Emerging from South Gate, Los Angeles in the early 1990s, few rap groups have left as distinctive of a mark as Cypress Hill. Carving out an identity rooted in their Latino roots, over the course of more than three decades, Cypress Hill have moved from underground favorites to global hip-hop institution, leaving an indelible mark on rap, rock, and popular culture along the way all while maintaining their unmistakable West Coast sound. Having never been able to be tied down to just one genre, Cypress Hill is ready to show that they are, as ever, still evolving.
mxdwn had the pleasure of talking with founding member Sen Dog to discuss the release of their upcoming album Dios Bendiga, as well as reflect on the past that brought the group to this moment.
mxdwn: Hi my name is Riley, I am a music feature writer here at mxdwn. Today, I am joined by an absolute legend, Sen Dog of Cypress Hill. Hey, Sen Dog, how are you doing today, and where in the world are you?
Sen Dog: I am in Las Vegas, Nevada, that’s where I live. Thank you for having me, I appreciate your time as well.
mxdwn: Yeah, of course. I was just gonna jump right into it. I know you guys have been playing a plethora of festivals recently. I know you’ve been traveling all for the start of this first year, so nice to see that you have a little break at home before you get, you know, gearing up again towards the later half of the year. You played Viva Latino in Mexico City and Rock In Rio Lisboa in Portugal, have you had any favorite moments from touring this year so far?
SD: Yeah, from touring this year so far, we’ve, yeah, we’ve had some good times,some good moments, in Brazil and Mexico. On our last tour in Europe, you know, we had some really good things happen, and saw some good friends. And overall, it’s been a good time.
mxdwn: Yeah. I was gonna say, well, we know that you all have a new album coming out in just a few weeks here at the end of July, Dios Bendiga. It will be a milestone for Cypress Hill as your, not only your 11th studio album, but your first full-length album in Spanish, which is just great! Congratulations! How does it feel to not only return to the studio, but to return doing such an impressive milestone, something that you all have not done in your three decades into your career?
SD: It feels great to always have something new to look forward to and attempt. With the Spanish album, Dios Bendiga, it’s the first time that we’ve done a Spanish record with brand new songs, not covers of our old stuff. So, it feels great to still have challenges that need to be met and things like that this far along in a career. To have brand new things to do and step up, and show not the adversity, but the, well, yeah, I guess you could say adversity, or, you know, whatever challenges may come up, and we can show our talent level where it lies.
mxdwn: Yeah, I was gonna say being able to do something so different, especially years into your career, not only to translate your older stuff, but coming up with whole new material, that’s amazing. How did you guys come to the conclusion that now was the right time to take this direction? Was it anything in particular that drove this decision, or did you just feel like it was time?
SD: Well, we always had a desire to do another Spanish album, completely in Spanish with new songs. Since the last time we’ve done it, when we did the covers of our old stuff, we always talked about doing another Spanish album. The time just seemed to be right at this time, to do such a thing. So it was always in the back of our heads, you know, throughout the years, of how cool it would be to do something in Spanish.
mxdwn: Yeah, that is cool. do you think if you did it maybe earlier in your career, you wouldn’t have been as, maybe not, happy, but, you know, complete with the work. Do you think it’s something that took all these years to come up to develop?
SD: I think so, yeah. It just took its time. It also took time to notice the great, great work that a lot of Latino artists are putting in right now, and to grab inspiration from that. Yeah, I think the time was right.
mxdwn: I actually had a question about that. I was gonna say, I kept seeing how community is really at the heart of this album, and one aspect of that that I really appreciated was the idea about how culture is built collectively. On Dios Bendiga, we see collaborations with, you know, some of, like, Latin America’s most popular artists right now, with, you know, “Watcha Trucha” with Alemán and “Run” with Poe Leos. What does it mean to you to be able to feature these artists in your work and to sort of do that generational collaboration where you can highlight these new artists that are up and coming.
