B-Real
{{Short description|American rapper (born 1970)}}
{{BLP sources|date=July 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = B-Real
| image = Cypress Hill - B-Real - Nova Rock - 2016-06-11-17-17-51.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = B-Real performing in 2016
| birth_name = Louis Mario Freese{{Cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/workID/885921114|title=ACE Repertory|website=www.ascap.com}}
| alias = Dr. Greenthumb
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|06|02}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|songwriter|record producer}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| origin = South Gate, California, U.S.
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| years_active = 1988–present{{cite web|url=http://www.latinrapper.com/b-real-interview.html|title=B-Real Interview with Cypress Hill|publisher=LatinRapper.com|access-date=August 26, 2016}}
| label = {{hlist|Columbia|Ruffhouse|Duck Down|Goliath|Aftermath}}
| associated_acts = {{hlist|Cypress Hill|Kush|Prophets of Rage|Sinister|Psycho Realm|Serial Killers|Adil Omar|Berner|Snoop Dogg}}
| current_member_of = * Cypress Hill
| past_member_of = {{flatlist|
}}
| website = {{URL|cypresshill.com}}
}}
Louis Mario Freese (born June 2, 1970),{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p301066|pure_url=yes}}|title=B Real – Biography|last=Mason|first=Stewart|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=February 19, 2009}} 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).
Early life
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.{{cite web|url=https://unitedgangs.com/sinister-rapper/|title=Sinister (Rapper)|date=September 14, 2015|access-date=December 19, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sherwood.it/articolo/672/cypress-hills-b-real-psycho-realm-soul-assassinslaM|title=Cypress Hill's B-Real + Psycho Realm (Soul Assassins/L.A.)|access-date=December 19, 2017}}
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 the cousin of Professional Boxer Michael Carbajal.
Musical career
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.{{cite web |title=The Secret to B-Real's Distinct Voice {{!}} Joe Rogan |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnWkIzhH-us |date=April 23, 2019 |publisher=YouTube}}
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 Latino rap group to have platinum and multi-platinum albums, and remain the best-selling Latino rap group of all time.[http://de.click2music.co.uk/3rd/Prezence/cypress_hill/index.html "Greatest Hits From the Bong Out"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928034052/http://de.click2music.co.uk/3rd/Prezence/cypress_hill/index.html |date=September 28, 2007 }} 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."{{cite web|url=http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/528/cypress_hill_rise_and_shine/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100727141136/http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/528/cypress_hill_rise_and_shine/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 27, 2010|title=Cypress Hill: Rise & Shine|first=Stephen Clark -|last=Design|access-date=August 26, 2016}}
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.{{cite web|url=http://www.brealonline.com/disc.html |title=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♪ |access-date=August 26, 2016 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070607162158/http://www.brealonline.com/disc.html |archive-date=June 7, 2007 }} 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.{{cite news |first=Corey |last=Moss |title=With Kush Record Done, B-Real Keepin' Real Busy |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1453557/20020423/cypress_hill.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020520100335/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1453557/20020423/cypress_hill.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 20, 2002 |publisher=MTV News |date=April 23, 2002 |access-date=December 31, 2008}}{{cite news |first=Ryan J |last=Downey |title=B-Real Finishing Up Kush LP, Going Grimmer For Next Cypress Hill Album |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458879/20021126/cypress_hill.jhtml |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121210042936/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458879/20021126/cypress_hill.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 10, 2012 |publisher=MTV News |date=November 27, 2002 |access-date=December 31, 2008 }} According to B-Real, Kush is more aggressive than other bands in the genre. He was also previously a member of the group The Psycho Realm,{{cite web|url=http://www.latinrapper.com/psycho_realm_interview.html|title=Psycho Realm Interview – Sick Jacken|publisher=LatinRapper.com|access-date=August 26, 2016}} and in 2007 announced that he would collaborate with Sick Jacken once again on a new album. He revealed in an interview that he plans on recording a "vs." album with Cypress Hill member DJ Muggs.[http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/interviews/id.1600/title.b-real-pay-it-forward B-Real: Pay It Forward | Rappers Talk Hip Hop Beef & Old School Hip Hop]. HipHop DX (September 23, 2010). Retrieved on May 2, 2012.
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.{{cite web|url=http://www.latinrapper.com/news_november19.html|title=B-Real Cypress Hill Solo Album – Gunslinger CD|publisher=LatinRapper.com|access-date=August 26, 2016}} 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 =
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. 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'. 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.[https://allhiphop.com/features/cypress-hills-sen-dog-solo-entry/ Cypress Hill's Sen Dog: Solo Entry]. AllHipHop.com (September 30, 2008). Retrieved on May 2, 2012.
