B-Real
B-Real | |
|---|---|
 B-Real at the 2006 Bonnaroo Music Festival. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Louis Freese |
| Also known as | B-Real |
| Born | June 2, 1970[1] Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Origin | South Gate, California |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1988–present[2] |
| Labels | Columbia Ruffhouse Duckdown Records Goliath |
Louis Freese (born June 2, 1970), better known by his stage name B-Real, is an American rapper, and a film and TV actor.[3] He is best known for being the lead rapper in the hip hop group Cypress Hill.
Early life and career
Born in L.A. to a Mexican father and a Cuban mother, B-Real moved with his sister and mother out of his father's home to South Gate at the age of 5. He later ended up in South Central Los Angeles.[3] Before dropping out of Bell High School, he befriended future Cypress Hill members Sen Dog and Mellow Man Ace (who forwent staying with the group to go solo).[3] Sen Dog, who was affiliated with a Bloods gang set known as 'Neighborhood Family', later introduced B-Real into the set.[3] B-Real's career as a drug dealer and gangbanger ended after he was shot in the lung in 1988.[2]
After being introduced to DJ Muggs by Julio G the KDAY Mixmaster, B-Real and Sen gained interest in Muggs' concept of an album based on experiences from Cypress Ave in South Gate.[3] The group was signed with Ruffhouse/Columbia records in 1991, and made their influential debut that year. B-Real would use his life-threatening experiences as material for the group's self-titled debut album, and subsequent releases.
Cypress Hill's trademark sound - an eccentric combination of B-Real's exaggeratedly high-pitched nasal vocals and DJ Muggs' distinctive beats - led to the trio becoming the first Latin rap group to have Platinum and multi-Platinum albums.[3] They remain the best-selling Latin rap group to date.[4] Speaking in March 2010 to noted UK urban writer Pete Lewis, Deputy Editor of the award-winning Blues & Soul, B-Real stated: "Fortunately I guess the fact we were able to achieve what we achieved, being Latino but without really exploiting that side of it, showed like a whole generation behind us how you could have that success without being labelled as just one THING. Because back in the day, when you were labelled 'a Latino rapper', the record companies would only try to market you to that Latin fan-base which didn't really EXIST yet!... So yeah, it feels good to see people recognizing us as some of the pioneers that opened the doors for a lotta these other Latino rappers to come through."[5]
Aside from Cypress Hill, B-Real has been involved in several other musical projects. In 1996, he contributed to the soundtrack for the movie Space Jam. In 2002, he teamed up with Mellow Man Ace and Son Doobie for the short-lived Serial Rhyme Killas, which released one 12" single in 2002.[6] The group recorded a full-length debut album, entitled Deluxe Rapture, but it was never released. B-Real formed a rap metal group, Kush, with Deftones guitarist Stephen Carpenter and Fear Factory members Christian Olde Wolbers and Raymond Herrera.[7][8] According to B-Real, Kush is more aggressive than other bands in the genre.[8] He was also previously a member of the group The Psycho Realm,[9] and in 2007 announced that he would collaborate with Sick Jacken once again on a new album.[2] He revealed in an interview that he plans on recording a "V.S." album of Cypress member DJ Muggs.[citation needed] In 1998, he appeared as a newborn baby singer for The Rugrats Movie, reported as a minor role.[10]
His live streaming site, Breal.tv features live interactive programming over the Internet. He is the host of the "Dr. Greenthumb Show" and "Meditation".
Production work
In addition to his career as an MC, B-Real has worked as a music producer for six years, with clients ranging from Proof of D12 to the WWE.[2] He intentionally kept his production for Cypress Hill down to a minimum, as not to interfere with DJ Muggs' involvement in the group, but has produced several tracks for his own solo projects. B-Real also manages a team of music producers known as the 'Audio Hustlaz'.[2] B-Real personally produced three tracks on his solo album Smoke N Mirrors, "Don't Ya Dare Laugh", "Fire" and "Dr. Hyphenstein", looking to outside producers for the other tracks. B-Real and his production crew will be working alongside DJ Muggs and others on the upcoming Cypress Hill album.[11]
Solo projects
B-Real has released three mixtapes as a solo artist: Gunslinger, Gunslinger Vol. II and Gunslinger Vol. III.[12] He released his first solo album, entitled Smoke N Mirrors and has teamed up with Snoop Dogg in a single called "Vato" for Snoop Dogg's album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment.