SD: It means a lot because we’ve noticed what these guys have done in the past, and we have respect for that. Knowing that some of these guys were influenced by us and what we’ve done as a Latino group in America. So it means a great deal to us to be able to pick and choose guys that we have gotten inspiration from and have them featured on our album, so it’s much respect to those guys.
mxdwn: Yeah, that must be really cool to, you know, hear, like, to be able to collaborate with people who say that they looked up to you guys growing up, and that you really kind of shaped the game for them. That must be a really cool experience.
SD: Yeah, it is.
mxdwn: Yeah, I was gonna say, you know, is there anyone that you kind of have your eye on, possibly, for a future collaboration that you were thinking of?
SD: Not right now, but when the time comes, you know, we’ll see what’s going on.
Mxdwn: While we’re talking about it, you know, it’s no secret that Cypress Hill did help to define what Latino artists could look like in rap back in the day and today. What are you most looking forward to as you see Latin music and Latin rap continue to rise to be one of the biggest genres globally?
SD: I just look forward to seeing the genre get bigger and bigger. And for more artists to be included and seeing the flavors they come up with.
mxdwn: That’s definitely some of the most interesting aspects to me. I feel as the genre has a lot of blending and mixing that goes on, because it’s really like its own diverse music world. It’s really interesting. Are there any conversations or points that you still think need to happen about representation in music, especially as it pertains to Latin rap?
SD: Yeah, I just like to see the genre represent more, get more attention, and to get bigger. I want people to have a chance to see some really great artists and experience their music. I like to see that kind of action go down.
mxdwn: Well, I’m sure even collaborating with these artists on your album can get that exposure to people who maybe wouldn’t have otherwise, so I’m sure even that is helping that aspect.
SD: Yeah.
mxdwn: Going back to the production of this album, I was amazed to read that you all finished it in just two weeks. It really blows my mind that something like this, like, seems like it was crafted for so long, and it’s just amazing, to be able to think about recording an album from start to finish in two weeks. Was it just one of those kind of serendipitous moments where everything seemed to work out and come together? Could you walk us through some of the process of making that album and how you think it came together so smoothly?
SD: It was a real team effort. It was very like,” ready, set, go, and let’s try to get this record done as soon as possible,”, because it was done last year in November and December, right before the holidays. So everybody has things to do, so we wanted to make a record, we wanted to make it quick, but we wanted to make it good. I think with DJ Flict being involved, he knew that that was our agenda, and he worked according to that plan so we were just able to go in there every day and knock two or three songs out and get it done.
mxdwn: Yeah, that’s really impressive, and I actually had a question about working with DJ Flict on this project. What do you think working with him brought that could have been missing? Not only his attention to detail and being able to stay on time, which is really important, I feel like not that many people sometimes think about how important that can be when it comes to, you know, making an album, record, anything.
SD: I think just the overall newness, the vibe that he brought. It was very, “ it’s no big deal, we’ll just do whatever comes up next, and whatever feels good.” You know, his energy was very important.
mxdwn: Yeah, and I think that really reflects on the album, too, because when I was listening, that’s something that really stood out to me. How it really kind of felt like, sonically, like, the bridge almost between what you think of when you think of California 90s rap sound to something that you would hear today on the radio so that was something that I think really definitely reflects on the album.
SD: Awesome.
mxdwn: Speaking of the DJs that you collaborated with, I also saw that you collaborated with DJ Lord for his live scratching on records. It’s really highlighted on tracks like “Rosas Verdes” and “Estamos Listos”, those come to mind when I think of that. How do you think working with him went, did he bring sort of a different energy to that as well?
SD: Yeah, well, he’s our live DJ, so we knew what he could do. We definitely wanted to feature him on it. He’s versatile and very, very easy to work with.
mxdwn: Yeah, I would say all of his little moments definitely brought the album to life to me. Especially, because to me it’s such, like, a summer, dancey, energetic album, and I really feel like those little touches he added were really helpful for those when I was listening. They really stood out to me. Still on the topic of people you collaborated on with this album, you know, we also see you teaming up with your brother, one of your founding members, Mellow Man Ace on “Campeones”, a leading singles. What was that like? Was it kind of another full-circle moment to have him come in on the single?
