Originating in the Southern rap mecca Houston, South Park Mexican (SPM) slowly built up his own personally run record label, Dope House Records, for years before eventually signing a distribution deal with Universal Records. With the promising deal in place, SPM stood on the verge of extending his reach outside of the South and becoming one of... [+] Read More

Originating in the Southern rap mecca Houston, South Park Mexican (SPM) slowly built up his own personally run record label, Dope House Records, for years before eventually signing a distribution deal with Universal Records. With the promising deal in place, SPM stood on the verge of extending his reach outside of the South and becoming one of the first Mexican-American rappers to attain national success. He unfortunately never fulfilled his promise. First, his releases for Universal failed to top the charts during the early 2000s, and then he went to prison in June 2002 after a Houston jury convicted him of sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl.

Before he became South Park Mexican, Carlos Coy spent years in the dope game. Born in Houston's predominantly Hispanic South Park neighborhood, Coy scored his first felony at the tender age of ten and continued on a path of crime, eventually getting involved with drugs by his teens. After several years of hustling on the streets, he finally got out of the dope game after a deal went bad. Around the same time, his daughter was born, causing him to re-examine his priorities. It was at this time in 1994 that Coy turned to a new hustle -- the rap game. Even though he had never really rapped much before in his life, he started his own record label and began honing his rhymes. At first he did what he could, hustling tapes for five dollars a piece in his neighborhood, and by the late '90s, he was putting out his own CDs on his label. His two 1998 albums -- Hustle Town and Power Moves -- established him in the South as a up-and-coming rapper and his rigorous touring throughout Texas won even more fans.

Coy won a deal with Universal following releases in 1999 and 2000 -- 3rd Wish to Rock the World and The Purity Album, respectively -- and had his Time Is Money album on the streets by the end of 2000. The following year, he returned with his second album for Universal, Never Change. Though Universal heavily marketed the album, like it had done with Time Is Money, the results were similar -- no crossover. Big marketing budget or not, Coy's hardcore rapping proved to be too harsh for the masses. His 2002 release, Reveille Park, a collection of freestyles, proved no different, especially since Universal chose not to release it. Finally, Coy met his unfortunate fate on May 18th, when a Houston jury convicted him for aggravated sexual assault of a child; in June the same jury sentenced him to 45 years in prison. Coy testified that he did not assault the nine-year-old girl, who had spent the night at his house with his daughter. However, Coy did admit to having sex in 1993 with a 13-year-old girl who had a son, which didn't help his case with the jury. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Part of the early-'90s explosion of Latin rap, Lighter Shade of Brown (LSOB) was formed in Riverside, CA, in 1990, when the teenage ODM (One Dope Mexican, born Robert Gutierrez) was introduced to DTTX (Don't Try to Xerox, born Bobby Ramirez). The duo began cutting demos and secured a record deal within the year; they debuted with 1990's Brown... [+] Read More

Part of the early-'90s explosion of Latin rap, Lighter Shade of Brown (LSOB) was formed in Riverside, CA, in 1990, when the teenage ODM (One Dope Mexican, born Robert Gutierrez) was introduced to DTTX (Don't Try to Xerox, born Bobby Ramirez). The duo began cutting demos and secured a record deal within the year; they debuted with 1990's Brown and Proud for Quality Records hip-hop subsidiary Pump. Though they didn't break out on the level of Cypress Hill, the group garnered some positive reviews and established themselves as one of the better Latin rap outfits around. The follow-up, Hip Hop Locos, was released in 1992, and helped LSOB land a major-label shot with Mercury, where they contributed to the soundtracks of the Latino-oriented films Mi Vida Loca and I Like It Like That. 1994's full-length Layin' in the Cut proved disappointing, however, and the disillusioned partners took a temporary break from the music business. They returned in 1997 on Oakland's much smaller Thump Records (in partnership with the Greenside label), issuing a self-titled album with guests including Rappin' 4-Tay and Tony! Toni! Toné!'s Dwayne Wiggins. Thump released a greatest hits' collection in 1999, and their fifth album, If You Could See Inside Me, followed, producing a minor hit single in "Sunny Day." In late 1999, Gutierrez became a radio DJ in the Los Angeles area. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

