Wikipedia

B-Real

(Redirected from B Real)

Louis Mario Freese (born June 2, 1970),[3] known by his stage name B-Real, is an American rapper. Since 1991, he has been one of two lead rappers in the hip hop group Cypress Hill, along with Sen Dog. He has also been a part of the rap metal band Kush (2000–2002), the hip hop supergroup Serial Killers (2013–present) and the rap rock supergroup Prophets of Rage (2016–2019). He has released a variety of solo mixtapes, as well as two solo albums: Smoke n Mirrors (2009) and Tell You Something (2020).

B-Real
B-Real performing in 2016
B-Real performing in 2016
Background information
Birth nameLouis Mario Freese[1]
Also known asDr. Greenthumb
BornJune 2, 1970 (age 54)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OriginSouth Gate, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Years active1988–present[2]
Labels
Member of
Formerly of
Websitecypresshill.com

Early life

edit

Born in Los Angeles 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 five. He later lived in Bell, California. Before dropping out of Bell High School, he befriended future Cypress Hill members Sen Dog and Mellow Man Ace (who later left the group to go solo) and became an active member of the Family Swan Bloods, known as the Neighborhood Family Bloods at that time. At the age of 17, Freese was shot in a gang-related shooting with a hollow-point .22 caliber bullet, which punctured his lung.[4][5] B-Real was married to his long time girlfriend in August 2008 in Los Angeles, California. They have one daughter together (born in 2010). He also has an adult son, from a previous relationship.

He is cousin of Professional Boxer Michael Carbajal.

Musical career

edit

After being introduced to DJ Muggs by Julio G the KDAY Mixmaster, B-Real and Sen gained interest in Muggs's concept of an album based on experiences from Cypress Ave in South Gate. The group was signed with Ruffhouse/Columbia records in 1991 and released their influential debut album, Cypress Hill, that year. B-Real would use fictional stories telling of life-threatening experiences as material for the group's debut album, and subsequent releases.

While working on their first album, B-Real developed his distinctive high-pitched, nasal rap style. Previously, he had rapped with something like his normal voice, but DJ Muggs told him that his rap delivery was boring and warned him that, unless he changed it, he would be overshadowed by Sen Dog. B-Real took inspiration from hip hop pioneer Rammellzee, who had occasionally rapped in a high-pitched voice. B-Real initially saw the high voice as a silly gimmick, but was surprised at the positive feedback he got for his new style and decided to keep going with it.[6]

Cypress Hill's self-titled debut album was a critical and commercial hit, selling 2 million copies, and their follow-up album, 1993's Black Sunday, was an even bigger hit, debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 and eventually selling 3.4 million copies. They became the first Latin rap group to have platinum and multi-platinum albums, and remain the best-selling Latin rap group of all time.[7] In a 2010 interview, 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 labeled as just one thing. Because back in the day, when you were labeled '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 lot of these other Latino rappers to come through."[8]

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.[9] 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.[10][11] According to B-Real, Kush is more aggressive than other bands in the genre.[11] He was also previously a member of the group The Psycho Realm,[12] 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 "vs." album with Cypress Hill member DJ Muggs.[13]

From 2005 to 2007, B-Real released three mixtapes as a solo artist: The Gunslinger, The Gunslinger Part II: Fist Full of Dollars and The Gunslinger Part III: For a Few Dollars More.[14] He released his first solo album, entitled Smoke N Mirrors, in 2009. He was a guest artist on the Snoop Dogg single "Vato", from Snoop Dogg's 2006 album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment. In 2017, he was featured on the Hollywood Undead song "Black Cadillac" from the band's fifth album Five.

From 2016 to 2019, he was part of the group Prophets of Rage, along with Chuck D and former members of Rage Against the Machine.

Production work

edit
 
B-Real in 2006

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 produced three of the tracks on his solo album Smoke N Mirrors: "Don't Ya Dare Laugh", "Fire" and "Dr. Hyphenstein". B-Real and his production worked alongside DJ Muggs and others on the 2010 Cypress Hill album Rise Up.[15]

Non-music projects

edit

In 1998, B-Real voiced the part of a newborn baby for the song "This World Is Something New to Me" in The Rugrats Movie.

In the early 2000s B-Real and DJ Muggs co-founded and co-captained a professional paintball team, the Stoned Assassins. They competed regionally, nationally, and internationally, usually in the second-level divisions. B-Real and the Assassins also appeared in the console game Greg Hastings Tournament Paintball.[16]

His live streaming site Breal.tv[17] features live interactive programming over the internet. He is the host of the video podcasts The Dr. Greenthumb Podcast, The Smokebox and Meditation.

