Search - Naledge & Double O Are Kidz in the Hall :: School Was My Hustle

Return to classic hiphop

E. Aguilar | New York | 10/31/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album reminded me of the mid-nineties new york hiphop I loved but after listening to it for a while, I realized something interesting--none of the rhymes related to gun slinging or drug peddling. It is refreshingly clever and accessible to life-long hiphop fans like myself who have no romantic ideas about crime and thug life. The beats are pure classic hiphop and the entire effect is an album that is endlessly listenable and wholly satisfying. Definitely one of the standout debuts of the year."

I Wish School Was MY Hustle (4.5 stars) [Review #200]

Chandler | Atlanta (College Park), Georgia | 11/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of my co-workers let me hear this entire album on his Ipod. This group Kids In The Hall is quite talented, as two Ivy League School emcees come correct on this here. This album shows excellent lyrical skills comming from Naledge with this album "School Was My Hustle" from the resurrected Rawkus Records. "Don't Stop" and "Cruse Control" were some of my favorites from this album, although I believe every track here was dope. Double O's production has a lot of samples, and it can be heard in most of the songs, but it is still dope. If you did the group Little Brother, I highly recommend that you check these guys out. This album may not be distributed widely like other rap/hip hop albums, but if you come across this here, snatch it up. Peace! (Sorry for the short review)



Lyrics: A

Production: A

Musical Vibes: A+

Overall: A"

The College Graduate.

Pablo | 01/19/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Back in the late-nineties, when Diddy and his gang of faux-Big Poppas were dominating the airwaves, a little label called Rawkus answered hip-hop's heads cries; they gave them dope music. Black Star's album was brilliant, and showed that you didn't have to do your best 2Pac/B.I.G. impersonation to get noticed in the game; something most emcees have still yet to learn. Classic solo debuts from Pharoahe Monch, Talib, and Mos Def also helped solidify the label as a major force in the game, and the largest independent hip-hop label; then, things started to crumble. Fast forward to 2006, and Rawkus are introducing new artists, hoping to find relevance in hip-hop again, and perhaps, even strike gold yet again.



Kidz In the Hall won't be the group to bring acclaim back to Rawkus, though. Naledge is no Talib Kweli, and Naledge is no Hi-Tek; while both are talented artists, they're not phenomenal, as some die-hard Rawkus fans would like you to believe; they definitely have untapped potential, and talent, but as we speak, both of these individuals have a long way to go before they master their craft. Most of the hip-hop debuts found throughout 2006 were more about potential than they were about current quality, though, and Naledge and Double-O join Rhymefest as rookies who can go nowhere but up in the industry.



But, are their current incarnations talented enough to warrant purchasing this album? Honestly, I can't answer that. There's nothing on this album you haven't heard; from the flows, to the rhymes, to the beats. While they both have a lot of room for improvement, that's virtually their key-assett; as of now, there's little difference between them and the kids you know that kick freestyles on the playground. Naledge may claim that school was his hustle, but he doesn't exactly put his Ivy League education to great use on this album; lyrically, it's fair, but again, it's nothing you haven't heard before from a generic conscious emcee; and yes, those exist. Naledge's flow is also lacking many elements.. while he's technically sound, he sounds no different than the average Chi-town emcee, except he lacks many of their distinguished personalities. Lupe, Kanye, and 'Fest are still on top of Chi for a reason, whether you dislike them because of their commercialism or not.



Double-O often sounds like a novice Just Blaze. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Just Blaze; he's one of my favorite producers. However, without Blaze's polish, and soul-chopping techniques, Blaze's production would be rather lackluster; and unfortunately, that's exactly what Double-O's is. While this maybe an independent release, the sound quality on the most of the production is pretty embarrassing, and hinders this release; much like his emcee counterpart, Double-O is technically sound, but he lacks anything that sets him apart from the pack.



These two maybe Ivy League students, but after hearing School Was My Hustle, you'll be inclined to go back to the College Dropout. The concept's been done, and much better; it's not even really in effect in this album. Both Kidz have a lot of potential, but they're only average at the moment, and lacking character. Bottomline is, Kidz In The Hall's debut is worth checking out, but not much beyond that. Recommended if you want a brief glimpse of the future, but you'd probably be better waiting for a Sophomore effort(which, if released on Rawkus, may never see the light of day)."