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A civil war for the soul of rap music has been brewing ever since UnKut Dot Com released the salvo asking readers to vote on the biggest hipster rap douchebags. What makes me laugh inside is how sensitive rap fans (and quiet as its kept, rappers) can be about their favorite shit.

The problem with the internets is that thoughts and opinions are transferred so quickly that no one gets a chance to process what is being said. Combine that with the perspective of a thirteen year old and you have all emotion with no understanding. I still love speaking to the little dunns though. They are the future and I am determined for the future not to be too ghey. A little ghey is fine. Too ghey, not so much.

My homeys, the Kidz In The Hall, were placed on the list of hipster rap douchebags and this has touched a nerve or two with their fans. I agree with them that they were on the scene rocking their vintage ‘Lo gear and their vintage I.T.’s before most of these other johnny come lately rap bands, but even KanYe had placed that steez back out front several years ago so they can’t claim that. The Kidz In The Hall find themselves grouped with the hipster rappers because that is what the music business media seeks to do. Artists have to labeled in order to be commodified.

That’s why M.I.A. and SantoGold find themselves being tagged as Hip-Hop acts. If Trip-Hop were still a viable (read: sellable) demographic then I’m sure that is where we would find those ladies. If backpack rap included younger artists then maybe that is where Kidz In The Hall would find themselves also. Instead of worrying about how the media defines them the Kidz should just continue to make that good music. At the end of the day that is what will sell your records.

The Kidz latest CD ‘The In Crowd’ is a significant step up from their Rawkus records debut. Naledge has improved his rhyme flow and his content. While Double O’s production is also on the rise. From their first CD I couldn’t help but listen to these cats and reminisce on shit like ’93 Til Infinity’ and with this next disk some early Clipse / Neptunes productions comes to mind. At least these dudes reflect on the best parts of instant vintage rap music. I have a track here with Naledge and Camp Lo. I fucks with this joint heavy. Nice drums and horns on the beat. Camp Lo goes in. ‘Nuff said.

I don’t mind the Kidz at all, but I hope their future joints really step from behind the shadows of the giants that influenced them. These are young dudes though. They have their whole careers in front of them to create their imprint in this rap shit. They will be around long after all these other hipster rap bands are back to working in the stockroom at IKEA. By that time there will be another demographic patrolling the rap scene, possibly Krip-Hop, or who knows what else. The main thing is that being a top-shelf hipster rap douchebag has worked wonders for Lupe and KanYe. It’s time for the Kidz In The Hall to make it work for them.

Shouts to Double O too for being a good sport and a funny dude.

‘Snob Hop’ (featuring Camp Lo)

‘Mr. Alladatshit’ (feat. Donnis & Chip Tha Ripper)

‘Love Hangover’ (feat. Estelle)
*This shit is a monster hit if radio programmers were into playing music instead of taking payola

‘Drivin’ Down The Block’

‘Wheelz Fall Off’ (’06 til)
*From the album ‘School Was My Hustle’