In 2018, B-Real partnered with marijuana subscription box company Daily High Club to craft a B-Real-themed smoking supply box for the month of March.[18]

Discography

edit

Solo

edit
  • Smoke N Mirrors (2009)
  • Tell You Somethin (2021)
  • ‘Real Psycho {with Psycho Les)’’ (2024)

With Cypress Hill

edit
Main article: Cypress Hill discography

With Prophets of Rage

edit

With Psycho Realm

edit

Mixtapes

edit
  • The Gunslinger (2005)
  • The Gunslinger Part II: Fist Full of Dollars (2006)
  • The Gunslinger Part III: For a Few Dollars More (2007)
  • The Harvest Vol. 1: The Mixtape (2010)
  • The Medication (2014)
  • The Prescription (as Dr. Greenthumb) (2015)

With Berner

edit
  • Prohibition (2014)
  • Prohibition Part 2 (2015)
  • Prohibition Part 3 (2016)
  • Los Meros (2020)

Serial Killers

edit
  • Serial Killers Vol. 1 (2013)
  • The Murder Show (2015)
  • Day of the Dead (2018)
  • Summer of Sam (2020)

Music videos

edit
As lead artist
Year Album Title Director Other featured artist
1996 Space Jam : Music from and

inspired by the Motion Picture

Hit 'Em High

(The Monstars Anthem)

Hype Williams Busta Rhymes, Coolio,

LL Cool J, Method Man

2006 / Sliding in the Whip Hugo Velazco O. Brown
2008 Smoke N Mirrors Don't You Dare Laugh Matt Alonzo Young De
2009 Psycho Realm Revolution Sick Jacken
Fire Todd Angkasuwan

Matt Alonzo

Damian Marley
2014 Prohibition Shatter David Camarena Berner (rapper)
2015 Faded n/c Berner, Snoop Dogg, Vital
The Prescription Mile High Echo's World
Prohibition Part 2 Kings Julian Edwards

David Camarena

Berner
The Prescription Dabs n/c Dizzy Wright
2016 Prohibition 3 FTB David Camarena Berner
2018 The Prescription Stix N Stones Shadow Council Animation Ab-Soul
2021 / Grandes Ligas Edgar Nito Lupillo Rivera, Alemán (rapper),

Santa Fe Klan, Snoop Dogg

Tell Ya Somethin' Number 9 Jason Goldwatch Berner
Real G Maxx & Madison Ty Dolla Sign, Berner,

Devin the Dude

2022 / I Got What She Like Jace Elliott

Garrett Whittingham

Demrick, Marty Grimes
2023 Ciudad de Campeones (LAFC) Massimo Legittimo Alemàn, DJ Flict, Bobby Castro
As featured artist
Year Artist Title Director Other featured artist
1997 DJ Muggs Puppet Master Dean Karr Dr. Dre
Shaquille O'Neal Men of Steel Nick Quested Ice Cube, KRS-One, Peter Gunz
2005 Warren G Get U Down (Remix) Kevin Hunter Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg
2009 La Coka Nostra I'm An American Danny Boy (rapper)
Snoop Dogg Vato Philip G. Atwell
2010 Akalmy American Dream Marc Renou

Sébastien Marqué

Young De
2012 Larusso Untouchable Matthieu Tribes
2014 Cecy B Bout That Echosworld
2016 Berner (rapper) Best Thang Smokin' David Camarena Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg
2017 Snoop Dogg Mount Kushmore n/c Method Man & Redman
Berner, Styles P Turkey Bag Farid
Hollywood Undead Black Cadillac Brian Cox
2023 Mr. Criminal Dreams Come True n/c

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "ACE Repertory". www.ascap.com.
  2. ^ a b c d "B-Real Interview with Cypress Hill". LatinRapper.com. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  3. ^ Mason, Stewart. "B Real – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved February 19, 2009.
  4. ^ "Sinister (Rapper)". September 14, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  5. ^ "Cypress Hill's B-Real + Psycho Realm (Soul Assassins/L.A.)". Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  6. ^ "The Secret to B-Real's Distinct Voice | Joe Rogan". YouTube. April 23, 2019.
  7. ^ "Greatest Hits From the Bong Out" Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Design, Stephen Clark -. "Cypress Hill: Rise & Shine". Retrieved August 26, 2016.[permanent dead link‍]
  9. ^ "心に優しい出会い体験談発掘所 – ホッコリする話集めました♪". Archived from the original on June 7, 2007. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  10. ^ Moss, Corey (April 23, 2002). "With Kush Record Done, B-Real Keepin' Real Busy". MTV News. Archived from the original on May 20, 2002. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
  11. ^ a b Downey, Ryan J (November 27, 2002). "B-Real Finishing Up Kush LP, Going Grimmer For Next Cypress Hill Album". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 10, 2012. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
  12. ^ "Psycho Realm Interview – Sick Jacken". LatinRapper.com. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  13. ^ B-Real: Pay It Forward | Rappers Talk Hip Hop Beef & Old School Hip Hop. HipHop DX (September 23, 2010). Retrieved on May 2, 2012.
  14. ^ "B-Real Cypress Hill Solo Album – Gunslinger CD". LatinRapper.com. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  15. ^ Cypress Hill's Sen Dog: Solo Entry. AllHipHop.com (September 30, 2008). Retrieved on May 2, 2012.
  16. ^ Regardie, Joe (February 2005). "The Stoned Gunman". Spin. p. 40. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
  17. ^ "Live Network Site founded B-Real of Cypress Hill". BREAL.TV. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
  18. ^ Sanger, Brittney (March 25, 2018). "How to get high like Cypress Hill's B-Real". Herb.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wiki.x.io/w/index.php?title=B-Real&oldid=1262977627"