On this day, June 18, in hip-hop history…

The Island Def Jam Music Group
The Island Def Jam Music Group
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1991: 3rd Bass—the rap group made up of MC Serch, DJ Richie Rich and Pete Nice—was one of the first and most successful interracial groups in hip-hop history, growing prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s. After their certified gold debut, The Cactus Album , in 1989, 3rd Bass achieved major underground recognition with Derelicts of Dialect in 1991.

Derelicts of Dialect  makes it clear that 3rd Bass were not aiming to capture pop culture's attention or hit it big on the charts. Their aim was focused on hardcore hip-hop fans. Throughout the album are De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest's influences, both members of the popular Native Tongues Movement.

The cuts on Derelicts of Dialect will warm any hip-hop enthusiast's heart. "Portrait of the Artist as a Hood," "Ace in the Hole," and "Herbalz in Your Mouth" were fantastic. "Pop Goes the Weasel" was an aggressive diss record aimed at Vanilla Ice basically calling him a culture vulture. The song would actually hit well with mainstream and reached #1 on Billboard's Top Rap Singles chart, making "Pop Goes the Weasel"  their best single ever.

Three months after the release, Derelicts of Dialect was certified gold by the RIAA.Derelicts of Dialect  was 3rd Bass's final studio album however as the group broke up shortly after.

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