SD: Yeah, it definitely was, because we are blood brothers and he’s always wanted to, you get in the studio with us and do something. This was a perfect moment to have him come aboard and do something, and it felt really special with him being prior to the Cypress Hill days, we were DVX, and he was part of that. He’s always had the desire to record with us and do things with us, and so have we, so it was a great, great time to get it done.
mxdwn: Yeah, especially on an album where I feel like community and family is so important, to have your brother on there and to actually come up with and make the song together, that’s really a nice moment.
SD: Yeah.
mxdwn: Also when I was reading about this album, I couldn’t help but see that you all stated how there were challenges where it came to potentially trusting your instincts when it came to creating this album. You know, did you find any aspects of that challenging personally, or are there any moments where you feel like listening to your intuition really paid off?
SD: Yeah, there were moments when paying attention to our own instincts paid off because we normally rap in English. So to, trust ourselves with our Spanish, which we’re fluent in Spanish, but when it comes to recording, it’s a different thing. Definitely had to trust ourselves in what we were saying and how we were saying it and go from there.
mxdwn: Yeah I can definitely see how that would be different, especially if you’re used to rapping in English and then you’re going to fully Spanish. That’s definitely a little bit of a transition with how your mind works. Well, that’s nice to hear, because like I said, I can definitely see how those moments paid off. We were speaking a little bit just a few seconds ago about that sort of idea of community and family you mentioned how teamwork was such an important part of this album. Being a group that’s been in the game so long, you’re so known and respected for a sound that you’ve crafted, how do you balance that sort of idea of this Cypress Hill legacy while trying to push creative boundaries and do new things as a group?
SD: You just manage it by attempting it and trying to make time for whatever comes next, whatever is next in line. To get ready for that and be attentive to that. Try to do the best job that you can. No matter what style of music we’re gonna try to record, just stay attentive to that, listen to that music as much as possible and try doing your own thing and be the best at it. That’s how we approach it.
mxdwn: I really like that! I like you bringing up the idea of staying attentive and listening to what’s happening in the world, because I do feel like that really does reflect on the album, this sort of this blend of the old and the new. It still has your sound, but in a new way. On the topic of your legacy, what would you like Dios Bendiga’s legacy to be, not only for Cypress Hill, but in this idea of the global Latin rap scene, and wanting to get even more exposure to the genre?
SD: Just the legacy that we’re a group that is not afraid to attempt different things and try different styles of music, to add to the legacy of rapping Español. Also to the rap metal movement, the symphony movement, all those things. Just to show that we’re open to try different things, we’re very open-minded, and whatever comes up next, we’ll try to do it and give it our all.
mxdwn: Yeah I saw the symphony, movement and that was so cool! The Simpsons joke aside, how was that? Did you think it’s similar to thinking about how to arrange your music maybe that way, to when you go to this new album and you are doing something differently like rapping in Spanish? Do you think they kind of maybe similarly helped each other?
SD: Yeah, well, the symphony’s a different animal altogether, but it all sounded great. All the experience that we could get always helps in the next project.
mxdwn: On the topic of your legacy, Cypress Hill has now outlasted many trends, labels, eras of rap across decades. How do you define your success now compared to when you first broke on the scene?
SD: Well, I define success now by how willing and how much you want to be different and outside the box. When we first came out we were a hip-hop band, and that’s what we did. Along the way, we experimented with a lot of other types of music. I think that adds to the legacy and the amount of time that you’d be around, people knowing you. This is the one group that may do this, or may do that, or may come back with this, or may come back with that, and I think that adds to the legacy and the longevity of it all, when you have, you know, different types of musicc that you want to experiment with and put out there to the public.
mxdwn: Yeah, I agree. I definitely agree, and I think that, you know, when you look at it, you can see that these artists that have tried on these different roles and tried different things do tend to be the ones that I feel have that lasting legacy. You can see that they’re not afraid to take those risks and to try different things and to push themselves creatively. Speaking of that, was there ever a moment that you really realized to you that you’re a part of rap history now, not just maybe somebody on the scene or somebody making music, but that you are rap history?
