Thug Life Army

B-Real and The Visionaries Talk Hip Hop by Davey D

We caught up with hip hop luminaries B-Real of Cypress Hill and all six members of LA’s legendary Visionarie Crew. We talked about a number of projects including their new projects.

Cypress Hill is working on new material and B-Real is about to do a solo project. He is currently enjoying a lot of success with the recent release of fellow hip hop artist Snoop Dogg’s hit song Vato which encourages Black-Brown unity.

I saw B Real the other night and said that he was very thankful that Snoop looked out for him and gave him some much needed shine.

During our interview B-Real talked about the challenges he and other hip hop artists in LA are currently facing. Most notably is the lack of access to the airwaves. In spite of that obstacle, he notes that him and crew will strive on and make noise with their large fan base.

The Visionaries talked about how they came up under B-Real. Lead rap artist Key Kool noted that he lived around the corner from rapper B-Real in LA’s Southgate area and that his success was a big inspiration for him and the other members. It was a sentiment echoed by group member 2Mex.

We went into a deeper discussion about how the group formed and their multi-ethnic make up and how it is an accurate reflection of Los Angeles.

We also talked about what their newly released album ‘We Are The Ones (We’ve Been Waiting For)’.

Here’s more info on the Visionaries

The Visionaries are back with their fourth album, ‘We Are The Ones (We’ve Been Waiting For),’ which came out October 3rd on Up Above Records.

‘We Are The Ones (We’ve Been Waiting For)’ follows the runaway acclaim of their last full-length release, 2004’s ‘Pangaea’ (Up Above), which found the group soaring to new heights in both sound and scope. “The album is a stellar musical effort,” praised Mean Street, “The Visionaries have not only shattered the rules of hip hop, they’ve redefined them.” URB’s album review stated, with a “4 out of 5” star rating; “merely damn-good tracks are the exception, with f*cking great being the norm.” Skinnie Magazine wrote “their love of music has become more than a youthful passion; it has become their breath and life. The quality of their next release comes from knowing that someone’s life will be affected by the message they convey.” Deemed as a “group of the people, for the people,” The Visionaries have propelled themselves onto the vanguard of hip-hop’s life-affirming countermovement.

With a sharpened focus and revitalized approach, this L.A. based group now brings forth their most potent work to date on ‘We Are The Ones (We’ve Been waiting For).’ The album captures the Visionaries in a writing frenzy, tackling a wide range of topics with absolute fervor. Coming from diverse backgrounds and different walks of life, each crew member openly flexes their growth on the upcoming release, blurring brutally-honest reflections, confessional narratives, and self discoveries into a very powerful and personal record.

The Visionaries have been on the grind for over a decade now, and ‘We Are The Ones (We’ve Been Waiting For)’ is just another milestone from the multifaceted unit. Amongst the group’s six members (LMNO, 2Mex, Lord Zen, Dannu, KeyKool, & DJ Rhettmatic), they’ve released over twenty solo and side projects, including three full-length albums as a group on Up Above Records, ‘Galleries’ (1997), ‘Sophomore Jinx’ (2001), and ‘Pangaea’ (2004). They have collaborated with some of the finest talents in hip-hop, and blessed stages alongside a long list of hip hop and rap luminaries including: Linkin Park, Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Dilated Peoples, De La Soul, Blackalicious, and Jurassic 5. 2006 is poised to be a huge year for the group, as they take their explosive live show on the road, with tours planned throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.

Pushing forward independently and spreading universal love through art, the Visionaries are breaking down barriers with their own brand of message music. The group was acknowledged for their positive impact and contribution to hip-hop in 2005, as they were formally inducted into the Universal Zulu Nation. Their music was also recently featured on the MTV feature film ‘Volcano High,’ the Warner Brothers’ box-office hit ‘Oceans Twelve,’ and one of Midway’s best-selling video games of 2005 ‘NFL Blitz.’

The Visionaries have done it all, and they’re just getting started.