Cypress Hill
Rise Up


2.0
poor

Review

by Deviant. STAFF
April 19th, 2010 | 33 replies


Release Date: 2010 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Pot robs you of your ambition - but not if your ambition is to get stoned all day

Cypress Hill have remained one of the most enduring forces in the world of hip hop, mainly as a result of their willingness to accept and follow current popular trends. While this propensity for change has allowed their music to be heard by the few that would've never bothered with them otherwise, the flip side to their more recent commercial leanings is that their more long in the tooth fans have long packed their bags and left for more sunnier climes. While their self titled and 94's effort Black Sunday cemented their place in the halls of fame, and both Temples Of Boom and IV continued the good times, albeit to a lesser degree, it was 2000's Skull & Bones that saw the stoned foursome succumb to that colossal and all consuming of musical ideas: nu metal. While the more guitar oriented tracks were relegated to a second disc that, luckily, could be completely avoided, the relative success it bought them was enough to see them delve further into the treasure trove that was spiky highlights and baggy jeans. 2001's Stoned Raiders saw Cypress almost splitting the album straight down the middle with its rap rock insipidness, and as a result their fan base decided to split in a similar fashion. And while 2004's Til Death Do Us Part wasn't the return to form that we were all hoping for, it was still a step in the right direction. Misfiring on a much smaller scale than any other of their other new millennium joints it reawakened the old cravings in the more loyal of their followers, like a solitary flame flickering amidst the haze of bong smoke. Sadly it would be another 6 years before the Hill would follow up on the potential. And what's even more sad is that the nu metal itch is still with them, amongst other things.

Freshly signed with Snoop Dogg's Priority Records has allowed the group more artistic freedom, however it seems that a little more tightening around the edges would've been the better course of action. Also Muggs' distinct lack of input is another sore point of contention. Fresh off wonderful and varied stylistic implementations with his acclaimed Vs. series only served as a further sign that nothing but good would be coming from the Cypress camp circa 2010. Instead what we're treated too winds up to nothing more than Stoned Raiders part 2. Now I'm more than happy for a band to throw around different stylings, but what Rise Up ends up amounting too is an uneven mess, unsure of what it wants to be and where it wants to go. Rap rock one minute, Latin heritage throwbacks the next, a blatant dance pop track thrown in for good measure that aims for the stars but falls a few hundred miles short; Cypress have literally taken the proverbial mixed bag and gone for broke. And while it does show the group not wanting to be tied down by the conventions of hip hop, it makes the album come across as nothing more than a heavily scattered effort.

The lyrics, while up to the usual standard of the Hill, are really nothing to write home about. In fact, this is an album we've heard many times before, with its tendency to fall back on tried and true pot loving anthems to see them fulfill the required 45-60 minute length needed to justify their long absence. It's all just becoming a little too cliched, and what makes it worse is that they're even spelling it out for us: see 'K.U.S.H.' for some alphabetical chronic infatuation. There are highlights however, short lived but standouts none the less. Tom Morello's guest appearance on the title track holds a fair bit of weight, with the chorus riff harking back to the glory days of RATM. For the five minutes or so that the song holds your attention it dares you to play it loud. Ditto 'I Unlimited', somewhat of a guilty pleasure with its head nodding and foot stomping approach; again its another song that manages to stand out from the pack, sadly that's not that much of a feat when the rest of what's on offer has obviously taken one too many hits from the Hill's mascot, a certain mary jane.

Rise Up is not the album you want it to be, and it simply doesn't even try to be. Dropping everything that made Til Death Do Us Part so glorious in comparison, Cypress' latest joint hits you with no ambition and a huge lack of focus and direction. If you're looking for standard Cypress Hill fare then you've come to the right place, but considering just how long these boys have been riding the ganja trail its surprising that this album didn't rise higher than it would've liked to.



