High & Outside - 4.20 Show
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Featuring:
Photos by: Samantha Madnick
Words by: Rudy Flores
It’s two days before that unofficial holiday—you know the one—and if you’re here, you already know what time it is. We’re posted up at Gallagher Square in downtown San Diego for a stacked lineup headlined by Cypress Hill, with Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Tech N9ne, and Coyote setting the tone. The air’s got that perfect early-evening chill, sun dipping just enough to lock in the mood, and Coyote wastes no time getting things moving. Hailing out of Hawthorne/Lennox, the duo—Ladies Love Guapo and Ricky Blanco—came in repping La Raza heavy, blending East and West Coast flavors into something gritty, polished, and hungry. Sharp storytelling, slick production, and that undeniable “we’re next up” energy. If you’re not already tapped in, do yourself a favor and run their album Machetes and Micheladas.
Tech N9ne hit the stage and immediately took control. The “Kansas City King” stepped out in all black with that cryptic 6688846993 across his chest (a nod to Nnutthowze for those who know), and gets right to work. “Worldwide Choppers” turns into a full-blown clinic in speed and precision, and from there he just stacks moments. We got solo runs of collabs like “Sriracha” and “No Reason,” the latter tied into that whole Machine Gun Kelly vs. Eminem back-and-forth. Then comes “Riot Maker,” complete with a warning to clear out if you’re not trying to get smashed—and the crowd took that seriously. Instant mini pit. What stands out most is that he’s doing all this while dancing his ass off, showing everyone that he not only still had the verbal chops but moves that would have most of us out of breath. Kind of incredible to seem him do both because I was winded after the third song real stage presence, real stamina. There was a quick hiccup mid-set with what looked like an in-ear issue, but it barely slowed things down. He closed with the Tech N9ne Salute, a rapid-fire roll call that lands like a proper send-off.
Then it was time for Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, and from the second “Thuggish Ruggish Bone” drops, we’re not in 2026 anymore—we’re back on East 99th and St. Clair. Pure time machine. They roll straight into a “B-side” medley (their words), but don’t get it twisted—these are still heavy hitters. Then they casually drop “1st of tha Month” early like it’s nothing. That’s when it hits you: this whole set is the hits. Thirty years deep and they still sound locked in—harmonies tight, flows clean, not a single bar fumbled. They pay respect to Eazy-E, slide into their The Notorious B.I.G. collab, even show love to 2Pac with a little “California Love.” And when “Tha Crossroads” closes it out? Not a single phone down—the whole square lit up like we planned it. They still sound every bit as good when I would pop the cassette in and pretend I was a thug . Only word for it: DOPE.
After a quick warm-up set from DJ Lord—blending hip-hop staples with a little Metallica for texture—it’s time. The forefathers of 420 Hip-Hop, Cypress Hill, pull up and immediately flood Gallagher Square with that signature low-end, smoke-laced sound. The kind you feel before you fully hear it. B-Real is sharp as ever, voice cutting clean through the mix, while Sen Dog keeps the crowd locked in. This doesn’t feel like a nostalgia run—it feels deliberate.
They start cashing in on the heavy hitters at the right moments. “Insane in the Brain” (played late in the set) turns the whole place into a full-on chant—loud, chaotic, completely unified. “Hits from the Bong” shifts everything into that slower, hazy pocket they built their name on. At one point, B-Real pivots and shows love to Rage Against the Machine, tapping into his time with Prophets of Rage by dropping a piece of “Bombtrack.” Such an insane moment—bridging eras and reminding you how far his reach goes.
Then comes Dr. Greenthumb, and the whole place follows suit. The smoke, the crowd, the energy—it all lines up. During “Latin Kings,” Sen Dog runs a clean call-and-response—“OH SHIT!” echoing back in waves—while B-Real layers in percussion before stepping into his verse. It’s tight, controlled, and hits exactly how it should.
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