Cypress Hill - Rise Up

When Cypress Hill returns after six long years, they do not offer a logical follow-up to Till Death Do Us Part, but rather an album that breaks the mold. Released on April 16, 2010, under the umbrella of Capitol Records and Priority Records, this eighth studio album marks a radical shift: for the first time since their inception, the group is no longer beholden to Columbia. The album features sixteen tracks spanning just over an hour of listening time, opening with It Ain't Nothin' before closing with Rise Like Smoke. However, the stakes go beyond a simple return: it's B-Real who now assumes primary production duties as executive and supervisor of the project, while DJ Muggs signs off on co-producing only two tracks alongside DJ Khalil.

From 2005 to 2010: A gestation process constrained by deadlines

The genesis of Rise Up turns out to be a story of waiting and redirection. The group had begun writing as early as 2005, but actual studio work did not truly commence until 2008. Four years elapsed between the first draft and the completion of recording in 2009. This lengthy gestation explains the successive delays to the album's release, from an initial target date of 2006 to a final launch set for spring 2010. While Till Death Do Us Part (2004) represented a peak before the label change, this new opus aims to be more aggressive and dynamic, with an explicit intention to capture the energy of live performances.

It Ain't Nothin' and Rise Like Smoke: The boundaries of an hour of sound

The album opens with Demrick on It Ain't Nothin', a track that sets the tone for a return to roots while validating the group's new artistic direction. The closing track, Rise Like Smoke, offers a calming conclusion after an hour of varied intensity. Between these two points, the record does not seek to impose strict uniformity; it prefers to exploit the contrasts between fast-paced tracks and more atmospheric pieces.

B-Real on Production: A Radical Shift After Six Years Absence

The heart of the enterprise rests on the fact that B-Real assumes complete artistic direction. This is a sharp break with the group's tradition, where DJ Muggs was the unmovable sonic architect. This delegation produces heterogeneous results: some tracks shine for their rhythmic coherence, while others suffer from dissonances between the rap flow and melodies imposed by external producers. The record does not impose itself as a perfectly homogeneous album, but rather as a compilation of sonic visions that sometimes dialogue with friction.

Tom Morello, Mike Shinoda, and Daron Malakian: Rock as the Spine

The alternative dimension of the project is confirmed by the rock collaborations that run through the album. Mike Shinoda, frontman of Linkin Park, signs on Carry Me Away, introducing an alternative touch that goes beyond the codes of traditional hip-hop. Daron Malakian, guitarist of System of a Down, plays on Trouble Seeker to further strengthen the metal aspect of the project. These three collaborations are not incidental: they form the thread that defines the sonic color of this album.

Pass The Dutch with The Alchemist: grounding in the underground scene

Beyond the rock collaborations, the album is enriched by a diversity of productive signatures that illuminate its internal structure. Sick Jacken, meanwhile, handles production on K.U.S.H. with B-Real, placing the track in an experimental vein close to noise rap. These multiple interventions explain the heterogeneity perceived by critics: each song bears the imprint of a distinct artistic vision, transforming the album into a collage of styles rather than a monolithic block. On Metacritic, it receives an average score of 56/100, reflecting divided opinions between those who see it as a necessary evolution and those who regret the loss of DJ Muggs' raw sound. Some critics have even pointed to Sen Dog's vocal exhaustion, which does not appear on all songs, or the sometimes too "easy listening" nature of an album meant to remain dark. Nevertheless, it remains an important link between Till Death Do Us Part and Back in Black, marking a pivotal step in the group's career before their later return in 2022. While the rock features mark the cover, the album maintains a solid hip-hop anchor thanks to credited collaborations on tracks like Pass The Dutch, where The Alchemist and Evidence unite. This presence of recognized producers in the rap domain reminds us that Cypress Hill has not abandoned its urban roots. Production mostly handled by B-Real allows for integrating these varied guests while maintaining dynamic coherence, even if DJ Muggs' absence from the main position leaves an indelible mark on the overall sonic texture.

Technical Details

- Release: April 16, 2010 - Label: Capitol Records, Priority Records - Tracks: 16 (1 h 02 min) - Opening / Closing: It Ain't Nothin' / Rise Like Smoke - Guests: Demrick, Tom Morello, The Alchemist, Evidence, Mike Shinoda, Daron Malakian, Everlast, Marc Anthony, Pitbull