In retrospect, booking Cypress Hill for a Spring Break party is a little funny. The Californians built their legacy on wildly vibrant tales of growing up in Southern Los Angeles that detail images of drugs and violence. While their love of psychedelic funk gives their music a danceable bounce, their songwriting doesn’t precisely fit the vibe of a sea of teenagers. That didn’t stop MTV from booking B-Real, DJ Muggs, Eric Bobo, and Sen Dog for their 1992 Spring Break celebration.
1992 was an interesting time for Cypress Hill. They had just begun to gain recognition for their P-funk sound due to the success of their 1991 self-titled debut. It was also one year before the release of their groundbreaking sophomore effort, Black Sunday, that would give us the gift of “Insane in the Brain,” the group’s most famous song to date. And while whirling sonics and cartoonish flows of “Insane in the Brain” sound like they were made to be heard in large groups of people leaping aimlessly, the song Cypress Hill performed at this ‘92 MTV party wasn’t that.
“How I Could Just Kill A Man” was a lead single from Cypress Hill’s debut record, and rightfully so. The eerie grooves of the arrangement act as a blank canvas that the group uses to vividly portray emotions most may never experience. The single showcased the group’s ability to pen poignant hip-hop while putting their west-coast-funk spin to it, a formula that has proven to be a winning one considering the group’s longevity. As their performance unfolds, you notice the crowd become more and more lively as Cypress Hill’s electric stage presence radiates throughout the outdoor venue.
