While following the "gangster rap" format, this album isn't as vulgar or as offensive as most rap albums. Don't get the wrong idea and think that these guys are "squeaky-clean" or anything like that. They have their fair share of profanities and violent/drug references. What I mean is that the album's a lot more milder than most rap albums, but while it is milder it has a better structure to it than most. The songs are very gun/drug oriented, but the songs do a great job of flowing and appealing to those who don't find the two topics all that interesting. In other words, you don't have to be a druggie or a gun fanatic to enjoy these tunes.

This is an excellent album with some great songs. My favorites are "I ain't goin' out like that," "insane in the brain," "when the (explicit) goes down," "lick a shot," "what go around come around, kid," "hand on the glock," and "break 'em off some." While I enjoy the entire album, those are my favorite songs. The album has a very high replay value and never feels outdated.

"Black Sunday" is able to achieve what many of the new rap albums of today fail to do. It's a great listen with songs that are simply about more than bragging about "bling-bling" or that type of nonsense. If you're not a big fan of rap, then chances are you may not take a liking to Cypress Hill. If you're like me and have been disappointed with many of the new rap acts, then pick up "Black Sunday" and take a trip down memory lane.


The Beginning Of An Era   January 24, 2001
3rdeadly3rd (Brisbane, Queensland Australia)
23 out of 25 found this review helpful

Until this album dropped, hip-hop was still largely a genre of music recorded for blacks by blacks about blacks. Cypress Hill changed the dynamics of rap by firstly being Latinos and secondly appealing to white college boys.

It has been argued that the stoned sound of the group was partly responsible for Dr Dre's G-Funk. Whether you believe this or not, it is quite easy to see the similarities on this album.

"Black Sunday" is of course the album responsible for one of the most well-known tracks of early 90s hip-hop "Insane In The Brain" with the now well known "Insane in the membrane/Insane in the brain" chorus and that whining beat with Public Enemy influence - later to appear on House Of Pain's work produced by DJ Muggs.

What is often forgotten in the memory of "Insane In The Brain" is the fact that both B-Real and Sen Dog have skills of a very high order. B-Real's flow on "Insane" has some very clever changes of pace and inventive rhymes - the start of the third verse "Like Louis Armstrong/played the trumpet/I'll hit that bong and break ya off somethin'" is worth attention. In the same track, Sen Dog is able to send up his own size while in the thick of a very creative battle rhyme.

The are certainly some very good moments on this album, however the ideas remain slightly under-developed. It would appear that whenever B-Real and Sen Dog are running low on ideas they just put in something about smoking marijuana, the track "Legalize It" is entirely that - just a collection of pro-weed samples. Also the "Interlude" only serves to interrupt the flow of the album.

In short, the 4 stars are for originality - which the album still has almost a decade after it was released - and lyricism. The lack of a fifth star is simply due to the underdevelopment of some of the ideas on the album and the frequent degeneration into marijuana chanting more likely to be found in a Bob Marley concert.


Insane In The Membrane!   January 24, 2000
listener from philly
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I listened to this Cd for countless months with my friends back in 1993. I was completely hooked the grooves were cool as was the rappin' These guys deserve more acknowledgement. Their isn't a bad tune here at all. Im not a rap fan but if u had to get just 2 rap cd's make it this and Ice Cube's The Predator. Favs include I wanna Get High,Insane in the Brain,Lick A Shot,as well as the classic Hits From The Bong.


This stuff is great...Whatever happened to these guys?   February 2, 2000
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

My favorites are "hits from the bong" and the radio hit "insane in the membrane". This CD is kickin'. I might add that "bong" appears to be sampling the 1968 recording of "Son of a Preacher Man" by British singer Dusty Springfield. This act really knows how to pick 'em!


Rap in its prime   March 26, 2006
Mino (New York ,NY USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Although Cypress Hill is as laid back as they portray themselves to be, they can very much bring color, ingenuity and astonishing lyrics. From tracks like 'I Want to Get High' to 'Insane in the Membrane', this is one of the best rap albums in the past two decades.

This team of three originated from latin poetry in the mid-80s to a hardcore rap format. Influenced by the likes of Wu Tang and Public Enemy, Cypress Hill have managed to make many hits, and along the line influence Naughty By Nature, Redman and Dialated People. This album is exceptional in the sense that the lyrics are humorous, factual, powerful and poetic.

This group is legendary for their constant refrence to weed; a source that potentially helped them become one of the most popular artists in rap. This is a five-star album - enjoyable and a timeless classic.