Cypress Hill stands as one of the most important hip-hop groups of the ’90s. Powered by lyricist B-Real’s pinched-nasal delivery and DJ Muggs’ dark, hyperactive production, the L.A.-based foursome fired-up the culture with paeans to bong hits and black comedy riffs about being pushed to kill a man. That they were the country’s premiere Latin group only added to their importance—and mystique. Then, in February, nearly 20 years after Cypress Hill emerged on the scene, B-Real released his long-awaited solo debut, Smoke N Mirrors. Featuring guest spots by other West Coast rappers from the same era, including Snoop Dogg and Kurput, the disc finds B-Real cruising down familiar palm tree-lined lanes, from spitting odes to herb to warning of the perils of street life. Conspicuously missing from the disc are his Cypress Hill cohorts, especially DJ Muggs’ beats—hard-driving hallucinations that gelled perfectly with B-Rea l’s twisted clown falsetto. Guess we’ll just have to wait for the upcoming reunion album, set for release sometime this year. With Bizzy Bone, Bruce ILLest, Jay Barz, DIV, Sadistik.

Tue., June 9, 8 p.m., 2009