Non-music projects
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.{{cite magazine |last1=Regardie |first1=Joe |title=The Stoned Gunman |magazine=Spin |date=February 2005 |page=40 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LvowiBHKWgsC&q=b-real+cypress+hill+%22stoned+assassins%22&pg=PA40 |access-date=February 26, 2019 |language=en}}
His live streaming site Breal.tv{{cite web|url=http://www.breal.tv|title=Live Network Site founded B-Real of Cypress Hill|website=BREAL.TV|access-date=December 15, 2017}} features live interactive programming over the internet. He is the host of the video podcasts The Dr. Greenthumb Show, 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.{{cite web|url=https://herb.co/news/culture/b-real-cypress-hill-cannabis-products/|title=How to get high like Cypress Hill's B-Real|first=Brittney|last=Sanger|publisher=Herb|date=March 25, 2018}}
Discography
=Solo=
- Smoke N Mirrors (2009)
- Tell You Somethin (2021)
- Real Psycho (with Psycho Les) (2024)
=With Cypress Hill=
{{Main|Cypress Hill discography}}
- Cypress Hill (1991)
- Black Sunday (1993)
- III: Temples of Boom (1995)
- IV (1998)
- Skull & Bones (2000)
- Stoned Raiders (2001)
- Till Death Do Us Part (2004)
- Rise Up (2010)
- Elephants on Acid (2018)
- Back in Black (2022)
=With Prophets of Rage=
- The Party's Over (EP) (2016)
- Prophets of Rage (2017)
= With Psycho Realm =
- The Psycho Realm (1997)
=Mixtapes=
- 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=
- Prohibition (2014)
- Prohibition Part 2 (2015)
- Prohibition Part 3 (2016)
- Los Meros (2020)
=Serial Killers=
- Serial Killers Vol. 1 (2013)
- The Murder Show (2015)
- Day of the Dead (2018)
- Summer of Sam (2020)
Music videos
class="wikitable"
|+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) |
2006
|{{N/a}} |Sliding in the Whip |Hugo Velazco |O. Brown |
2008
| rowspan="3" |Smoke N Mirrors |Don't You Dare Laugh | rowspan="2" |Matt Alonzo |
rowspan="2" |2009
|Psycho Realm Revolution |
Fire
|Todd Angkasuwan Matt Alonzo |
2014
| rowspan="2" |Prohibition |Shatter |David Camarena |
rowspan="4" |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 |
2016
|Prohibition 3 |FTB |David Camarena |Berner |
2018
|The Prescription |Stix N Stones |Shadow Council Animation |
rowspan="3" |2021
|{{N/a}} |Grandes Ligas |Edgar Nito Santa Fe Klan, Snoop Dogg |
rowspan="2" |Tell Ya Somethin'
|Number 9 |Berner |
Real G
|Maxx & Madison |Ty Dolla Sign, Berner, |
2022
| rowspan="2" |{{N/a}} |I Got What She Like |Jace Elliott Garrett Whittingham |Demrick, Marty Grimes |
2023
|Ciudad de Campeones (LAFC) |Massimo Legittimo |Alemàn, DJ Flict, Bobby Castro |
class="wikitable"
|+As featured artist !Year !Artist !Title !Director !Other featured artist |
1996
|Dr. Dre |East Coast/West Coast Killaz |n/c |Nas, RBX, KRS-One |
rowspan="2" |1997
|Puppet Master |Dean Karr |
Shaquille O'Neal
|Men of Steel |
rowspan="2" |2005
|Tony Touch |Play That Song |n/c |Nina Sky |
Warren G
|Get U Down (Remix) |Kevin Hunter |Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg |
2006
|Vato | |
2009
|I'm an American | |
rowspan="2" |2010
|Akalmy |American Dream |Marc Renou Sébastien Marqué |
Ill Bill
|KIll Devil Hills |n/c | |
2012
|Untouchable |Matthieu Tribes | rowspan="2" | |
2014
|Cecy B |Bout That |Echosworld |
2016
|Best Thang Smokin' |David Camarena |Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg |
rowspan="4" |2017
|Everlast |WarPorn Industry | rowspan="2" |n/c |Sick Jacken, Divine Styler |
Snoop Dogg
|Mount Kushmore |
Berner, Styles P
|Turkey Bag |Farid | rowspan="3" | |
Hollywood Undead
|Black Cadillac |Brian Cox |
2023
|Mr. Criminal |Dreams Come True | rowspan="2" |n/c |
2024
|Craig G |Dumb Down | |
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{commons category-inline}}
- {{official website|http://www.breal.tv/ }}
- {{discogs artist}}
- [https://www.facebook.com/stonedassassins/ Stoned Assassins (paintball team) official page]
- {{IMDb name|0293670}}
{{B-Real}}
{{Cypress Hill}}
{{Psycho Realm}}
{{Portal bar|California|Los Angeles|Biography|United States}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:American musicians of Cuban descent
Category:American male actors of Mexican descent
Category:American entertainers of Cuban descent
Category:American rappers of Mexican descent
Category:American rap rock musicians
Category:People from South Gate, California
Category:West Coast hip-hop musicians
Category:Prophets of Rage members
Category:American cannabis activists
Category:Hardcore hip-hop artists
Category:21st-century American rappers
Category:21st-century American male rappers
Category:Serial Killers (musical group) members
Category:Hispanic and Latino American rappers