Delinquent Habits Interview

GROUP MEMBERS:

• Ives
• Kemo
• O.G. Styles
• Michelle

What influences helped shaped the Delinquent Habits Sound?

KEMO - For me, It's everything from stuff you live and see first hand to stuff you think about and feel. Your emotions you want to put down and express. It all stems from true feelings and first hand knowledge at what you're doing. As far as musically it's very diverse: Hip-Hop, alternative rock, classical rock, blues. I listen to whole kinds of different genres of music.

How do you feel when people classify your music as Latin Hip-Hop?

KEMO - It's all good because that's really what it is. One side of it is just that Latin Hip-Hop, but the other side is just pure hip-hop, period.

How has traveling around the world influenced your way of thinking?

KEMO - It gives you more to write about, and more to experience. You realized that there are people of different types of cultures that are into your music.
IVES - When we go on tour, contrary to most people's opinions, just because you have a record deal, just because you have a video on MTV, you ain't fat rich and you're still barrio and you still have to do the same things. When you get to go to a place like France on tour, you get treated pretty good. In France, for instance, you see these kids sitting in the street in this freezing weather begging for money. I feel bad for these people and at the same time I feel how lucky it is to see the rest of the world and it's cultures because it makes me better people for my kids and the people around you. If more people start caring about the next man, of course you're not going to put people ahead of yourself all the time, but it makes you say "I shouldn't hit that Vato in the face" or "What would I accomplish by shooting this fool?"

Why did you start your own label "Station 13"?

IVES - With our stuff, it's all about Station 13 now. In one of our songs it says "For all those offers, thanks, but no deal". We have to do it on our own. We've could go broke, and we've been broke. If the album hits, our family will get the money, not some bigwig that doesn't live in Cali, let alone live in my hood or near my house and has nothing to do with my family. It's not a negative saying that, it's just a fact that we've been doing it so long for someone else. It's now time to do it for our family, which is my son of course, and my family and my second family, the Delinquent Habits. That's real you know. I'm not complaining but I'm saying this to all these kids who want to do hip-hop or any music.

What does "Merry Go Round" symbolize?

KEMO - If you break it down, it means several different things.
IVES - You have your ups and downs and so do our songs. From our battles with record labels to feeling good.
KEMO - We have a lot of feel good songs. If you pop "Merry Go Round" in and it has a good vibe, mind opening songs.

On "Merry Go Round" you introduce a new singer, Michelle. How did you hook up with her?

IVES - I met her a long time ago in another hood. She's always been really, really cool and she sang. I was like "Wow" you know. It's hard for a woman in the record business. She's a lovely woman, she's young and she's gotta a good artistic talent, and I didn't want her to get screwed by the labels like we had to go through. Because no one deserves to go through with the type of shit we went through with insecurities, or worrying about were you're going to find your next meal even though you have a hit record on the radio.

On "Merry Go Round" you also have a special appearance by Jacken from Psycho Realm. How was it collaborating with him?

KEMO - It's cool like family. It's like working with Ives. To hear a different vocal tone on our tracks is always cool. Even though everyone here is homies, everyone also wants to have the bomb ass lyrics!
IVES - We would be in the studio and say that was some dope shit!
KEMO - So we would hear the lyrics, and say, "I think I have to go back and patch things up lyrics wise.
IVES - Jacken's like part of our group. Every show we go, Every show we do, Psycho Realm is always represented or Jacken is on stage with us. What Duke can't do we make up for him. That's just how it is. Nobody can write anything doper than he already has for that shit. We just do his lyrics. It ain't biting; it's just representing a homie that needs a little help right now. But he'll be back. This is the Sick Side-the Delinquent Habits and Psycho Realm.

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