Although Cypress Hill weren't the first Latino rappers, they were the first to achieve a substantial following thanks to their highly distinctive sound. They created a sonic blueprint that became one of the most widely copied in hip hop, intentionally crafted to sound stoned with lots of slow, lazy beats, fat bass, weird noises and creepily distant-sounding samples. The album still sounds fresh and original today simply because of its force of personality and imagination.
 
File under: Hip Hop, Gangsta/Label: Ruffhouse, Legacy/Original Release Year: 1991