SD: I definitely think after we got a number of albums underneath our belt and toured with different kinds of bands from metal and hip-hop to rapping Español, I kind of felt like, “Yeah, I think we are making our own history here”. Based on the diversity of our catalog, I kind of felt that for sure. And, you know, touring with great rock bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, being able to work with them and all that stuff made me see that.
mxdwn: I can definitely see that being moments to solidify that feeling for sure. That and being able to have that longevity and fit into so many different genres and niches, and not only fit, but to find success. It’s not even just rap history, it’s honestly music history.
SD: Yeah.
mxdwn: Getting into just you a bit here personally, I couldn’t help but notice that you wrote a documentary about your life, “Mi Familia, Sendog, and the American Dream”, that’s currently in production. How’s the experience of making this documentary for you personally? How does it compare to making the album? Does anything about either inspire you for the other, or vice versa?
SD: Well making a documentary, is it’s own trip, you know what I mean? Because I’ve gotten a chance to research family history and stuff. To learn things about the family, and know how deeply connected we are with music. Our musical roots go very deep. There are a lot of musicians in the family, and these are all things that I wanted to share.
mxdwn: I’m sure that’s so important to, especially those younger artists that are looking at this realizing that this is something that spans back years. Even just personally that must be awesome to realize and to have that journey of going in and finding out these things, and then being able to share it, too. But I have just one more for you today. You all are gearing up to spend the rest of your year on tour, your Once Upon a Time in the Summer tour, covering North America, and you have a few shows in South America as well. What are you most looking forward to these shows, and especially for bringing this album to fans who could have been waiting their whole life for this sort of album from you?
SD: Yeah, you said it right there, bringing the show to these fans, and being able to perform these songs. I know it’s gonna take a lot of rehearsal on my part, but I’m looking forward to that experience and the challenge of performing it and performing it right. Plus knowing that people are responding well to our material in Español. I think that people are looking forward to it as well as we are, to be able to visit some of these countries that we haven’t been to in a while, or probably have never been to is always a challenge. Every show has its own set of challenges and whatnot. So, these are all things that we need to step up and meet head on and go from there. To try to just be a well-rounded musician and entertainer as well, and try to do the best that we can.
mxdwn: You said it best. I’m sure many people have been waiting for this sort of album for you, so I already know the reception’s gonna be amazing. I was gonna say, I couldn’t help but see something that really stuck out for me was that you guys will be playing Tom Morello’s First Power to the People Festival happening in Maryland, where portions of each of those tickets go to pro-democracy, pro-voting organizations. We spoke a lot earlier about community, and you all have always been a very politically outspoken group, so how does it feel to be able to not only center this sort of culture and community in your work but to directly give back positively?
SD: You said it, just to give back in a positive manner and enlighten some people that maybe are looking for direction in that way. Being able to jam with Morello and what he does is always a fun time. It’s always a good time. He’s one of those artists that also likes to push the envelope and push what is known as their music and how they deliver it, and I think that’s always a good challenge to try to meet up to. So, when we heard about the Morello gig, I was like, “Yeah, let’s do it, let’s try it, let’s check it out and see how it goes!” I’m looking forward to a good time, and also, you know, seeing a lot of great music.
mxdwn: Yeah, I looked at the lineup, it was crazy. Unfortunately for me, it was already sold out.
SD: Awesome.
mxdwn: Are there any last thing you want to leave fans as they’re going into summer about to listen to this album? Any last words you want to leave them with?
SD: Well, I just always like to say thank you to all the fans that have helped us make this a career for ourselves. Without the fans, we’d be nowhere and for them to have supported us so much for such a long time is a great thing, and I’d like to say thank you for that, to all the fans around the world, I really appreciate them.
Back in 2022, mxdwn’s Eve Pierpont interviewed Eric “Bobo” Correa who spoke similarly of the ways in which Cypress Hill has continued to move forward without leaving its roots behind. In 2022, that approach was reflected in Back in Black, an album produced by Black Milk that brought a different dimension of sonic exploration to the group’s sound while retaining the darkness and character associated with Cypress Hill.
