HHG: You’ve done so much work, from Cypress, to your solo projects, to other artists albums. What keeps you going year by year on a creative basis?

Muggs: I’m still inspired man. To be honest, I still love music and I’m still inspired…but now, where I’m at, I don’t like making beats. So for me to be inspired now, I need to sit down and work with an artist on a project, like this record with Ill Bill, like the record with GZA. I get inspired to do projects, not really to do beats anymore…it’s kinda boring. But to do an album, to see a project from beginning to end, I’m still into it man. I like painting pictures, I’m an artist, you know what I mean? I don’t think I’ve even reached my peak yet to what my full potential is, you know what I mean? I still think I’m a work in progress.

HHG: In terms of working with Bill, is that an idea you guys had – to actually do a full album? Or did you guys do a track, like This Is Who I Am off Bill’s Hour Of Reprisal album, and you were like, we’ve got some chemistry, let’s keep this thing going.

Muggs: No, we definitely talked about doing a full album. Then, once we sat down and started working on it, we sat in the studio for like 10 days and it didn’t feel like 10 days. It didn’t even feel like we were working man. We came out of the studio after 10 days, with 12 songs, and just hung out and talked and had the basketball game on in the background…we smoked some weed and just chilled and the album was done man. That’s what it’s supposed to be man – an exchange of energy, an exchange of ideas, just sittin’ back and enjoying yourself man, you know? That’s exactly what the record was. When I gotta call the manager and book studio time and muthafuckaz don’t show up and it’s all this corporate shit…that ain’t what I got into this game for. I got in this shit to sit back and, you know, paint pictures I feel like painting.

HHG: I love hearing that passion and enthusiasm in your voice…

Muggs: Right…

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Game and Snoop during their recording of “Trading Places” off the Brake Lights mixtape. DJ Khalil and the New Royals all day!!

Shout out to AustinSurreal for this ultra rare Cypress

Download – Cypress Hill live at The Underground Houston, TX April 10, 1992

Download – Matt Sonzala Interview with Cypress Hill – April 10, 1992 at the Underground in Houston, TX

After collaborative cult gems with GZA (Grandmasters), Sick Jacken (Legend of the Mask and the Assassin) and Planet Asia (Pain Language), DJ Muggs has somehow managed to raise the bar in his Vs. series with Kill Devil Hills, the latest installment that matches up the Cypress Hill producer with Brooklyn emcee and Non-Phixion front-man Ill Bill.

The thing that’s most striking after the first listen is how natural the album feels. The earlier trifecta of Vs. albums weren’t lacking much, but they really did feel like versus albums; a top notch emcee and producer dropping their signature styles into the pot and harnessing the collision. That formula makes one kind of appeal, whereas Kill Devil Hills feels a bit closer to the first round of Wu-Tang Clan solo albums, not so much in a musical sense but rather by how comfortable it comes across. Kill Devil Hills is an album that sounds like it was recorded by artists who have a few years as an actual duo under their belts. Listening to the first track “Cult Assassin,” one can’t help but reminisce how right it all sounded when B-Real’s (also appearing on KDH) voice flowed over Muggs production for the first time on “Pigs.”

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