The albums Sen Dog thinks every hip-hop fan has to hear
Sen Dog is widely known as a member of the madly influential hip-hop group, and passionate weed advocates; Cypress Hill. Whether or not you have heard of Sen or even the group itself, you’ve heard their songs. They’re credited with their foundational efforts of bringing hip-hop into the mainstream, efforts that were recognised in 2019 as they became the first rap group to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Born Senen Reyes in Cuba, the rapper eventually settled in Oakland, California. The city was notorious for gang violence during his early years and sure enough, Reyes fell victim to the allures of the lifestyle. As a member of the Bloods gang set Neighbourhood Family, he eventually brought his Cousin and eventual member of Cypress Hill, B-Real, into the fold.
This was a costly decision as Real’s time in the gang saw him on the receiving end of a bullet to the lungs. Luckily, he survived, and the cousins decided to turn their life around and attribute more time to the group they had formed with Reyes’ brother Mellow Man Ace and DJ Muggs, which was originally named DVX (Devastating Vocal Explosion).
The group lost Ace to a solo career but persevered regardless, releasing their self-titled album in 1991 which did very well, peaking at number 31 on the Billboard 200. The best was yet to come though as in 1993 they released Black Sunday which debuted at number 1 on the 200.
Black Sunday bent genre lines which was a huge factor behind its success. Tracks like ‘Insane in the Brain’ and ‘Hits from the Bong’ have stood the test of time, and continue to be used as a cultural identifier of hip-hop and the ‘90s as a whole.
Sen spoke with Consequence in 2023 who took the opportunity to pick his brain about the 10 albums he believes every hip-hop fan had to hear. He provided an inspired list of classic after classic; a rotation that is the true makings of every hip-hop-head’s wet dream. Finding his success in the genre as a member of a group, it’s no surprise that Reyes’s list is group-heavy.
He gushes about these records, it’s clear that he’s extremely passionate about his choices. Talking about Ultramagnetic MCs’ 1988 album Critical Beatdown he recalled “there was one of those records that we would listen to front to back”. The album itself never saw much commercial success but is critically enjoyed, Dog knows ‘em when he hears ‘em.
He also goes on to talk so romantically about Run DMC’s King of Rock. The duo’s rock-rap fusion was a signifier of their intent to revolutionise the game. It clearly served as a source of inspiration for the California native whose own music is known to blur those very lines.
Speaking about his experience with the album he said “the first time I heard Run-DMC was life changing, because that was the first band that I saw that made me want to do what they were doing”.
His passion for the albums is palpable; it jumps through the screen, and it’s difficult to make any changes to his list, so we recommend you listen to them for yourselves using our list below.
Sen Dog’s ten albums every hip-hop fan should hear:
- N.W.A – Straight Outta Compton (1988)
- Public Enemy – Yo! Bum Rush the Show (1987)
- Run DMC – King of Rock (1985)
- Mellow Man Ace – Escape from Havana (1989)
- Kid Frost – Hispanic Causing Panic (1990)
- EPMD – Strictly Business (1988)
- A Tribe Called Quest – People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990)
- Beastie Boys – Licensed to Ill (1986)
- The D.O.C. – No One Can Do It Better (1989)
- Digital Underground – Sex Packets (1990)