Delinquent Habits

Latin hip-hop pioneers Delinquent Habits formed in Norwalk, California in 1991 and soundtracked L.A.'s summer of 1996 with their breakout, brass-infused hit "Tres Delinquentes". The platinum-selling track, which worked in a sample of 1962's "The Lonely Bull" by Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass, was featured on the group's debut self-titled studio album of 1996, released by RCA. The LP featured guest appearances from Sen Dog of Cypress Hill, who executive produced the album, and Puerto Rican New York City rapper Hurricane G. It also spawned a second single, “Lower Eastside". Originally founded by rappers Kemo The Blaxican (David L.K. Thomas) and Ives Irie (Ivan S. Martin), and DJ/producer O.G. Style (Alejandro R. Martinez), Delinquent Habits championed a "Spanglish" sound that mixed Spanish and English lyrics, while also weaving Latin rhythms into their aesthetic. In 1998, Sen Dog made another appearance on the group's sophomore album, Here Come the Horns, along with his brother, trailblazing Latin rapper Mellow Man Ace, while third album Merry-Go-Round (2003), showcased vocals from singer Michelle Belle. Delinquent Habits' party-starting fourth album, Freedom Band, arrived in 2003 with Kemo The Blaxican leaving shortly after its release. Belle stepped in to fill Kemo's shoes for the group's subsequent trio of albums; Dos Mundos, Dos Lenguas (2005), New and Improved (2006) and The Common Man (2009). Welcoming Kemo back into the group, Delinquent Habits' comeback album It Could Be Round Two landed in 2017 and featured a fresh appearance from Sen Dog on the track "California." Over the following years, Delinquent Habits largely kept a public profile through live activity rather than frequent releases, continuing to perform internationally as the core trio (Ives Irie, Kemo the Blaxican, and DJ/producer DJ Invincible) and keeping their catalog in circulation across streaming platforms. They returned to the studio in 2025, kicking off a new era with the single “Canta No Llores,” positioned as the first taste of the group’s next full-length project El Ritmo, released in February 2026.