Warning: The Opus is about to get loud. Ozzy Osbourne wasn't always The Prince of Darkness. It was a long and twisted journey in the lead-up to his 1980 solo debut, Blizzard of Ozz, one that found the legendary singer banished, wrecked, and lost without any sense of purpose. He was a broken man. Yet he was hardly abandoned. After being pulled back to life by his future life partner Sharon Arden, Osbourne found himself amidst an unlikely redemption story in his post-Black Sabbath life. That story is where this season of The Opus begins. In the first episode of our Blizzard of Ozz series, host Andy Bothwell is joined by legendary guitarist Zakk Wylde, who's performed alongside Osbourne since 1987, in addition to heavy metal writer Joseph Schafer, who has served as curator for NW Terrorfest. Together, they chart how Osbourne went from toiling away in Los Angeles' Le Park Suite Hotel to finding the classical complexity of Randy Rhoads' guitar work to ultimately creating the blueprint for the future of heavy metal. Again, things are gonna get loud. So, put on those headphones, throw up the horns, and listen below. Next year marks the 40th anniversary of Ozzy Osbourne’s groundbreaking debut album, Blizzard of Oz. To celebrate, you can preview or stream music from Ozzy Osbourne here. Bonus: We’re also giving away his new career-spanning vinyl box set, See You on the Other Side. 


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Blizzard of Ozz: The Prince of Darkness Finds Unlikely Shelter

Consequence and Sony bring you an exploration of iconic albums and their ongoing legacy. Join host Adam Unze as he examines how masterpieces continue to evolve: shaping lives, shaking rafters, and ingraining themselves into our culture. Maybe you’re a longtime fan who wants to go deeper. Maybe you’re a first-time listener curious to hear more. Either way, you’re in the right place.

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In celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, we’re opening up The Opus podcast archives to re-release seasons focused on some of history's most legendary rap albums. Next up we revisit Cyrus Hills self-title record — a landmark of West Coast hip-hop that pioneered the “weed rap” movement. What’s more, Cypress Hill’s own B-Real, Sen Dog, and DJ Muggs all joined us for the journey through the album’s legacy.  For more from Cypress Hill, check out Sen Dog’s Crate Digging into 10 essential hip-hop albums.”, and there will be loads of artist interviews, essays, and more coming throughout the month, so make sure to check it all out at Consequence.net. You can also snag some of our exclusive Hip-Hop 50 merch at the Consequence Shop. Season 15 of Consequence Podcast Network and Sony’s The Opus comes to its conclusion on a high point as we explore how Cypress Hill put weed rap on the map. Within a few months of its release, the impact of Cypress Hill and the subject matter of some of the raps therein was apparent. Other rappers started writing songs that expanded more on the glory of marijuana. While we think of Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre as pioneers in the art of weed rap, it’s often forgotten that Dre once bragged on record about never smoking weed. But, after Cypress Hill lifted their veil of smoke, Dre got to work on an album called The Chronic. And Cypress Hill’s cannabis candidness wasn’t just relegated to their raps, either. The group became outspoken advocates for the legalization of marijuana, ushering in a new era of pot positivity that Cypress Hill are still pushing forward to this very day.

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Hip-Hop 50: Cypress Hill’s Weed Rap Changed Cannabis Culture

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, we’re opening up The Opus podcast archives to re-release seasons focused on some of history's most legendary rap albums. Next up we revisit Cyrus Hills self-title record — a landmark of West Coast hip-hop that pioneered the “weed rap” movement. What’s more, Cypress Hill’s own B-Real, Sen Dog, and DJ Muggs all joined us for the journey through the album’s legacy. For more from Cypress Hill, check out Sen Dog’s Crate Digging into 10 essential hip-hop albums.”, and there will be loads of artist interviews, essays, and more coming throughout the month, so make sure to check it all out at Consequence.net. You can also snag some of our exclusive Hip-Hop 50 merch at the Consequence Shop. On the previous episode of Consequence Podcast Network and Sony's The Opus Season 15, we explored the chemistry between the voices of Cypress Hill’s B-Real and Sen Dog. In Episode 3, we look at the unique alchemy of their beats. The place where rock and metal meet has always been a part of Cypress Hill's sonic and cultural identity. Sen Dog's first concert was thrash-metal band Slayer; that band's drummer, Dave Lombardo (who, like Sen, is Cuban-American), was his high-school friend. At the end of "How I Could Just Kill a Man," someone quotes Suicidal Tendencies' "Institutionalized." Cypress Hill's sound had its origins as much in hard rock as it did with Latin funk. The group put their guitar-based influences under every one of their raps. In this episode, host Jill Hopkins and her guests talk about that intersection between rock and hip-hop, and examine how other artists found themselves at the center of the Venn diagram Cypress Hill first drew. Original music by Tony Piazza. Subscribe now so you can keep up on all the new Opus episodes. Also, keep an eye out for a special giveaway in the coming weeks to continue the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Cypress Hill. Also, grab yourself an official Opus hoodie or T-Shirt at the Consequence Shop or using the buy-now buttons below.

