Psycho Realm

The Psycho Realm is an American hip hop group started in 1989 by brothers Sick Jacken (Joaquín Gonzalez) and Big Duke (Gustavo Gonzalez) from the Downtown, Pico-Union area of Los Angeles.

The Psycho Realm
OriginLos Angeles, California, U.S.
GenresWest Coast hip hop, hardcore hip hop, gangsta rap, underground hip hop, political hip hop
Years active1989–present
LabelsSick Symphonies
Ruffhouse Records
Associated actsCypress Hill
La Coka Nostra
Street Platoon
Websitehttps://www.urbankingsinc.com/store/index.php?g=psychorealm&_a=slider
http://www.thepsychorealm.com
MembersSick Jacken
Big Duke
B-Real

History

The first recorded Psycho Realm song, "Scandalous," was released on the soundtrack of the film, Mi Vida Loca, in 1994. That same year B-Real of the rap group Cypress Hill saw Psycho Realm performing at Olvera Street for an End Barrio Warfare concert. Their performance inspired B-Real to the point that he wanted to join the group.

In 1997 Sony released the first Psycho Realm album, labelled as an addition to the Cypress Hill Family by the sticker placed on the CD case. Due to conflicts with the record label, the Gonzalez brothers were dropped from Sony. As Jacken explains, "the machine was just trying to censor me / Didn't do it for Sony so they ended up releasing me / Independent, no longer locked down for an infinity / So my vicinity stays true to my identity." The brothers then went on to form Sick Symphonies, their own record label, which lacked the big budget for promotion and distribution in chain stores along with group member B-Real, who was stuck on his contract with Sony for Cypress Hill.

Tragedy

At 12:35 a.m. on January 29, 1999, one month before the expected release of the second Psycho Realm album, Duke was shot in the neck in a confrontation while trying to split up a fight at Tommy's Burger Stand at Beverly and Rampart Boulevard in Los Angeles. This left him paralyzed from the neck down for life. The shooter, a 24-year-old named Robert Gorcsi, who was on parole at the time of the shooting, was given a bond set at $1.6 million. He was eventually jailed for attempted murder.[1] Later in 2000, Jacken released A War Story Book I with B-Real only appearing on one song. In 2001, the Sick Symphonies label released The Steel Storm, the first album of a new group called Street Platoon. Jacken, with the help of Street Platoon, finished A War Story Book II, which was released in the latter half of 2003 and nearly complete before the shooting of Duke.

The group aims to inject pride and knowledge into those who live in gang-infested, poverty-ridden neighborhoods, while at the same time aiming to open the minds of the ones on the outside who look down upon them. Jacken attempts to explain to outsiders with his statement: "my people’s exodus results in prejudice / you ask us why in poverty we become terrorists/ well let me tell you this we don’t choose to tote gats / and selling on the corner is to avoid tax." Duke views the group not as rappers, but neighborhood reporters. They choose to document "a time when it's in fashion to be gun-flashing, blasting... strapped ready for rivals harassing." The Psycho Realm spoke about the corruption of Rampart police officers from their experiences living in the Rampart district, before the Rampart Scandal hit the media. The group also promotes the unification of gangs with remarks such as, "think about who dies when we let the lead out, we’re killing family tragically." The Psycho Realm has grown a worldwide following of "soldiers," and have performed in Mexico, Latin America, Japan, and Europe. At the moment, Duke is in charge of all merchandising for Psycho Realm. Duke is known to personally reply to many of his fans' emails, and is actively involved in a large percentage of production in Psycho Realm's and other affiliates' works.

Discography

Albums

Sick Jacken appearances

Psycho Realm presents Sick Symphonies
  • 2005: Psycho Realm and Street Platoon Present... Sick Symphonies: Sickside Stories
  • 2007: Sick Symphonies Presents DJ FM Street Mixes Vol.1

Sick Jacken albums
  • 2006: Sick Jacken & Cynic - Terror Tapes Vol. 1
  • 2007: DJ Muggs vs. Sick Jacken - Legend of the Mask and the Assassin
  • 2009: Sick Jacken - Stray Bullets
  • 2012: Sick Jacken & Cynic - Terror Tapes Vol. 2
  • 2016: Sick Jacken - Psychodelic
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References
  1. official website of THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
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