Discography
Solo
- 2009: Smoke N Mirrors
Cypress Hill
- 1991: Cypress Hill
- 1993: Black Sunday
- 1995: Cypress Hill III: Temples of Boom
- 1996: Unreleased and Revamped
- 1998: Cypress Hill IV
- 2000: Skull & Bones
- 2001: Stoned Raiders
- 2004: Till Death Do Us Part
- 2010: Rise Up
- 2012: Cypress X Rusko
Mixtapes
- 2005: The Gunslinger
- 2006: The Gunslinger Part II: Fist Full of Dollars
- 2007: The Gunslinger Part III: For a Few Dollars More
- 2010: The Harvest Vol. 1: The Mixtape
- 2013: Serial Killers (with Xzibit & Demrick) - Serial Killers, Vol. 1
Collaborations
Throughout his career, B-Real has had an extensive list of collaborations, with artists including Kottonmouth Kings, Beastie Boys, Snoop Dogg, Psycho Realm, Eminem, Ice Cube, DJ Quik, Pearl Jam, Chino XL, Dr. Dre, Apathy, Mike Shinoda, Malverde, Fear Factory, Roni Size, Nas, KRS-One, Adil Omar, Xzibit, Young De, RBX, LL Cool J, Warren G, Busta Rhymes, Tony Touch, Kool G Rap, Big Pun, OutKast, Prozak, Nina Sky, Fat Joe, Method Man & Redman, RZA, U-God, Raekwon, Kurupt, D12, Proof, Everlast, Dilated Peoples, Guru, MC Eiht, House of Pain, Ill Bill, La Coka Nostra, Deftones, MC Ren, Damian Marley, King Tee, Tom Morello, Ras Kass, Outlawz, Daron Malakian, Sonic Youth, The Transplants, Funkdoobiest, Travis Barker, Slaine (rapper), Tim Armstrong, Defari, Slash, Mack 10, Prodigy, Bitza (from Romania), Rusko (from the UK) and many more.
Guest appearances
| Year | Song | Artist | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | "Ain't Got No Class" | Da Lench Mob | Guerillas in tha Mist |
| 1992 | "Put Your Head Out" | House of Pain | House of Pain |
| 1996 | "East Coast/West Coast Killas" | Dr. Dre, RBX, KRS-One, Nas | Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath |
| 1999 | "Splitt (Comin' Out Swingin')" | Reveille | Laced |
| 1997 | "Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem)" | Coolio, Method Man, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes | Space Jam |
| 2000 | "Xplosion" | OutKast | Stankonia |
| "Deadly Assassins" | Everlast | Eat at Whitey's | |
| "End of the World" | Cold | 13 Ways to Bleed on Stage | |
| 2001 | "Back The Fuck Up" | Fear Factory | Digimortal |
| "Peer Pressure" | De La Soul | AOI: Bionix | |
| "Real Wunz" | Jinusean | The Reign | |
| 2002 | "Child Of The Wild West" | Roni Size | Child Of The Wild West |
| 2003 | "911" | Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E., Eminem | West Koastra Nostra |
| 2004 | "American Psycho II" | D12 | D12 World |
| 2005 | "High Rollers" | Proof | Searching for Jerry Garcia |
| "Roll Up" | Supernatural | S.P.I.T. | |
| 2006 | "Vato" | Snoop Dogg | Tha Blue Carpet Treatment |
| "Back Again" | Dilated Peoples | 20/20 | |
| 2007 | "Splitt (Comin' Out Swingin')" | Klientel, O-Brown, Mimi | Everybody Eats |
| 2008 | "A to the K" | Akrobatik | Absolute Value |
| "Pain Gang" | Ill Bill | The Hour of Reprisal | |
| "Cold World" | Cashis, Young De | Homeland Security (Mixtape) | |
| 2009 | "I’m An American" | La Coka Nostra | A Brand You Can Trust |
| "Fuck Tony Montana" | |||
| "How Hi Can U Get" | Tash | Control Freek | |
| "Shoot First" | Apathy, Celph Titled | Wanna Snuggle? | |
| 2010 | "Straight from the sun" | Bitză | Goana după fericire (The pursuit of happiness) |
| 2011 | "Go Loco" | Ron Artest | Ball'n |
| 2012 | "One By One" | Adil Omar | The Mushroom Cloud Effect |
| 2012 | "Untouchable" | Laetita Larusso | Angels Are Gone |
| 2013 | "Fuck Out My Face" | ASAP Ferg, Onyx, Aston Matthews | Trap Lord |
References
- ^ Mason, Stewart. "B Real - Biography". allmusic. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
- ^ a b c d e Interview - "Mental Hollow Points with B-Real of Cypress Hill
- ^ a b c d e f B-Real Official Website Bio
- ^ "Greatest Hits From the Bong Out"
- ^ B-Real interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' April 2010
- ^ B-Real Official Website Discography
- ^ Moss, Corey (April 23, 2002). "With Kush Record Done, B-Real Keepin' Real Busy". MTV News. Retrieved 31 December 2008.
- ^ a b Downey, Ryan J (November 27, 2002). "B-Real Finishing Up Kush LP, Going Grimmer For Next Cypress Hill Album". MTV News. Retrieved 31 December 2008.
- ^ Latin Hip Hop News - "Psycho Realm Conducts their Sick Symphonies"
- ^ B-Real: Pay It Forward | Rappers Talk Hip Hop Beef & Old School Hip Hop. HipHop DX (2010-09-23). Retrieved on 2012-05-02.
- ^ Cypress Hill’s Sen Dog: Solo Entry. AllHipHop.com (2008-09-30). Retrieved on 2012-05-02.
- ^ Latin Hip Hop News - " B-Real of Cypress Hill solo mixtape"
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
- 1970 births
- American people of Cuban descent
- American people of Mexican descent
- American entertainers of Cuban descent
- American rappers of Mexican descent
- Mexican people of German descent
- Rap rock musicians
- People from South Gate, California
- Rappers from California
- West Coast hip hop musicians
- Bloods
- Cypress Hill members
- Chicano rap
- Living people