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Hip-Hop 50: Cypress Hill Revolutionized Hip-Hop via Hard Rock and Latin Funk

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, we’re opening up The Opus podcast archives to re-release seasons focused on some of history's most legendary rap albums. Next up we revisit Cyrus Hills self-title record — a landmark of West Coast hip-hop that pioneered the “weed rap” movement. What’s more, Cypress Hill’s own B-Real, Sen Dog, and DJ Muggs all joined us for the journey through the album’s legacy.  For more from Cypress Hill, check out Sen Dog’s Crate Digging into 10 essential hip-hop albums.”, and there will be loads of artist interviews, essays, and more coming throughout the month, so make sure to check it all out at Consequence.net. You can also snag some of our exclusive Hip-Hop 50 merch at the Consequence Shop. Consequence Podcast Network and Sony’s The Opus Season 15 continues as we explore the unparalleled chemistry between Cypress Hill’s B-Real and Sen Dog. B-Real’s high-pitched, nasal rap style played off the boom of Sen Dog’s authoritative baritone for a sound unlike anyone else. In Episode 2 of The Opus: Cypress Hill, the two rappers discuss finding their voices, while the legendary Chuck D (Public Enemy, Prophets of Rage) heaps praise on the group’s unique sound.

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Hip-Hop 50: Cypress Hill’s Chemistry Made for Explosive Hip-Hop

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, we’re opening up The Opus podcast archives to re-release seasons focused on some of history's most legendary rap albums. Next up we revisit Cyrus Hills self-title record — a landmark of West Coast hip-hop that pioneered the “weed rap” movement. What’s more, Cypress Hill’s own B-Real, Sen Dog, and DJ Muggs all joined us for the journey through the album’s legacy.  For more from Cypress Hill, check out Sen Dog’s Crate Digging into 10 essential hip-hop albums.”, and there will be loads of artist interviews, essays, and more coming throughout the month, so make sure to check it all out at Consequence.net. You can also snag some of our exclusive Hip-Hop 50 merch at the Consequence Shop. Season 15 of The Opus, presented by the Consequence Podcast Network and Sony, travels back to the Southern California in which Cypress Hill’s sound exploded onto the scene. The sonic sense of urgency in the hip-hop group's self-titled debut album was a time-and-place thing -- a product of late '80s/early '90s Los Angeles that was swept up in the tension just before the Rodney King verdict and the uprising that followed. Cypress Hill's lyrics and beats were tailor made for the subwoofers in the trunks of the low riders that played them, and would echo around rap's landscape in the years to come. And it served as representative for the Black and brown voices who felt the need to protest as much as they felt the desire to party in the face of a community that would soon be national news. In this first episode of The Opus: Cypress Hill, we venture into Cypress Hill’s Southern California, and the powder keg that made their debut album important, necessary, and seemingly ubiquitous. And who better to give host Jill Hopkins a tour of this era than the members of Cypress Hill themselves, as B-Real, Sen Dog, and DJ Muggs guest on Episode

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Hip-Hop 50: Cypress Hill - Southern California Was a Cultural Powder Keg

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, we’re opening up The Opus podcast archives to re-release seasons focused on some of history's most legendary rap albums. First up, we revisit Fugees’ classic The Score, which comes in at number 15 on Consequence’s list of the 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time. You can see the full list on Consequence, and there will be loads of artist interviews, essays, and more coming throughout the month, so make sure to check it all out at Consequence.net. You can also snag some of our exclusive Hip-Hop 50 merch at the Consequence Shop. Here on The Opus, we’ll also be re-releasing our season about Cypress Hill’s self-titled record, so make sure to check back every Wednesday and Friday for fresh episodes from the archives. So much of hip-hop is built on the notion of creating something from something. Call it covering, call it borrowing, call it sampling, but don't call it unoriginal. For decades, samples have helped musicians turn some of greatest hits into even greater hits. Fugees are no exception to this. They built upon this legacy, The samples and covers included on 1996's The Score range everywhere from The Delphonics to Enya -- and yet they’re seamlessly woven together to create a distinct, singular album. In the Season 13 finale, host Jill Hopkins heads to the operating room to dissect three songs off The Score that best embody the art of the sample and the depth of knowledge the Fugees brought to the studio: "Zealots", "The Score", and "Ready or Not". Surrounding Jill at the table with scalpels and insight are Ruffhouse Records co-founders Chris Schwartz and Joe Nicolo; rapper Psalm One; and music journalist Insanul Ahmed. Together, they discuss why certain bits were used, why whole songs were sometimes included, and how the Fugees turned existing classics into their own -- read: completely new -- classics. Original music by Tony Piazza.

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Blizzard of Ozz: The Prince of Darkness Finds Unlikely Shelter

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