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B-Real
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Louis Freese, better known by his stage name B-Real, is a rapper of Mexican and Afro-Cuban heritage. He is best known for being the lead rapper in hip hop group Cypress Hill, who debuted with their self-titled album Cypress Hill in 1991.
to a Mexican father and a Afro-Cuban mother, B-Real moved with his sister and mother out of his father's home to South Gate before ending up in South Central Los Angeles Before dropping out of Bell High School, he befriended future Cypress Hill members Sen Dog and Mellow Man Ace (who forewent staying with the group to go solo).
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Encyclopedia
Louis Freese, better known by his stage name B-Real, is a rapper of Mexican and Afro-Cuban heritage. He is best known for being the lead rapper in hip hop group Cypress Hill, who debuted with their self-titled album Cypress Hill in 1991.
Early life and career
Born to a Mexican father and a Afro-Cuban mother, B-Real moved with his sister and mother out of his father's home to South Gate before ending up in South Central Los Angeles Before dropping out of Bell High School, he befriended future Cypress Hill members Sen Dog and Mellow Man Ace (who forewent staying with the group to go solo). Sen Dog, who was affiliated with the Bloods gang set known as "Neighborhood Family", would later introduce B-Real into the set. B-Real's career as a drug dealer and gangbanger began to come to a close after he was shot in the lung with a .22 pistol in 1988. The shooting and subsequent hospitalization caused Sen Dog to rethink his priorities and take up a job as a department store security guard.He is also a professional paintball player for the Los Angeles Stoned Assassins.
After being introduced to DJ Muggs by Julio G the KDAY Mixmaster, B-Real and Sen gained interest in Muggs' concept of an album based on experiences from Cypress Ave in South Gate. The group was signed with Ruffhouse/Columbia records in 1991, and made their influential debut that year. B-Real would use his life-threatening experiences as material for the group's self-titled debut album, and subsequent releases.
Cypress Hill's trademark sound - an eccentric combination of B-Real's exaggeratedly high-pitched nasal vocals and DJ Muggs' distinctive beats - led to the trio becoming the first Latin rap group to have Platinum and Multi-Platinum albums. They remain the best selling Latin rap group to date.
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. 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. 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, and in 2007 announced that he would collaborate with Sick Jacken once again on a new album.
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 Hustlers."
Solo projects
B-Real has released three mixtapes as a solo artist "Gunslinger", "Gunslinger Vol. II" and "Gunslinger Vol. III". He is currently working on his first solo album, entitled Smoke and Mirrors and has teamed up with Snoop Dogg in a single called Vato for Snoop Dogg's album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment.
Personal Life
B-Real has been a recognized babalawo, or Priest of the Santeria religion for over eight years, his attraction to the religion was influenced by his Afro-Cuban mother. In addition to his music work, B-Real was once partners with tattoo artist Mister Cartoon and photographer Estevan Oriol in a clothing company known as Joker Brand. Although no longer an owner of the company, B-Real continues to promote the brand.
During the late 1990's, B-Real had a publicized relationship with model and television personality Carmen Electra.
Discography
Solo
Mixtapes
- 2005 - The Gunslinger Volume I
- 2006 - The Gunslinger Part. II: Fist Full of Dollars
- 2007 - The Gunslinger: III: For a Few Dollars More
External links
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