Ten-year career yields new habits for group

  Ark21 Ten years into its career, Delinquent Habits will
release its third album, "Merry Go Round," after touring the world
and finding self-reliance.

By Ruvin Spivak
Daily Bruin Contributor

By 1991, hip-hop was producing household names such as Cypress
Hill, Naughty By Nature, A Tribe Called Quest and the Beastie Boys,
who were diverse in age as well as culture and ethnicity. It
was around this time that three guys in Norwalk, Calif. decided
that they needed to share their delinquent habit ““ music
““ with the world.

At El Camino College in 1991, MC Ives and DJ O.G. Style had
already developed a reputation for “holding it down” in
front of crowds at local parties. They got the opportunity to
open for the premier Latin hip-hop group Cypress Hill and met MC
Kemo backstage after the show. When the two MC’s and the
DJ realized they shared the same musical vision, what developed was
a group with a name ““ Delinquent Habits ““ that reflects
its convictions.

“Hip-hop was our passion and our delinquent habit at the
same time,” Ives said, while taking a break from a studio
session in Norwalk. “We figured everyone’s got a
delinquent habit but not everyone has the balls to just show
’em and be on a record.”

Like many hip-hop groups, Delinquent Habits has run into
industry hurdles throughout its 10 year career. Undesirable
corporate relationships forced the group to wait five years before
putting out its self-titled debut album in 1996.

The album sold over a million copies worldwide, but the
group’s promising second album in 1998 suffered because of a
fall out with its record label at the time.

Despite these corporate letdowns, the group has learned to be
self-reliant.  On the merit of its talent, the group has
toured the United States, Europe and Asia with groups like the
Fugees, Korn, Ice T and Limp Bizkit.

After four long years of touring, Delinquent Habits went back to
its studio in Norwalk to reflect on its experience. What it created
was its latest album “Merry Go Round,” on its own
independent label, Station 13.

Today, the group’s forthcoming album has been picked up by
Ark21 Records. The label is led by industry veteran Miles Copeland,
who is responsible for signing such names as Sting, the
Go-Go’s, the Bangles, R.E.M. and Oingo Boingo.

The first single off the new album is called “Return of
the Tres,” the follow up to the group’s last hit,
“Tres Delinquentes,” back in 1996.

Listeners will find that the group is still expressing its
current state of mind through music.

“Our second album was a time to vent frustration,”
Kemo said.

After touring the world, Delinquent Habits has cemented a place
not only in the Latin hip-hop genre, but also in hip-hop as a
whole, Ives said.

The group continues to flow in English, Spanish and a mix of
both languages, often referred to as Spanglish. The music is
laced with Latin influences as well as contemporary hip-hop beats,
proving the group is keeping up with the times.

The lyrics in “Merry Go Round” are not about guns or
drugs ““ they’re about optimism and hope. The album is
consistently honest, such as the hook on the second track of the
album: “Down to make you feel real good/bringing love from
the hood.”Â 

In the past, Delinquent Habits has collaborated with such names
as Big Pun and Sen Dog from Cypress Hill.  Since its latest
return to the studio, the group decided to take control of
its art and not rely on guest appearances by big names.

When away from the studio and not creating independent albums,
Delinquent Habits is known to play with the Long Beach Dub
Allstars, Ozomatli and many reggae groups.

These eclectic music tastes come from the group’s diverse
musical influences. The group has been influenced by Latin music,
old school hip-hop, the Doors and contemporary beat masters such as
the RZA and Dr. Dre.

“We’re not just some rappers.  We’ve got
some real poetry going on in here. Consciously thought out and
taking our time; not just finding whatever word pops up that
rhymes,” Ives said, unconsciously rhyming.

Delinquent Habits realizes that, through developing
sophisticated lyrics, the group has matured musically.

“The music is getting older and the people who’ve
been listening to the music are getting older, so the music is
actually starting to progress and have some kind of
conscience,” Ives said.

Today, Delinquent Habits is a decade into the rap game. The
group’s members have grown accustomed to industry
hurdles, especially in the current world that seems to be dominated
by MP3’s and CD-R’s. 

“We try to concentrate on things like touring and selling
merchandise,” O.G. Style said.

The group is also spreading its music to movie
soundtracks. Listeners can hear the upcoming single
“Return of the Tres” on the “Double Take”
soundtrack as well as on the upcoming soundtrack to the new Farrely
Brothers movie, “Say It Isn’t So.”

“The message of the group is simple ““ we’re
trying to break the monotony of what’s been playing on the
radio,” Kemo said.

MUSIC: Delinquent Habits will perform at the
House of Blues in Anaheim on April 20. For tickets, go to
www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase the new album “Merry Go
Round,” as well as merchandise, visit the group’s Web
site at www.delinquenthabits.com.