For Eric “Bobo” Correa, that willingness to explore began with his earliest experiences as a musician. His first performance came at five years old, when he joined his father, Latin jazz musician Willie Bobo, onstage. Decades later, Bobo’s approach to music continues to be shaped by improvisation and an openness to different genres, from his work with Cypress Hill to collaborations with artists such as The Black Crowes, Soulfly and Sonic Youth. As Cypress Hill prepared for a year of new music, a documentary celebrating its 30-year journey and a return to the stage, Bobo spoke with mxdwn about Back in Black, working with Black Milk, his approach to music and the bond that has kept Cypress Hill creating together.
mxdwn: Cypress Hill has an exciting upcoming tour at Knotfest Road Show. Are you looking forward to touring with Slipknot and Ho99o9?
Eric “Bobo” Correa: Oh yeah, that’s going to be fun, the fact that we’re on such a metal fest. Sometimes we always wonder like, yo, are they sure that they want Cypress Hill? I think that we have been blessed to be able to do shows and festivals and tours with rock, alternative, heavy metal artists. I think that people are going to have a great time seeing this and seeing the contrast and everything. Those are our guys; we’re friends with them, and we’ve done festivals, but to actually be out on a full-on tour is going to be really, really fun. I am looking forward to that.
mxdwn: After four years since Cypress Hill’s last album, Elephants on Acid was released, how is it coming together and recording Back in Black?
EC: It was great, actually. Back in Black has kind of been in the can for a little bit because we started recording that in the middle of Elephants on Acid. We had a little stall recording Elephants on Acid, and we said, well, just in case this record isn’t done in time, let’s see if we can work on some other music. So, in case people didn’t get Elephants on Acid, we’d have something so it wouldn’t be as long of a wait for the fans. Once we released Elephants on Acid, and we had Back in Black in the can, we were able to go back and revisit some of the things, make some tweaks, make a little bit of changes and everything, and now to see it come to the light of day is great. I think that the fans are going to really like it. Black Milk producing it, and it has a different sound, but it’s Cypress, and it has its darkness to it. So people are going to be quite impressed.
mxdwn: What different artistic styles does Black Milk bring versus having DJ Muggs produce?
EC: Well, Black Milk definitely comes from a boom bap background with doing stuff with J Dilla and producing artists like Random Axe and Sean Price and people like that. He’s well-rounded musically. Muggs is similar to that; he is well-rounded musically. That’s why he’s been able to blend in rock, soul, jazz, Latin influences into the hip hop. I think that Black Milk does the same thing and approaches it in that same way, but Muggs, he’s the king of bringing in that dark, stony vibe. I think that this album with Black Milk, it’s a stony vibe, but with a little bit more of a boom bap feel to it. I think that people are going to dig it. It’s a very cohesive album. Sometimes when you work with different producers on an album, it can get a little disjointed. I think, and I am only speaking for me, that Cyprus works well with one producer at the helm so we can get that vibe, put these things together and make it as cohesive as possible. So, I think that’s what you’re going to get with this, and we’re really proud of it.
mxdwn: So, 2022 sounds like it’s going to be a big year for all of you. How are you feeling about everything that will be happening with the documentary, new music and touring?
EC: Wow. I mean, it is going to be a real busy year. I think that now, since after we’ve been in this pandemic and worrying about how we’re going to get out there to the fans, and how are we going to show the new record and also with having the documentary, I think that it’s a perfect storm. To be able to learn about Cypress on our 30-year journey and to hear a new album. Also, there’ll be a couple of new songs included for the documentary. It’s like the engine is back rolling, but it’s strong, it’s really strong and we’re really anxious to just release all of this stuff and get back on the stage, which we love to do and, and rock it.
mxdwn: What do you hope fans realize about Cypress Hill in regards to the actual music after listening to Back in Black, considering it’s been 30 years since the release of the group’s first album and 27 since you’ve joined?
