Tres Coronas

On the standout track "Mi Tumbao," Latin hip-hop duo Tres Coronas rap about their Colombian roots and life on the streets of Queens, backed by salsa horns (sampling Willie Colon's Fania classic "La Murga"), congas and cowbell that spread into a funky descarga. This mix of conscious rap with Latin rhythms is the defining "thing" that Tres Coronas reference in their debut's title. Though elsewhere they stay steady with straight-up rhymes ("Ahora o Nunca") and playfully sideswipe reggaeton (the irresistible, dancehall-flavored "Vamos a Jugar"), these urban Latinos are at their best when they're most clearly calling out hip-hop culture as their own.