Outlier<\/strong> are leaning fully into their genre-fluid DNA with a new cover of Cypress Hill<\/strong>‘s era-defining crossover anthem “Superstar,” featuring none other than Sen Dog<\/strong> himself alongside Hyro The Hero<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Originally released at the height of the Y2K crossover explosion, Cypress Hill<\/strong>‘s “(Rock) Superstar” shattered expectations by fusing hip-hop, rock, and metal at a time when genre lines were still fiercely guarded. The track stormed into the Top 20 on rock radio, landed in films like Training Day<\/em> and Little Nicky<\/em>, and further cemented Cypress Hill<\/strong>‘s legacy as pioneers of musical boundary-breaking. Its original version famously featured Chino Moreno<\/strong> (Deftones<\/strong>), Everlast<\/strong>, and Slash<\/strong>.<\/p>\n For Outlier<\/strong> frontman Joey Arena<\/strong>, the song’s influence runs deep. “‘Superstar’ was more influential to me than I had realized in my youth,” Arena<\/strong> says. “Growing up, there wasn’t a Rap, Rock or Pop station that wasn’t playing this song\u2026 we would blast this track like it was the only song that had existed for months.”<\/p>\n Arena<\/strong> credits the track with shaping his artistic worldview, particularly its refusal to be boxed in. “I never believed a band should have one specific sound,” he continues. “I always heard from so many industry reps that I needed to find my ‘identity’ when my identity was doing whatever the fuck I wanted. An artist is meant to grow, push boundaries and experiment\u2026 ‘Superstar’ was just that for me \u2014 a staple in the fusion of the genres it portrays.”<\/p>\n Outlier’s version of “Superstar” doesn’t aim to simply recreate the original. Instead, it reframes it through a modern rock and metal lens while keeping the spirit of experimentation intact.<\/p>\n “I wanted to cover this song not only cause it’s nostalgic, but because of the genre blending it represents,” Arena<\/strong> explains. “I have incorporated some ‘white boy rap’ in previous tracks, but this got to showcase a whole different side and my love for Hip Hop.”<\/p>\n Bringing Sen Dog<\/strong> onto the track added a layer of authenticity few covers can claim. “What could bring a more authentic stamp of approval than getting the iconic Sen Dog<\/strong> of Cypress Hill<\/strong> on the track?” Arena<\/strong> says. “It was such an honor to have him not only feature on the track but get him to appear in the video. He stuck it out all day with us\u2026 Such an awesome and down to earth individual that deserves all the recognition.”<\/p>\n To push the crossover energy even further, Outlier<\/strong> enlisted Hyro The Hero<\/strong> \u2014 a longtime torchbearer for rap-metal’s modern resurgence. “A stud who is no stranger to Rap\/Metal,” Arena<\/strong> adds. “Hyro<\/strong>‘s voice brings such a force that it can’t be overheard\u2026 I’m a genuine fan.”<\/p>\n Arena<\/strong> hopes the release does more than spark nostalgia. “My hopes [are] to bring about a new wave\u2026 and open the eyes of so many musicians and artists to step outside of their comfort zones and write for themselves instead of the trends \u2014 just like this song had done for me.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Enter your information below to get a daily update with all of our headlines and receive The Orchard Metal newsletter.<\/p>\n