“Tres Delinquentes” by Delinquent Habits

​As the golden age of hip hop moved from the 80’s into the 90’s, the once urban African American dominated musical genre not only stretched across the country but the cultural isle. Enter the Delinquent Habits; following the success of DJ Muggs and Cypress Hill, the hip hop group from Norwalk, California released “Tres Delinquents,” a platinum selling single that spent twenty weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, and drew praise for its handling of Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass’ “The Lonely Bull.” It also helped move the Latin American bilingual hip hop voice that Mellow Man Ace and Kid Frost helped to establish towards the mainstream.

​“Tres Delinquentes” was released in 1996 and showcases the vibrant musical and cultural diversity we have in the United States. It was produced by a Cuban born American, with rapping from a self-described “blaxican,” featuring music originally written by Jewish Chicagoans and performed by the Wrecking Crew, a legendary group of studio musicians from various cultural backgrounds and hubs from all over the country.