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user ratings (88)
2.7
average


Comments:Add a Comment 
Deviant.
Staff Reviewer
April 19th 2010


32288 Comments


Out in NZ

Album sucks, discuss

Jim
April 19th 2010


5110 Comments


well i have heard the title song and it's a rocker, for sure.

but yeah album sounds bad.

Deviant.
Staff Reviewer
April 19th 2010


32288 Comments


Its baaaaaaaaaaaaaad Jimmy, real baaaaaaaaaaaad
Well who knows you may like it, the first track is slightly promising, but its pretty much downhill from there

Jim
April 19th 2010


5110 Comments


a to the motherfuckin k homeboy
a to the motherfuckin kaaaay

A TO THE K

Urinetrouble
April 19th 2010


5771 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

i listened to black sunday this weekend and this album

Inveigh
April 19th 2010


26899 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

good review Dev, as usual. yeah, this had a couple tracks that were pretty fun, but overall it just had nothing interesting going for it.

Deviant.
Staff Reviewer
April 19th 2010


32288 Comments


Gotta love our synchronized ratings. This was a 2.5 then I listened to that Mac album and realized just how truly terrible this was.

Cops gonna come and try snatch my crops

Inveigh
April 19th 2010


26899 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

hah, the thing is groups like this really don't have more than 2 or 3 great albums in them, just because they've pigeon-holed themselves into a gimmick that doesn't hold up well, but Black Sunday is great.



and yeah, that Mac album is tha business

Observer
Emeritus
April 19th 2010


9453 Comments


Great, very detailed review Deviant. You need to capatalize the "I'm" in the second paragraph, eight lines down though. Pos

ThePalestMexican
April 19th 2010


2816 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

FUCK ALL OF YA'LL

I GOTTA NIGGA FROM THE SOURCE

SWINGING FROM MY BALLS!

MUNGOLOID
April 19th 2010


4551 Comments


well this sucks. ah well, back to their first two albums.

Inveigh
April 19th 2010


26899 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

haha, oh yeah, I meant to comment on that. best summary I've read in a long time

Enotron
April 19th 2010


7695 Comments


Summary bothers me. It speaks of lies.

Good review.

Deviant.
Staff Reviewer
April 19th 2010


32288 Comments


Cheers for the catches and the pos's guys, much appreciated. Goddamn the review site is busy today, off the front page already!
Can't take credit for that summary, here's an excerpt from JackieBrown:

Ordell Robbie: Goddamn girl, you gettin' high already? It's just 2 o'clock!
Melanie: [chuckling] It's that late?
Ordell Robbie: You know you smoke too much of that shit, that shit gonna rob you of your own ambition.
Melanie: Not if your ambition is to get high and watch TV...
Ordell Robbie: Oh, ya'll a couple Cheech and Chongs, huh?
[phone rings]
Ordell Robbie: Well don't get up, I got it.

JulesWin
April 20th 2010


993 Comments


Nice Jackie Brown excerpt I remember that.
good review, not surprised that this sucks

Deviant.
Staff Reviewer
April 20th 2010


32288 Comments


Now I don't wanna be that nigga that has to ask another nigga for a favour but bam! I gots to be that nigga

somberlain
April 20th 2010


2134 Comments


great review Dev but check that 2nd paragraph, there's a couple of "too's" that should be "to's"

I knew that the lack of DJ Muggs was gonna be bad news

Deviant.
Staff Reviewer
April 20th 2010


32288 Comments


Stupid new office program

joesmoe4000
April 21st 2010


679 Comments


this album felt like it dragged and was a task to listen to, iv and skull & bones were good.everything after temples of boom was good at best i wish we could get the 90's style cypress hill back.skull & bones was the last truly good album they made everything after has been a disappointment in my honest opinion they sound more like a novelty act these days sad to say.

Urinetrouble
April 21st 2010


5771 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

what if cypress hill did something where they take the old school beats from the first two albums and put brand new raps over it. a mix of modern voice and old school beats. it would be excellent



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