An underground Latino crew who moved from being strictly producers to make some action on the other side of the mixing board as well, the Beatnuts first hooked up in the late '80s, with Junkyard Ju-Ju (aka JuJu, born Jerry Tineo) and Psycho Les (born Lester Fernandez) being joined by Fashion (aka Kool Fashion, born Berntony Smalls). After... [+] Read More

An underground Latino crew who moved from being strictly producers to make some action on the other side of the mixing board as well, the Beatnuts first hooked up in the late '80s, with Junkyard Ju-Ju (aka JuJu, born Jerry Tineo) and Psycho Les (born Lester Fernandez) being joined by Fashion (aka Kool Fashion, born Berntony Smalls). After working with the Jungle Brothers, the trio connected with Monie Love on a production job for "Pups Lickin Bone" from her 1990 debut album, Down to Earth. They also worked on remixes for Cypress Hill, Naughty by Nature, da Lench Mob, and Prime Minister Pete Nice, earning their own contract with Combat Records for the 1993 mini-LP Intoxicated Demons. The album's release was held up when Kool Fashion was arrested and jailed for six months on a drug conviction, but the Beatnuts released a self-titled album the following year, on Violator/Relativity. After a hiatus verging on three years, Fashion became a Muslim and left the Beatnuts, releasing his debut solo album, God Connections, with production help from his old bandmates. JuJu and Psycho Les finally returned to release the Beatnuts' third album, Stone Crazy, in 1997. Musical Massacre followed two years later. Take It or Squeeze It, issued in spring 2001, captured the Beatnuts' danceable funk as well as collaborations with Method Man and Fat Man Scoop. The next year, The Originators brought back Al Tariq (that is, Kool Fashion) and delivered another round of bionic beats. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Cypress Hill were notable for being the first Latino hip-hop superstars, but they became notorious for their endorsement of marijuana, which actually isn't a trivial thing. Not only did the group campaign for its legalization, but their slow, rolling bass-and-drum loops pioneered a new, stoned funk that became extraordinary influential in '90s... [+] Read More

Cypress Hill were notable for being the first Latino hip-hop superstars, but they became notorious for their endorsement of marijuana, which actually isn't a trivial thing. Not only did the group campaign for its legalization, but their slow, rolling bass-and-drum loops pioneered a new, stoned funk that became extraordinary influential in '90s hip-hop -- it could be heard in everything from Dr. Dre's G-funk to the chilly layers of English trip-hop. DJ Muggs crafted the sound, and B Real, with his pinched, nasal voice, was responsible for the rhetoric that made them famous. The propot position became a little ridiculous over time, but there was no denying that the actual music had a strange, eerie power, particularly on the band's first two albums. Although B Real remained an effective lyricist and Muggs' musical skills did not diminish, the group's third album, Temples of Boom, was perceived by many critics as self-parodic, and the group appeared to disintegrate shortly afterward, though Muggs and B Real regrouped toward the end of the '90s to issue more material.

DVX, the original incarnation of Cypress Hill, formed in 1986 when Cuban-born brothers Sen Dog (born Senen Reyes, November 20, 1965) and Mellow Man Ace hooked up with fellow Los Angeles residents Muggs (born Lawrence Muggerud, January 28, 1968) and B Real (born Louis Freese, June 2, 1970). The group began pioneering a fusion of Latin and hip-hop slang, developing their own style by the time Mellow Man Ace left the group in 1988. Renaming themselves Cypress Hill after a local street, the group continued to perform around L.A., eventually signing with Ruffhouse/Columbia in 1991.

With its stoned beats, B Real's exaggerated nasal whine, and cartoonish violence, the group's eponymous debut became a sensation in early 1992, several months after its initial release. The singles "How I Could Just Kill a Man" and "The Phuncky Feel One" became underground hits, and the group's public promarijuana stance earned them many fans among the alternative rock community. Cypress Hill followed the album with Black Sunday in the summer of 1993, and while it sounded remarkably similar to the debut, it nevertheless became a hit, entering the album charts at number one and spawning the crossover hit "Insane in the Brain." With Black Sunday, Cypress Hill's audience became predominantly white, collegiate suburbanites, which caused them to lose some support in the hip-hop community. The group didn't help matters much in 1995, when they added a new member, drummer Bobo, and toured with the fifth Lollapalooza prior to the release of their third album, Temples of Boom. A darker, gloomier affair than their first two records, Temples of Boom was greeted with mixed reviews upon its fall 1995 release, and while it initially sold well, it failed to generate a genuine hit single. However, it did perform better on the R&B charts than it did on the pop charts.

