STIRRING THE POT CYPRESS HILL'S SMOKE OUT FEST BLENDS MUSIC STYLES, ACTIVISM.

Byline: Sandra Barrera Staff Writer

CYPRESS HILL's Louis ``B Real'' Freese says that today's Smoke Out festival being held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the first time is ``not a pro-pot rally.''

Well, not exactly anyway.

The one-day event that boasts musical acts such as rapper Snoop Dogg, nu-metal heads Adema and all-female rock tribute band Iron Maidens is in fact a pro-marijuana concert.

``With the Cypress Hill reputation (of endorsing marijuana) we had to come up with something that struck our fans,'' Freese says. ``The Smoke Out seemed like a fitting title for our festival, being that there's a lot of people out there who support legalizing marijuana, and really there's no festival out there for them.

``The festival not only draws those people - those activists, those stoners if you will - but it draws people who may never smoke a joint,'' adds Freese, saying that includes some of the artists on the bill such as Snoop Dogg, who recently announced he was giving up marijuana, and the hard-rock band Taproot.

Taproot's Mike DeWolf, 26, says his band doesn't smoke marijuana. Never has.

``We're all about music and the love of playing for our fans and the sake of positive energy,'' says DeWolf from Missouri, where the band is on tour with Mudvayne, another one of the Smoke Out's performers. ``As far as the other side goes, we don't fit it in because none of us do that. It would be nice to say that we did, but we don't.''

For those who do: Be warned.

``There's been complaints about security confiscating pipes and joints and stuff, but that's going to happen at every show,'' Freese says. ``As long as nobody's hurting each other or selling drugs - because it is illegal - they pretty much let kids hang out and have a good time because that's what they're there for.''

Freese and his veteran hip-hop band came up with the concept of the Smoke Out in the late '90s. The first four events were held at venues in San Bernardino County.

This year, Cypress Hill has decided to move its ever-growing festival to its home turf, where the hip-hop trio formed in 1988 and signed with Ruffhouse/Columbia Records three years later.

Over the course of the next decade, the band - with the signature sound that Rolling Stone characterizes as ``smooth, funky, bass-heavy rhythms, a nasal vocal delivery reminiscent of the Beastie Boys, and hard-hitting musical mixes filled with screaming sirens and car alarms'' - has become famous for its constant pot references.

Among its many must-hear anthems is the 1993 hit ``Insane in the Brain.''

``There's just certain songs we have to play no matter what,'' says Freese, whose exaggerated whine has contributed greatly to boosting the band's celebrity.

Between fronting Cypress Hill on record and in concert, Freese spends his days putting together the group's annual Smoke Out.

Last year, Freese was in talks about expanding the show to the East Coast and then taking it national. But Sept. 11 put a damper on his plans.

Freese says he plans to pick up where he started again next year. In the meantime, the Smoke Out continues to grow locally thanks to the strength of its headliners.

Inspired by festivals in Europe, Cypress Hill's daylong event showcases artists from different genres. While they may not always top the Billboard music charts, they do have a loyal following.

``We can have anybody with a major-selling record on the bill, but it doesn't mean that they're going to live up to the expectation,'' Freese says. ``As a promoter, I know you're only as good as your last show, and our last show was pretty damn good.''

Last year's lineup included the alt-metal band Deftones, rapper Busta Rhymes and veteran punk outfit Suicidal Tendencies.

Saturday's lineup is equally as impressive.

``Our goal with this festival is to give people a different musical experience so that maybe if you're a hip-hop head and you were never into punk or alternative or whatever, you might get turned onto a new band,'' Freese says. ``That's the beauty of this thing.''

THE CYPRESS HILL SMOKE OUT

Who: Cypress Hill, Snoop Dogg, Mudvayne, Face to Face, Redman, Adema, Taproot, Circle Jerks, Kottonmouth Kings, Kool Keith and others. Hosted by Tommy Chong.

Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, 3939 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles.

When: 3 p.m. today.

Tickets: $35 to $100. Call [phone] or www.ticketmaster.com.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

Cypress Hill uses Smoke Out both to promote the legalization of marijuana and bring a wide variety of musical styles together in one venue.