Psycho Realm
is a Latin political hip hop group started in 1989 by brothers Sick Jacken (Joaquin Gonzalez) and Big Duke (Gustavo Gonzalez) from the Downtown, Pico-Union area of Los Angeles. The first recorded Psycho Realm song, "Scandalous", was released on the soundtrack of the film Mi Vida Loca in 1993. 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. With this time period being the height of Cypress Hill’s career anything Cypress Hill related would get major publicity.
In 1997 Sony released the first Psycho Realm album, labeled 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.
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PSYCHO REALM TICKETS
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Tragedy
On January 29, 1999 at 12:05 a.m. one month before the expected release of the second Psycho Realm album, Duke was shot in a confrontation while trying to split up a fight at Tommy's Burger Stand at Beverly and Rampart Boulevard in
Los Angeles which 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
dollars, he was eventually jailed for attempted murder.
[1] Jacken later that same year 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 came out at the end of 2003, which was already halfway done before the shooting of Duke.
Discography
Albums
- 1997: The Psycho Realm
- 1999: A War Story Book I
- 2003: A War Story Book II
Sick Jacken appearances
- 1999: Videodrone track "Pig In A Blanket" from the self titled album
- 2003: Cartel De Santa track "Jake Mate" from the self titled album
- 2004: RBX - "West Side Story" (ft Sick Jacken of Psycho Realm) from the album The Shining
- 2006: La Coka Nostra track "Fuck Tony Montana"
- 2006: P.O.D. track "On The Grind" featuring Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. and Amy Terrin from the album Testify
- 2007: Evidence (artist) - The Weatherman track " Born in LA " Ft. Sick Jacken & Chace Infinite
- 2008: Immortal Technique-Hollywood drive by ft. Sick Jacken and Cynic from the album The 3rd world
- 2008: Snowgoons-Sick Life ft Sick Jacken, Cynic & Bacardi Riam from the album Black Snow
- 2007: Cormega "Who Am I ?" - "Live From The Caves (Ft. Donnie Castro Sick Jacken Cynic Of The Psycho Realm Sick Symphonies)"
- 2008: DJ Babu - Black and Brown Army (feat. Chace Infinite) from the album Duck Season Vol. 3
- 2008: Outerspace - Anointing of the Sick ft. Psycho Realm (Album: God's Fury)
- 2009: B-Real - Psycho realm revolution ft. Sick Jacken (Album: Smoke n mirrors)
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: The Terror Tapes Vol. 1
- 2007: Legend of the Mask and the Assassin
(with DJ Muggs)
- 2009: Stray Bullets
References
- official website of THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT