Kidz In The Hall: Double-O (The Producer) & Naledge (The MC)
Gowhere Hip Hop is proud to present another EXCLUSIVE interview as I was privileged enough to talk to both members of Kidz In The Hall - Double-O & Chicago’s own, Naledge! Both members had some very interesting things to say about the creative process behind their work, influences in hip hop and elsewhere, the success of “Drivin’ Down The Block”, & their endorsement of likely Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama! It is definitely a MUST-READ for all you hip hop fans so check out the transcript of our conversation below! And be sure 2 scroll down for an all-NEW track by Kidz In The Hall, along with a couple more goodies! Enjoy!
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GWHH: Well, the first question I have for you guys is: What is the story behind the formation of Kidz In The Hall? And how did you guys meet and eventually collaborate to form the duo?
Double-O: Well, we met at school at the University of Pennsylvania and we started working together and basically there was nobody else in our crew. We were trying to make it in the industry and basically we were the only ones so, you know, we decided that we would rely on each other to make that happen.
GWHH: Nice, so I guess moving on, how does the creative process work between you two when developing a track? For instance, does Naledge come up with some lyrics and come to you for a beat, or vice versa, or is it something in between?
Naledge: All of the above. Yeah, all of those ways. I think more now than ever, he [Double-O] just comes up with stuff that I would probably like because he already knows what I probably would want to get on. And I might come up with somethin’ that day or if the track speaks to me right away.
GWHH: Alright, cool. Any input from you, Double-O?
Double-O: Yeah, yeah! I mean, it’s one of those things that we’ve been working together since 2000 so we know kinda where we wanna go so we can speak without speaking most of the times when it comes to the music.
GWHH: Ok, cool. Yeah, that’s interesting. I’m always curious as to how that process works behind the scenes, in the studio, especially with another person.
Double-O: Yeah, I mean it depends. I mean, if we’re together, then, you know, there’s always be a lot of back and forth in terms of tweaking things here and there and otherwise, it might take a little longer, but we can go back and forth, you know, trying something, going back, trying it again, kinda thing that would take a little longer when we’re not together.
GWHH: So yeah, going along with that, can you guys talk about how each of your styles play off each other to make each other better? For instance, Naledge, how does Double-O’s production style affected your growth as a rapper, and vice versa?
Naledge: Well, I mean, obviously.. [..breaks up..] he has to inspire me to do what I do. It’s not like.. he can make a song, and to write a rap, but to create a song, there has to be inspiration. The beauty of it is that, you know, while he knows my comfort zone, he sometimes pushes me outside of it. If I go on a beat that I normally wouldn’t get on, then I see a reaction, it’s like, ‘Wow! He was right!’. When a lot of times, I’m stubborn and I hear people saying go over this beat over and over versus the type of record I want to make. You know, going foreign, and going a lot of places has opened my eyes to a lot of things. Like I was straight hip hop, R&B, jazz, just the coolest black music. And then travelin’ and goin’ around the world, like I’m gettin’ into different things… like a Daft Punk record, or a Justin record, or, you know what I mean? Like even tho they’re big, like a Duran Duran, or a Pink Floyd. Like that shit I haven’t really thought about. And going to Europe and seeing how it is now, its stuff that Double-O can incorporate into the music and probably knowing that that’s what’s up outside of the backpack realm. And now I listen to it and understand it and am more comfortable with it.
GWHH: So Double-O, have you felt that Naledge has contributed to your growth as a producer as well?
Double-O: Yeah, oh definitely! Because the reality is, like.. as a producer sometimes, the hardest thing is to be able to make a record that still allows the MC to shine, you know? Like, you still have to make a record that the people can get into and listen to. So that the whole song is not just one dope beat and a few dope lines; it’s everything put together. So I think that, you know, a lot of just workin’ with him is learning his nuances, and knowing when to go in and out and really just build off his style and then building the records around him. So when they start as a [..breaks up..] and then it builds out into the whole song, once it’s recorded, then I can go back in and say, ‘Ok, this line is crazy’ or ‘This whole part is crazy’ and then I can make sure that it’s really shown.
GWHH: Yeah, so the beat can enhance it, you know? So, cool, yeah. I can definitely see that. So, obviously with the big record, “Drivin’ The Block”, that was a huge hit for you guys. Did you guys imagine just how big the success of that record would be in hip hop and in the mainstream?
Double-O: We knew it was going to be good, cuz it was one of those things where you know you have that type of record that could definitely work. You know, until.. what I think we didn’t plan on, was people really taking to it like in terms of radio DJs and people like that.. Like DJ Enuff, and those types of people, and rocking it without even really having that little push that major labels give it sometimes. They just played it cuz they loved the record. So I think that caught us by surprise, but we knew it was going to get a positive reaction.
GWHH: So along with that, how do you feel its success is in the progression of underground hip hop?
Double-O: Well, I mean.. I don’t know. I’m not underground.
GWHH: Well what I mean by that - kinda like the more conscious hip hop style that is becoming more prevalent now, transitioning now from that gangster type rap and ringtone type rap, like do you guys just feel like this can pave the way for artists like yourselves?
Double-O: Well, I think that there’s an entire shift that’s happening right now that incorporates us at the forefront of it, which is like, the shit is not necessarily from gangster rap to an alternative form of rap, as much as it is old to new. There’s a lot of older heads that are graduating to that next level, where not to say that they’re not going to put albums out, but they’re going to cater to a much older audience, whereas we can now cater to the mainstream, current audience. And I think you can see a lot of the other groups, The Cool Kids, and people like that, coming out and breaking new ground, and becoming the leaders of the New School. Like, that is the biggest shift to me.
GWHH: Oh, I see, I see. I like that approach, yeah. Naledge, do you have anything to add?
Naledge: Oh, I mean, honestly.. inspiration is what you do in life. I feel like, how do you become conscious? Like is everybody dead? Like whatever your reality is, you want to be at the forefront, you want to be as the main guy as possible. Like, who as an artist wants to be confined to a small realm? I think what happens is that artists get comfortable in the realm they can be in and it’s easier to get comfortable then come with an edge. Oh, because these are the people that have always done somethin’ for them and for them, and so then they learn the specific type of record that that person wants and they just sit in that zone. But a true artist always wants to bring more people and break new boundaries, so it’s not really about.. it’s just about reaching as many people as possible. It’s not like we’re, you know, going to make the same record next time around. It’s just a snapshot; it’s almost like an art collection. Picasso is not going to give you the same fuckin’ collection of pieces every time around, you know what I mean?
GWHH: Cool. Yeah, I see that. So another question that we have, that we pretty much ask every artist we interview is, how do you guys feel about the state of hip hop today and how do you see the genre progressing into the future? And I know you guys have already touched on that a lil’ bit…
Double-O: Yeah, we already started answering that question, but I think the evolution right now is a lot of, you know, it’s breaking into the ground where you just have… Hip hop needs to split up into two generations and I think that’s starting to happen. Like, the older generation is starting to get comfortable with the fact that they don’t need to love Soulja Boy. They don’t have to love what’s on the radio because they have other options to listen to like artists they grew up on who are still making good records. So it’s kind of like, just listen to them. There’s nothing wrong with just listening to that. So I think that is the big progression now. And hip hop has to get to that point where you can have the Easy Rock listening station. And you know, the Easy Hip Hop listening station, the Adult Contemporary Hip Hop, and you can still have the stuff currently right now - 3rd level of hip hop that is definitely a certain level of that as well. So it has to bridge that gap that rock has as well.
GWHH: Hmm I see, ok. Naledge, anything else you wanna weigh in?
Naledge: I think the game is just moving to a place where people are free. You know, I think rap being a more.. ever since day one, it’s been viewed as a comedy, you know what I’m saying? Now it’s viewed as a true art form. People today in hip hop - they use the perspective of their constraints that they were born out of. Now we’re at a point where it’s a global thing. The language of you. It’s not just the language of blacks in the ghetto. Now you have everybody weighing in with their perspectives, so it it’s diversifying and at the same time, it’s a lovely thing. With the money, and the fact that it is a business and all this money is being generated from it, you can’t take the artist’s dream, you can’t make some of the things more formulated. Just see on MySpace, you can see that there’s a rapper from every place with every story and every style that you can even think of and that’s a beautiful thing. You know, we can go all the way to Ireland, somebody walks and freestyles for us. Take it even further, going to Germany, they have rappers and they have their own style, their own culture, their own streetwear apparel, their own brand. That’s how far this has gone; to see how this is progressing, it’s a beautiful thing.
GWHH: Yeah, and being in the States, I don’t have much exposure to artists out there and I know you guys just came from out there and were able to see that. And that’s somethin’ the whole world has to offer in hip hop..
Naledge: Yeah, and even just black and white people in America. For a long time, in the 90s, you only saw a certain type of person. It was very two-dimensional. Now you’re seeing artists that are able to make a good ol’ record and then turn around and make a record about politics and then turn around and make a record about the (gun trade?). It’s something now where you’re not rapping at yourself. It’s really an art form. It’s really about skill at this point and that’s a beautiful thing. Being able to explore the artistry of it. With jazz, or rock groups, with blues groups, or all those art forms.. we’re at the point also where anybody can have access to the art form. And that could be a good thing or it could be a bad thing and that’s where it’s going. The bad thing is that you’re going to have an influence from artists and rappers - rap music with different styles. And that could be a good thing as well. The problem that I have is people that don’t take it seriously and are in it more for other things, but throughout all of that I find people that are pushing boundaries and are going to be the next superstars and trying to push it forward and that’s what we’re trying to do.
GWHH: Yeah, I can see that going both ways, exactly. I was wondering if there are any specific artists in hip hop or outside of hip hop that you enjoy and that influence your style?
Naledge: I mean, it’s been well documented that I kinda came up on Common, but also Q-Tip. I felt like he’s very slept on, very underrated. I feel like when people mention the top MCs, a lot of times they leave him out and I feel like, I was just explaining to somebody, that he’s the master of a certain type of flow. Like he’s able to get a lot of confidence with only a few words. Nowadays, and the type of rap that we do, your verses can get so criticized, and when he was doin’ it, his style was so different that I think people would sleep on him lyrically.
Double-O: For me, it’s more of everything. Like it can be a small element of somebody else’s record, a small element of somebody else’s song, that really inspires me to do, you know, everything, a little detail anywhere.
GWHH: Cool, yeah, I can see that approach. Another thing I noticed in The In Crowd, Naledge, was a lot of references to the NBA, and being a big NBA fan, it drew me closer to your record. I was just wondering how outside influences like the NBA or other interest make an impact in your lyrics?
Naledge: We’re social commentators. We’re all social commentators at the end of the day. You know, everything that you soak up, everything that is a part of popular culture, I’m very aware. I’m always, you know, watching television, reading the paper, on the internet. Sports was a big part of my life. I was an athlete all the way up through college. ESPN is one of my favorite webpages, SportsCenter is one of my favorite TV shows, so you know what I’m sayin? I collect baseball cards. Like, there’s a lot of things. I was a big sports fan, I watch sports all day everyday. You know, anything that I do or see, movies that I’ll watch, everything like that will pop up every now and then in the rhymes. I reference movies all the time, I reference a lot of different things. The WWF, I’ll reference that every now and then.
GWHH: With Double-O, is there anything like that, not necessarily sports, but maybe like art or something like that maybe kinda has an influence on your style?
Double-O: Honestly, like I literally, you can just soak up a conversation and it’ll make you kinda wanna do something a different way. Like I said, it’s just paying attention and being mindful of what the hell is going on around you. Like it could be a random, you know, ability or instrument on a TV commercial that makes you want to go and make a beat, you know what I’m sayin?
GWHH: Well, lastly, I got one last question for ya. In 2007, you guys became the first hip hop group to publicly endorse likely Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama. I was wondering if you guys can both weigh in on what makes Obama the right leader for the country in the future, and also why do you feel it’s important for artists like yourselves to support him publicly?
Double-O: Well, I mean for me, moreso than the artist, as a man, like, if I want to make a statement or back somebody, I’m going to do it. I think that we need to not always see ourselves as artists as much as we are people that have a certain level influence. For me, why I like Obama, because it took me a few seconds to get behind him, was just like inspiration. He can do a lot in a simple speech that people have been trying to do for 30 years and hasn’t been able to. I think that’s going to be important in office because it becomes now a situation where, you’re going to have to work in conjunction with him to get anything popped off. Like, you’re not going to be able to just, think that and everything’s going to be better. You’re going to have to work as hard in your area to change the things around you, and you can through [Obama] in office. Just the other day, it’s run by the people man and if we wanted change, then we have to do so as well. So for me, that was the biggest thing is that he actually convinced to an audience that hasn’t had anyone talk to them in a long time.
Naledge: I mean, he covered all bases and for me, coming from Chicago, that’s a natural thing. But, to show support for Barack Obama, just seeing what he did to help the country. I think that, and what he’s thinking about and being able to take that to a national level. No one has been able to inspire Chicago since Harold Washington died. And you know, as a young kid.. as an organizer, he would not take no for answer. And Chicago is not one of those cities that’s easy to crack, especially if you’re not somebody who’s born and raised there or not part of the old guard. So, for him, with immersing himself in the community, a lot of people look at it as a weird thing and they thought the importance of, why don’t you just go out and get yourself a corporate job and stay outta the community and not function. And work in a way, so diligent and when it comes to the people, and he learned how to motivate. And he’s a fighter! He lost 2 elections before he ever won, he considered leaving politics altogether. You know, he’s a fighter! He’s what we need, running our country. He’s the type of model that we need to follow. I’d rather have that than what we have already.
GWHH: Right, yeah. Cool…well, that’s pretty much all I got. I hope we covered a lot, if you got any shout-outs 2 say, feel free…
Naledge: The In Crowd is in stores now! Everybody gotta go get that. Visit us on kidzinthehall.com or visit us on MySpace or visit us on Facebook. Last but not least, I wanna make sure that people understand that backpack rap is in. We are not hipsters, we are a team. And we the best new group in hip hop today. Put us up against anybody you want, we’re better than them. It doesn’t matter. Beats, lines, hooks. We can battle in the streets, if you want, whatever. We’re better. 2008, everything. Hip hop. There ya go.
Interview conducted by Sgt. Tibs
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Kidz In The Hall “Drivin’ Down The Block (West Coast RMX)” f/ Pac Div, Tyga, Glasses Malone, & Mistah F.A.B.
***NEW*** - FULL, CDQ *Tibs Fav.™
Kidz In The Hall “Work To Do (Change) RMX” f/ Bun B & Talib Kweli
Producer: Double-O - FULL, CDQ, Ode 2 Obama *Tibs Fav.™
Kidz In The Hall “Let Your Hair Down” f/ Skyzoo & Lil’ Eddie
Producer: Double-O - Track from 2008 album, The In Crowd *Tibs Fav.™
Above is an all-new track by the Kidz - the West Coast RMX of “Drivin’ Down The Block” that is hot! It features some up and coming West Coast rappers and incorporates some old school Dr. Dre into the original “Drivin’ Down The Block” beat! The two trax below that are old, but good ones if you don’t have them already. The first track is the RMX to the Kidz’ song supporting Obama featuring Bun B & Talib Kweli and the second is from the album, The In Crowd, and features some of the NBA references that I mentioned in one question (NBA nuts will marvel at the lines name-dropping Shane Battier & Ahmad Rashad… listen up!). Lastly, GWHH would like to thank Kidz In The Hall for their time, input, and cooperation with the interview and Wes for making it all possible! Be sure 2 check out a couple, related GWHH links below! Enjoy!
Kidz In The Hall @ GWHH
Previous Exclusive Interviews With GWHH
~ Sgt. Tibs
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