Instead of capitalizing on their regained hip-hop credibility, Cypress Hill slowly fell apart. Sen Dog left in early 1996 and Muggs spent most of the year working on his solo album. Muggs Presents the Soul Assassins was released to overwhelmingly positive reviews in early 1997, leaving Cypress Hill's future in much doubt until the release of IV in 1998. Sen Dog had come back for the record. He had left because he felt he did not get enough mic time, but after a few years with a rock band he was more than happy to return. Two years later, the group released the double-disc set Skull & Bones, which featured a disc of hip-hop and a disc of their more rock-inspired material. Appropriately, the album also included rock and rap versions of the single "Superstar," bringing Cypress Hill's quest for credibility and crossover hits full circle. The ensuing videos for both versions featured many famous rap and rock musicians talking about their profession, and the song was a smash on MTV because of it. In the winter of 2001, the group came back with Stoned Raiders, another album to heavily incorporate rock music. Three years later, the band issued Till Death Do Us Part, which incorporated several styles of Jamaican music. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Latin rap duo tha Mexakinz were formed in Long Beach, CA, by MCs I-Man and Sinful. Their fluid bilingual rhymes on such albums as 1994's Zig Zag and 1996's Tha Mexakinz garnered them an underground following among both hip-hop and alternative rock fans. 1998's Crossing All Borders began to reflect the influence of the latter genre while...

Latin rap duo tha Mexakinz were formed in Long Beach, CA, by MCs I-Man and Sinful. Their fluid bilingual rhymes on such albums as 1994's Zig Zag and 1996's Tha Mexakinz garnered them an underground following among both hip-hop and alternative rock fans. 1998's Crossing All Borders began to reflect the influence of the latter genre while remaining grounded in the former. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Rapper SPM acknowledges a past as a drug dealer, and that former occupation continues to inform his approach to his current career, from the name of his record label, Dope House, to the subject matter of his raps. His is a world of crime and retribution, expressed in language laced with the usual epithets and expletives. The raps are slower and... [+] Read More

Rapper SPM acknowledges a past as a drug dealer, and that former occupation continues to inform his approach to his current career, from the name of his record label, Dope House, to the subject matter of his raps. His is a world of crime and retribution, expressed in language laced with the usual epithets and expletives. The raps are slower and more deliberate, the music more melodic than most other rap, and there are occasional surprises. "Land of the Lost" is a melodramatic narrative that looks back with regret, while "Miss Perfect" is a love rap, an unabashed tribute to SPM's wife. Like other rap label heads, the artist uses his own albums to introduce other rappers on his label. In fact, the album is basically a label sampler, featuring 23 rappers and groups in addition to SPM himself and containing tracks from upcoming Dope House releases. Four of the 16 tracks don't even feature the artist. Nevertheless, he remains the most distinctive presence on the album, and his perspective, while including much of the standard-issue opinions and expressions of the genre, is individual enough to be distinctive. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide [-] Hide

The fourth offering from the rambunctious hip-hop junkies the Beatnuts is an all-out assault on the eardrums. This is crack-open-a-party music, with beats that have been chiseled with a Latin feel. Lyrics are rough, rugged, and raunchy. Songs like "Watch Out Now" and "Turn It Out" (featuring Greg Nice) are just plain fun, as close to feel-good... [+] Read More