EC: I think, as a group, we have never tried to repeat ourselves musically. We’ve always tried to try new things or add in different genres of music. We’re all open, very open in that way, so it’s easy to kind of want to put those things together. To me, Back in Black is a fresh sound for Cypress. No one besides Muggs has produced a whole Cypress Hill record. Rise Up was the one that there were a lot of producers on, but besides that, there was always Muggs. Now to have it with Black Milk and to bring in that freshness and yet understand the vibe of Cypress, not wanting to take away from that and not to have a stretch to something way too different that our core fans will be like, what the hell are they doing? It’s fresh, and I think that people want to hear music like that. Especially from a group that’s been around for as long as Cypress Hill has and to still be able to feel relevant in today’s music. I think that it’s important, so this album is just something that we’re really proud of, and we feel strongly about it because it’s a Cypress Hill record. It’s a Cypress Hill record, even though this one is not with Muggs, but this is a Cypress Hill record. I think Black Milk, he really nailed it as far as being able to bring out different elements of Cypress. I can’t wait for y’all to hear it.
mxdwn: It’s pretty incredible how long you all have been making music together for. Through taking breaks and each working on some solo and collaboration work, but still, always coming back together to produce more music. What do you think sets this group apart from others?
EC: We still enjoy being around each other. I think there are some groups where this one recorded their parts over there and someone else in another spot, and no one comes and joins together like in the old days. We still enjoy making music together and trying out different ideas and performing and being on the stage with each other. It’s a big sense of brotherhood. Even after all this time, it’s not easy, and it hasn’t been without its bumps in the road, but it’s important to know why we’re here and what brought us together. I think that the fans enjoy to see that. You don’t want to see your favorite band beefing with each other or constantly not able to make new music, and I don’t like to see that. We’ve been blessed to be able to still remain brothers and continue to make music together and try different things together. The great thing about doing our solo projects is that we learn different things. We’re working with different people, and we can take those big elements, those same elements, and bring them together into doing something new and trying something new and seeing what works. We are not a band that shoots down anyone’s ideas. If one doesn’t work, we all know why it doesn’t work. It’s not that we shut anybody down. I think it’s cool that we’re able to bring in different elements and different ideas. So when we come together, we know how the Cypress sound is, so we know what is going to work best, in this new form. I think that that’s what set us apart.
mxdwn: As a percussionist and drummer, what is your favorite song to play on the upcoming album?
EC: Wow. There’s a few, “Bye, Bye” man, there’s a bunch. When we start rehearsals, I try out some of the songs and see what works well with what we already have, so when we get in, then I’m going to be able to answer that question more. We always like to be able to do new music and try new things, and have them become crowd favorites, whether they’re singles or not. We’re not really, nor have we ever been, a single-based group. We’ve had a lot of album cuts that were not singles that people love to hear. Hopefully we’ll be able to keep on that same trend and make new favorites for the fans.
mxdwn: On any of the songs from the album, do you do any improvisation on your drums?
EC: I do all the time. I always improv. As a Latin jazz musician, which is my beginning, it was all about improv. It was all about that. Even in the shows, I have the blueprint of the songs but it’s not that I’m trying to repeat exactly the same things. There is improv and different things so it is fresh. I like to keep it fresh for myself.
mxdwn: You guys have worked with so many different artists in a wide range of genres, but who is the most memorable feature appearance and why?
EC: Oh, wow. For me, when we collaborated with RZA and U- God, both from Wu-Tang, on Temples of Boom, that was incredible. Wu-Tang was on the top of their game and to have another producer just come in and just start rapping and fitting into the Cypress mold, that was a great collaboration. Even Pitbull, he’s a monster. I know that he’s known more in the pop world, but he’s got bars. He was a battle rapper, and few people realize that he can do his thing even with the suit and all, he can do his thing. There’s a lot of talented peeps that we’ve been honored to be able to collaborate with. Even groups like Sonic Youth for the Judgment Night soundtrack, that was huge because you’re really bringing together two different genres and making it work. I hope that we do more things like that, it keeps everything fresh.
mxdwn: What does it mean to you to be the first Latin American hip hop group to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?
EC: It’s crazy. It’s an honor. I mean, even to be one of the 10 hip hop artists to have stars on the walk of fame, and even better that we are the first Latin hip hop group to have that honor, it’s like a dream that you don’t know if it’s ever going to come true. Growing up here in LA, the Walk of Fame was always a spot to go and check out, and we’ve walked those streets and just to go and walk and be able to look down and see our star and see how fans go and they take their pictures, that’s incredible to me. So it was a very big honor, and we’re blessed to be able to have that there and long after we’re gone, that’s still going to be there. That’s a big accomplishment.
mxdwn: On “Open Your Mind,” the lyrics discuss how marijuana is legal in California, but it isn’t federally legal, so people can still be criminally charged for possession, among other things. What are your thoughts on that? Has legalizing marijuana on a state level really helped?
