Cartel de Santa

Mexican hardcore hip-hop act Cartel de Santa was formed in Santa Catarina, Nuevo León, in 1996 by MC Eduardo "Babo" Dávalos de Luna and producer Román "Rowan Rabia" Rodríguez. After a few years of cutting their teeth in the underground circuit, the group finally jumped to fame in 2003 with the release of their self-titled studio debut, which included the hits "Perros," "La Pelotona," and "Todas Mueren Por Mí." The album also featured production by West Coast rap savant Jason Roberts, who had previously worked with the likes of Cypress Hill, Control Machete, and House of Pain. Released in 2004, their sophomore effort Vol. II found the group honing in on their gangsta rap influences and collaborating with other Latin hip-hop luminaries such as Tego Calderón and Mr. Pomel. A few months after the release of Cartel de Santa's third full-length, Volumen Prohibido, in 2007, Babo was involved in a fatal shooting that resulted in the death of former bandmate Ulises. With the help of Sony Music, the rapper was released on bail nine months later as the group prepared to release its fourth studio effort. Preceded by the single "Hay Mamita," Vol. IV saw the light in 2008 and mainly focused on Babo's experience in prison. Síncopa, their fifth full-length, appeared in 2010 and earned the group their first-ever Grammy nomination thanks to tracks like the hit single "Pa' No Andar Triste." This success was followed by the albums Golpe Avisa (2014) and the gold-selling Viejo Marihuano (2016), as well as by the singles "Pollo y Conejo" (2018), "Burbujas de Cristal" (2019), and "Vaya Vaya" (2020).

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