The fourth offering from the rambunctious hip-hop junkies the Beatnuts is an all-out assault on the eardrums. This is crack-open-a-party music, with beats that have been chiseled with a Latin feel. Lyrics are rough, rugged, and raunchy. Songs like "Watch Out Now" and "Turn It Out" (featuring Greg Nice) are just plain fun, as close to feel-good music as hardcore hip-hop gets. Other tracks that will satisfy include "Puffin' on a Cloud," "You're a Clown" (featuring Biz Markie), "Buddah in the Air," and the Spanglish headsplitter "Se Acabo." Even the thematic "Look Around," a departure from the Beatnuts' usual hedonistic content, is a pleasant surprise. The true core of the Beatnuts' sound is their fleshy, textured beats, which are dense and dipped in cannabis -- flutes, synthesizers, and various percussion instruments seem to float over and around deep drum machine kicks and snares. Swelling with an eclectic assortment of hypnotic sounds, A Musical Massacre is among 1999's most entertaining hip-hop albums. ~ M.F. DiBella, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Latino rappers have ranged from pop-oriented (Gerardo) to hardcore (Cypress Hill, Tha Mexikinz). Debuting with Brown and Proud, Lighter Shade of Brown made it clear that they fell into the latter category. The title says it all -- the L.A. group wears its Mexican-American heritage like a badge of honor on this promising CD, and in doing so, is... [+] Read More

Latino rappers have ranged from pop-oriented (Gerardo) to hardcore (Cypress Hill, Tha Mexikinz). Debuting with Brown and Proud, Lighter Shade of Brown made it clear that they fell into the latter category. The title says it all -- the L.A. group wears its Mexican-American heritage like a badge of honor on this promising CD, and in doing so, is usually quite substantial. Most of the material is superb, including "El Varrio" (a no-nonsense description of how tough life can be in L.A.'s working-class Hispanic neighborhoods), "T.J. Nights," and "Pancho Villa" (which salutes the Mexican rebel). Brown and Proud wasn't as commercially successful as some of Brown's subsequent work, but in Chicano rap circles, the group commanded some well-deserved respect. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide [-] Hide

With Crossing All Borders, Tha Mexakinz begin to expand their sound beyond the parameters of hip-hop, incorporating elements of alternative rock and SoCal ska-punk with intriguing results. Marshall Goodman (Sublime) co-wrote the album's first single, "Rain on Your Parade," while the second single, "Lose My Cool," has a jazzy feel courtesy of...

With Crossing All Borders, Tha Mexakinz begin to expand their sound beyond the parameters of hip-hop, incorporating elements of alternative rock and SoCal ska-punk with intriguing results. Marshall Goodman (Sublime) co-wrote the album's first single, "Rain on Your Parade," while the second single, "Lose My Cool," has a jazzy feel courtesy of Ozomatli trumpeter Asdru Sierra. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Black Sunday made Cypress Hill's connection to rock & roll more explicit, with its heavy metal-like artwork and noisier, more dissonant samples (including, naturally, stoner icons Black Sabbath). It's a slightly darker affair than its groundbreaking predecessor, with the threats of violence more urgent and the pot obsession played to the hilt... [+] Read More

Black Sunday made Cypress Hill's connection to rock & roll more explicit, with its heavy metal-like artwork and noisier, more dissonant samples (including, naturally, stoner icons Black Sabbath). It's a slightly darker affair than its groundbreaking predecessor, with the threats of violence more urgent and the pot obsession played to the hilt (after all, it was a crucial part of their widespread appeal). Apart from those subtle distinctions, the sound of Black Sunday is pretty much the same as Cypress Hill, refining the group's innovations into an accessible bid for crossover success. In fact, it's a little startling how often Black Sunday recycles musical ideas and even lyrical catch phrases from the endlessly inventive debut. And the rock-derived, verse-chorus song structures start to sound a little formulaic by the end of the record (how many choruses feature Sen Dog repeating part of whatever B Real just said?). But in spite of that, Black Sunday still sounds vital and lively, since the group has a surer sense of craft. Most of the tracks are fleshed out into structured songs, in contrast to the brief sketches that punctuated Cypress Hill. The album benefits immensely from the resulting clutch of excellent singles (and songs that could have been), and while a couple of tracks feel redundant and underdeveloped, Black Sunday is overall a consistent, engaging listen, especially the flawless first half or so. Unfortunately, it's also the group's last great album, thanks to the musical recycling operation that began here and would handicap much of their subsequent work. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide