Rise Up (Cypress Hill album)

Rise Up
Studio album by Cypress Hill
Released	April 20, 2010 (see release history)
Recorded	2005-2009
Genre	Hip hop
Length	58:11 (Standard edition) 61:56 (Exclusive edition)
Label	Priority
Producer	B-Real (also exec.) DJ Muggs, Mike Shinoda, Tom Morello, Pete Rock, Jake One, Daron Malakian, Jim Jonsin, DJ Khalil, Sick Jacken
Cypress Hill chronology
Till Death Do Us Part (2004) Rise Up (2010) Cypress X Rusko (2012)
Singles from Rise Up
"Get 'Em Up" Released: August 18, 2009[1] "It Ain't Nothin'" Released: January 28, 2010 "Rise Up[2]" Released: February 23, 2010 "Armada Latina[3]" Released: March 2, 2010

Rise Up is the eighth studio album by Cypress Hill, which was released on April 20, 2010.^[4] It is their first album of new material in six years, following 2004's Till Death Do Us Part, and their first to be released on EMI's Priority Records, their first venture away from Columbia, who handled all of their previous releases.

Background

The span of six years between Till Death Do Us Part and Rise Up marks Cypress Hill's longest gap between studio albums in their career. The group commenced work on the record in 2005, but had not entered studio work until 2008.^[5] The writing and recording process spanned four years and a number of recording studios and was finished in 2009.

Rise Up was delayed several times before its release. Originally scheduled to be released in 2006, it was later postponed to March 23, 2010 (exactly six years since the release of their last album), then again to April 6. The album's release date was finally set for April 20, 2010.

In terms of the album's musical direction, in March 2010 Cypress Hill emcee B-Real told noted UK urban writer Pete Lewis - Deputy Editor of the award-winning Blues & Soul - "Musically we wanted a bigger sound, a more AGGRESSIVE sound, and something obviously with a lotta DYNAMICS. You know, our sound has always been raw and gritty, ominous and moody... And, while this time we still wanted it to be raw and dark, we also wanted it to be more UPTEMPO. Because, in terms of the live setting, whenever we do songs that are more uptempo and aggressive people do love them and it makes for a great SHOW. So, while making this album, we definitely had the intention of making songs that would translate well to the live aspect of what Cypress Hill is about. So that, when we play these songs out, we're gonna get a magnificent reaction from the crowd!"^[6]

Production

Rise Up marks a major shift in the group's sound, as it was the first of their albums not produced by founding member DJ Muggs. While Muggs does contribute co-production with DJ Khalil on two songs, B-Real takes on the role as main producer, executive producer and overseer of the project. Other producers include Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, Jim Jonsin, Pete Rock, Jake One, Sick Jacken and Tom Morello.

Featured guests include Daron Malakian of System of a Down, Pitbull, Everlast, Evidence, Young De, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, and Marc Anthony. Other artists like Ill Bill, Apathy, DJ Premier and Slash were also featured as guests but never made the final cut.^[7][8]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Slant Magazine	[9]
AllMusic	[10]
PopMatters	[11]
The Skinny	[12]
DJBooth.net	[13]

The album's introduction single, "It Ain't Nothin'" was released as a free download from the group's official website with a music video by Matt Alonzo. "Rise Up", with Tom Morello, is the second single; it also features as the theme song for Elimination Chamber 2010 and the end-credit track for the Season 3 finale episode of the television show Silicon Valley.

PopMatters said, "As much as B-Real still seems lively, Sen Dog seems to have smoked himself out of being a rapper. He sounds exhausted and unimaginative all over this record. He doesn’t even appear on all of the tracks. This imbalance, coupled with the array of random producers, causes an inconsistency in the LP’s sound that hurts Rise Up."^[11]

An early review, Scottish magazine The Skinny offered a largely positive 3 stars (out of 5), noting that the album appears "less playful than its predecessor (2004’s Clash-sampling Till Death Do Us Part) but surprisingly more focused - given Muggs’ notable absence from the producer’s chair – [The Hill] source inspired collaborations with Pete Rock, Jim Jonsin and Marc Anthony to reinforce their timeless agenda."

Commercial

Rise Up debuted on the Billboard 200 on April 28 at #19 selling 18,000 copies.^[14] The next week it fell over 50 spots to #72 on the Top 200 albums.^[15] In its third week the album fell off the Top 100 to #105 and has sold 31,000 copies to date.^[16]

Track listing

Rise Up
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"It Ain't Nothin" (featuring Young De)	Peabo Bryson, Louis Freese, Senen Reyes, Demerick Shelton	B-Real	4:01
2.	"Light It Up"	Louis Freese, Brian Holland, Senen Reyes, Peter Phillips, Demerick Shelton	Pete Rock	3:17
3.	"Rise Up" (featuring Tom Morello)	Tom Morello, Louis Freese, Senen Reyes, Demerick Shelton	Tom Morello, B-Real	3:50
4.	"Get It Anyway"	Louis Freese, Jordan Omley, Senen Reyes, James Scheffer,Frank Romano	Jim Jonsin	4:20
5.	"Pass the Dutch" (featuring Step Brothers)	Khalil Abdul-Rahman, Louis Freese, Alan Maman, Michael Perretta	DJ Muggs, DJ Khalil	3:20
6.	"Bang Bang"	Louis Freese, Senen Reyes	B-Real	3:49
7.	"K.U.S.H."	Louis Freese, Joaquin González	Sick Jacken, B-Real	4:57
8.	"Get 'Em Up"	Keith Boxley, Louis Freese, Senen Reyes	B-Real	3:52
9.	"Carry Me Away" (featuring Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park)	Louis Freese, Senen Reyes, Mike Shinoda	Mike Shinoda	4:07
10.	"Trouble Seeker" (featuring Daron Malakian of System of a Down)	Daron Malakian, Louis Freese, Senen Reyes	Daron Malakian	3:39
11.	"Take My Pain" (featuring Everlast)	Khalil Abdul-Rahman, Louis Freese, Erik Schrody, Daniel Tannenbaum	DJ Muggs, DJ Khalil, Danny Keyz	3:36
12.	"I Unlimited"	Anne Dudley, Louis Freese, Senen Reyes, Malcolm McLaren	B-Real	4:25
13.	"Armed & Dangerous"	Jacob Dutton, Louis Freese, Willie Hutch, Senen Reyes	Jake One, B-Real	3:27
14.	"Shut 'Em Down" (featuring Tom Morello)	Louis Freese, Tom Morello, Senen Reyes	Tom Morello, B-Real	3:26
15.	"Armada Latina" (featuring Pitbull and Marc Anthony)	Marc Anthony, Stephen Stills, Louis Freese, Senen Reyes, James Scheffer, Armando Christian Perez	Jim Jonsin	4:04
Total length:				58:11

iTunes bonus track
Track listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
16.	"Dead Man's Gun" (featuring Young De)	Louis Freese, Demerick Ferm, Chad Bromley	Apathy	4:01
Total length:				62:12

Amazon MP3 and Japan bonus track
Track listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
16.	"Rise Like Smoke"	Louis Freese, Senen Reyes	B-Real	3:45
Total length:				61:56

Limited edition
Track listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
16.	"Strike the Match"	Louis Freese, Lawrence Muggerud, Senen Reyes, Khalil Abdul-Rahman	DJ Muggs, DJ Khalil	3:33
17.	"Get Higher"	Louis Freese, Senen Reyes	B-Real	4:30
Total length:				66:14

Personnel

Louis Freese – vocals, producer Senen Reyes – vocals Lawrence Muggerud – executive producer Mason Escalante - vocals, producer Eric Correa – drums Khalil Abdul-Rahman – producer Marc Anthony – guest vocals David Benveniste – artists and repertoire Leota Blacknor – marketing Jacob Dutton – producer Nicole Frantz – creative director Brian Gardner – mastering Julio González – scratching Joaquin González – producer Frank Maddocks – art direction, design, photography Daron Malakian – producer, guitar Alan Maman – guest vocals

Deborah Mannis-Gardner – sample clearance Malcolm McLaren – additional producer James Minchin III – photography, band photo Tom Morello – producer, guitars, bass Armando Pérez – guest vocals Michael Perretta – guest vocals Peter Phillips – producer Frank Romano – guitars,bass James Scheffer – producer Erik Schrody – guest vocals Bob Semanovich – marketing Demerick Shelton – guest vocals Mike Shinoda – guest vocals, producer Rob Stevenson – artists and repertoire Jay Turner – scratching, programming

Release history

Country	Date
China	April 13, 2010
Germany	April 16, 2010
France	April 17, 2010
Australia	April 19, 2010
United Kingdom
Canada	April 20, 2010
Hungary
United States
Japan	April 21, 2010
Brazil	April 23, 2010

References

1. iTunes Store
2. iTunes Store
3. iTunes Store
4. Home – Cypress Hill
5. Cypress Hill Albums, Discography | Billboard.com
6. Cypress Hill interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' April 2010
7. Cypress Hill Coming Back With New Album, Label | Billboard.com
8. Cypress Hill To Return With Help From Slash, Tom Morello And Mike Shinoda » MTV Newsroom
9. Jones, Huw (2009-04-20). "Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
10. Jeffries, David. "Review: Rise Up". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
11. Baird, Saxon (6 May 2010). "Cypress Hill: Rise Up". PopMatters. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
12. Muzz, Emil. "Review: Rise Up". The Skinny. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
13. Slavik, Nathan. "Review: Rise Up". DJBooth.net. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
14. Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 4/25/2010 | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales | HipHopDX
15. Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 5/3/2010 | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales | HipHopDX
16. Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 5/9/2010 | HipHopDX

External links

• Cypress Hill, "Rise Up" by Billboard