EC: It’s definitely helped with the awareness of it. I think a lot of conservatives would look down on it and say, oh yeah, it’s a drug, it’s a gateway drug and everything like that, but they always bypassed its medicinal uses and how influential just the hemp plant has been to society. Back in ’93, when Black Sunday came out, we had the facts on there as far as what hemp has been used for, used for clothing. There are medicinal uses for people that have illnesses like cancer to help them with their appetite. It’s not just one of those drugs that you take it, you get addicted, you can overdose, you can die, and everything like that. I think that it should not be labeled as something that is dangerous, and I think that we’ve been able to help facilitate that awareness. We’ve been talking about it for years, and the fact of now 26 states are legal and/or medicinal, it shows how far that we’ve come and that other states should get back in line with its good usage and not just label it as some category one drug that is in the lines of like heroin and cocaine. It’s a natural plant that grows and there’s still more work to be done, but I think that we have made big steps and eventually we’re going to be legal all across the US.
mxdwn: You have worked with numerous bands. How do you think that has contributed to the way that you play?
EC: Well, growing up playing with my dad, Willie Bobo, who was a Latin jazz artist who played with several different artists and different genres. He always instilled in me that music is a universal language and there’s something in every type of music that you can latch on to. It was crazy to me to have invitations to play with and record with groups like The Black Crowes and Soulfly and things of different genres that are really maybe not known for percussion. The challenge for me is how do I put my style and adapt my style to what is theirs, and that’s the improv part. I love the improv. I always kept my ears open to different types of music, different genres, and I still do to this day. I think that keeps my ears and my brain fresh because if I just was stuck in one thing, one thing only, I wouldn’t know how to adapt to different things. If I had to go on stage with a straight-ahead jazz band, how can I adapt my sound to that, or a heavy rock band, how do I attach myself to that? That’s the beauty of music and being a musician and just keeping your ears open and not down things, and not being like, I’m only into one type of music, that’s the only type of music I want to play, and that’s it, because it’s not about being pigeonholed. My dad wasn’t like that. I’m certainly not like that. I kind of take a little bit from all that. Then when I come back to Cypress, I can come with different ideas, and I can say I was doing this when I was playing with this group, and I think I know how I can add a little bit of that into that and into this that makes it different and fresh. I’m always evolving. It’s an evolution; it’s always evolving, and I hope to continue to do just that.
mxdwn: Your first performance was at five years old with your dad. How does it feel when you look back at that memory now?
EC: It was a crazy time because I didn’t even rehearse for that. I was scared. I was scared to death. I was scared of the people. I see pictures, and I see my eyes watering up because I’m scared. But the minute of hitting the stage, that all went away, and I knew at that point I wanted to do that as a career. You always ask the kids, what do you want to be when you grow up and they say a policeman, fireman, doctor. Nine times out of 10, they don’t do that when they get to that age because life does take us in different ways, but I always said I want to be a musician. I didn’t want to be a musician to tour the world. I was happy being a musician playing in jazz clubs and jazz festivals. It was the fact of doing music. I was not worried about the dark side of the music, of getting involved in heavy drugs and developing those kinds of bad habits. I just wanted to be up on stage and play. I still think that to this day. I mean, yes, in the years I kind of like went this way and everything like that. But what would always come into my mind is, you didn’t come into this wanting to do that. You were coming into music because you wanted to play and be on stage and entertain for the people. The last thing that people want to see is somebody not being able to do their job and be drunk or too messed up on stage. You are there as a release to the people that are paying to go see you. They can have be having a bad day, and they are kind of relying on you to help bring them out of that for those couple of hours, so I keep that in mind, and I think it’s an important thing. That’s what I’ve kept in me since I was five years old.
Additional reporting by Eve Pierpont.
Photo credit: Jenna Houchin
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