Outlier Takes On Cypress Hill Hit For Its Latest Single

By: Philip Sayblack

Outlier (nee Ovtlier) is taking on one of Cypress Hill’s hits for its latest single.The band unveiled its take of Cypress Hill’s ‘(Rock) Superstar’ Friday. The band’s take on the song, which stays largely true to its source material, sees guest appearances from Hyro The Hero and Cypress Hill’s own Sen Dog (who also provided vocals to the original track, too).

Outlier’s updated take on the song updates the original by adding even more of a hard rock lean. Front man Joey Arena takes on the lead vocals this time, while Hyro The Hero and Sen Dog add their own touches with their own performances.

Arena talked about taking on the song in a prepared statement.
“‘Superstar’ was more influential to me than I had realized in my youth,” said Arena. “Growing up, there wasn’t a Rap, Rock or Pop station that wasn’t playing this song. A friend of mine would pick me up for school and we would blast this track like it was the only song that had existed for months. I listened to so many genres growing up (still do) and given that my first instrument was guitar, I would play anything from NuMetal, Hardcore and Grunge to Jazz, Classic Rock and Pop Punk but listened to a lot of mid-90’s and 00’s Hip Hop. I never believed a band should have one specific sound and always heard from so many industry reps is 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, why would that not manifest in songwriting? ‘Superstar’ was just that for me, it was a staple in the fusion of the genres it portrays. A track that pushed the envelope, took a chance and has the accolades to prove its success.”

Arena added, “I wanted to cover this song not only cause its nostalgic, but because of the genre blending it represents. 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. I wanted to pay respects to the original track, but also somewhat make it my own. This song needed something special though and what could bring a more authentic stamp of approval than getting the iconic, Sen Dog of Cypress Hill on the track. It was such an honor to have him to not only feature on the track but get him to appear in the video. He stuck it out all day with us and hit multiple locations, getting behind the vision and project. Such an awesome and down to earth individual that deserves all the recognition. Lastly, to add a little extra flare to the track, I felt that it was only right to reach out to none other than, my guy, Hyro The Hero. A stud who is no stranger to Rap/Metal, Hyro’s voice brings such a force that it can’t be overheard. His presence in the video speaks for its self and not mention, I’m a genuine fan. It was truly an experience to put this all together and one I will never forget. My hopes to bring about a new wave to it all 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 just like this song had done for me. Enjoy!”
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Along with the single, Outlier also premiered a video for its new cover. The video for Outlier’s cover of ‘(Rock) Superstar’ finds the trio of Arena, Sen Dog and Hyro The Hero performing both on a sound stage and against natural backdrops as the song plays over the collective visualization.
More information on Outlier’s new single and video is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Website: https://ovtlier.co
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ovtlier
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OvtlierBand

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