TAKE 10: DJ MUGGS
We asked Cypress Hill’s founding member, DJ Muggs, his top 10 tracks
The 46-year-old, born Lawrence Muggerud, has been carving out his unique name as a pioneer of West Coast rap, hard-hop, rap metal and, more recently, bass music with his 2012 solo LP, Bass For Your Face, since before Gen Y got its first glow stick.
Having collaborated with the likes of A$AP Rocky, Cool Kids’ Chuck Inglish, Chuck D, Dizzee Rascal, Freddie Gibbs, Danny Brown, Killa P and many other artists over his expansive music career, now Muggs is embarking on a new project, showing the world there’s no slowing him down because “He Ain’t Going Out Like That.”
The endeavor, Cross My Heart Hope To Die, with producer Andrew Kline, singer Brevi and curator Sean Bonner, sees Muggs releasing his second EP on Alpha Pup Records titled, “Vita E Morte.” Cross My Heart Hope To Die is a multi-media four-piece band, which sounds like the love child of a Tarantino movie score and Portishead. It’s vintage with modern techniques and brimming – like Muggs – with character. Here’s his 10...
1. Public Enemy – “Rebel Without a Pause”
“I heard this song for the first time and it completely blew my mind and the way I understood music.”
2. War – “Low Rider”
“I got this as a 45 for my birthday when I was eight. Gangsta West Coast shit.”
3. Cybortron – “Clear”
“Early techno song. This is a song everyone would cut up the opening numbers, one, two, three, four - classic shit right here.”
4. Rammellzee + K-Rob- “Beat Bop”
“This was the most dusted out dark smoked out shit. It takes you to the depths of hell to the darkest deepest corners.”
5. NWA – “Straight Outta Compton”
“Assault on the globe - a straight adrenalin rush. I would put this shit on in the car an break necks.”
6. Die Antwoord – “Rat Trap 666”
“Ninja and Yolandi – the combination of their voices going back and forth is insane. This song will rip your heart out an eat it. I produced it, and it’s off their forthcoming LP.”
7. Kraftwerk – “Trans Europe Express”
“This was the beginning to a lot of things. I used to play this song for hours at a time, this song is responsible for ‘Planet Rock’ and a lot of others.”
8. Gonja Sufi – “White Picket Fence”
“This is something off one of my favorite albums and one of the most creative cats I have had the pleasure to work with.”
9. Ultramagnetic MCs – “Mentally Mad”
“This here is audio chaos. Kool Keith is rapping without rhyming futuristic outta space shit.”
10. The Prodigy – “Firestarter”
“Total destruction here! It’s punk meets rock meets breaks meets hip-hop. The energy harnessed here is known to induce riots.”
