

On the other hand, the lyrics are outstanding. B-Real's flow has just gotten better by the album. I have all of Cypress Hill's albums on my MP3 player, and while I'm at work I'll listen to them in release date order, and you can really see how B-Real has improved his skills as a lyricist over time. His rhymes keep getting tighter and tighter, and I really believe that he's a fairly under-appreciated rapper. Let me state, however, that as someone else here said, the hooks suck. You can tell that they couldn't figure out a catchy hook, so they just repeated the name of the song (see the song "Dollar Bill"). This is a probem that started on Skull and Bones, and I think it's just going to continue.

I personally believe that III: Temples of Boom was the Hill's greatest album. It was so dark and moody, and Mugg's beats were almost dank and dungeon-like. Everything before III was Cypress Hill trying to find their identity, and everything after was them moving a little more towards the mainstream rap circle. I'm not saying they sold out, it's just that their music has become a little more of what one would expect from a rap group. If you don't have III: Temples of Boom, you need to buy it. It's one of my favorite albums of all time. Till Death Do Us Part, however, is a more mundane and forgettable chapter in Cypress Hill's history.

Cypress Hill returns in top form after so-so albums. I like this album because its their most original in many years. The beats are even original and the ones Muggs did are his best in years. Alchemist and Fredwreck add to the mixture also. Soul Assassins 4 Life!

Cypress forever...nuff said. Whatever they put out puts shake in your shimmey and their lyrics and delivery have always been dead on and have never been boring. Beastie's with guns is Cypress. They make killing sound fun. Is that a good thing I don't know but it makes for good music. Old enough sounds to rehash (no pun intended) new songs to thrill. If youre a Cypress fan buy the album as you should. I can't listen to a full rap album from anybod but these guys so that says something.

Cypress has "been there, done that" for well over a decade. In a musical culture that throws artists away like old newspapers, Cypress Hill continues to make solid hip hop despite changing fads and trends.

Their latest cd is a mixture of old and new; for example the first song "another body drops" is a throwback to the good ol' days of "hand on the pump" or "kill a man". This is one of those fast-paced, violent, sing-along Hill songs with a tight chorus. It gets stuck in your head, and that is what they are shooting for. A couple of tracks later though you come to "ganja bus", which sounds nothing like CH has ever done before...dance hall reggae. It is catchy I must admit. "Busted in the Hood" is a phat song, bouncing off an old Beastie Boys classic, Sen and B Real throw down some tight lyrics. Another example of a newer style and direction for the Hill.

All in all this is a good cd. Not every song bumps but still it has some shining moments. I give them some props for trying some new stuff without all the guitars--these guys are true hip hop heads. "One last cigarette" is my favorite song. I gotta say that I don't get "Whats Your Name" though---this just doesn't match up with Cypress Hill.

When Temples of Boom and Black Sunday came out, this groups sound was fresh and original. As the years wore on, however, things just got repetative. The guys in Cypress Hill must have finally seen the light, because the sound has definitely changed on Till Death Do Us Part. This is a ska and reggae influenced record filled with infectious dance beats that manage to avoid sacrificing the edge prevailent in the best hip hop. There's nothing really ground breaking here, just a solid record with a strong single "What's Ya Number" and some clever turns, such as the redo of The Beastie Boys "Paul Reviere". Add this solid hip hop CD to your collection.