It’s only expected that two Ivy Leaguers turn to hip-hop after graduation. Double O, a DJ and producer from New Jersey, and Naledge a MC from Chicago met as undergrads at University of Pennsylvania and for the past decade they have been making music as hip-hop duo, Kidz in the Hall. Their new album “Land of Make Believe” releases March 9 and in an interview with Whutupdoe.com, The Kidz talk about the album, who they’re feeling from Detroit and what they would like to change about hip-hop.

WHUTUPDOE: How did you get into hip-hop?

Double O: I grew up in this quote unquote Golden Era of hip-hop. I grew up in New York before I moved to Jersey, and there were two things going on, crack and hip-hop. It was inevitable that I would become infatuated with the music. I started Djing very early right when ‘Juice’ came out, in ‘93 or ‘94. I’ve always had the musical background but the bug really bit me when I got to college and I started doing more things that were industry related and interning for Sony was like the eye-opener.

WHUTUPDOE: What is the concept of “Land of Make Believe?” How would you describe this album?

Double O: It’s our most personal album. Conceptually, it’s about deciphering what’s reality and what’s illusion and if illusion can become reality. “Land of Make Believe” is that idea that on the path to success, a lot of times people will call you delusional and crazy and people will think that what you are trying to do is a dream, but it can manifest into something real. Then personally, Naledge went back to Chicago and recorded a lot of the album while he was in Chicago and going back to Chicago having been on BET and MTV, having traveled the world and doing all these things and people perceiving you a certain way even though they may have know you your whole life. A lot of that self-reflection goes into it the album too; he was like did I think I was going to be here, do I enjoy where I am now, what have I done and what have I written to get here.

WHUTUPDOE: There are some dope features on this album, like Just Blaze, Colin Munroe, Amanda Diva, Marsha Ambrosius, anybody that you still want to work with?

Naledge: Raphael Saadiq, I want to work with him and I say the same thing in every interview. I’m just going to keep putting that energy into the air. I believe that he is a genius in so many different ways; he has a good energy and I feel like if I was in the same room with him we’d make some crazy records.

WHUTUPDOE: What is your favorite track?

Double O: I love all the records, especially for me putting together the songs and the entire way the album is going to play, it’s hard for me to just pick one. If you pull this track out then this doesn’t make sense or if you pull that track out then that doesn’t make sense. I’m excited for people to hear certain records like “Take Over the World” and “Running” I love the album as a whole.

WHUTUPDOE: Who, besides yourselves, have you been listening to?

Naledge: Jay Electronica, We’ve been listening to Jay Electronica for a while we actually have a record with him that dates back to before “The In Crowd.” I’ve been a fan of his music and his level of lyricism is just talented and he has a good energy. I listen to Lupe, I think he’s dope. As far as new era artists, B.o.B., Curren$y is also a friend of mine who I listen to. I need somebody to find Melanie Fiona for me, because I want to propose to her.

You have to mention Slum [Village] and taking it a bit further, Royce Da 5’9″ is one of my favorite rappers ever, I think he is very underrated. – Naledge

WHUTUPDOE: Who are your favorite Detroit hip-hop artists?

Naledge: You have to mention Slum [Village] and taking it a bit further, Royce Da 5’9″ is one of my favorite rappers ever, I think he is very underrated. I like cats like, the Quest MCODY’s of the world, the whole battle rap thing, I like the way that they attack. I’ve always felt that style, it’s very aggressive. Mr. Porter does that well too, I feel that there is so much dope stuff out of Detroit. I love Dwele,  Dwele isn’t a rapper but he used to be a rapper. Guilty [Simpson] and Black [Milk] are people we respect and have worked with before. I know I just said Slum, but Elzhi is another MC that is very underrated. I’ve gotten in arguments about Elzhi, like people saying he was not even supposed to be in the group, and I’m like “what the f–k are you talking about?” If  you want to take it to the left, a lot of people don’t realize Chuck Inglish is from Detroit, they think he’s from Chicago even though he slides a lot of Detroit references into his records.

WHUTUPDOE: Naledge, I heard you’re supposed to be doing a solo album, is this going to affect KITH in any way?

Naledge: I think a lot of people misconstrued it, when I put out “College Picasso,” I just make a lot of music. The original idea for me to put out a solo project was because that was the original deal that was put on the table with our label and it had its own budget and was its own entity. For me, at this point there really is no difference between a Kidz in the Hall record and a Naledge record, the only difference is that there is a whole bunch of different producers. I have a problem with not being able to stay away from the studio there are not enough beats that a person can make for the amount of rhymes that I write. I write everyday, I get beats sent to me everyday, so I just make music. Sometimes I feel like certain songs don’t fit in the scheme of our album depending on the direction of the album and I put them to the side but I still feel like they should be heard. Why not let people hear this music?

WHUTUPDOE: If you can change anything about hip-hop now, what would you change?

Double O: I wish that people would listen more and spend more time with the music. People ask, ‘Yo how do you get heard these days?’ and I tell them it’s easy to get heard but it’s hard to get people to listen. It’s one of those things where everyone may have 20 songs and each one is from a different artist and they like that song but they don’t hear anything else and what happens after that point? We love the connection between our fans and us as artists. There is so much dope music coming out right now, that I wish people would listen more and really take the time to let it soak in. Listen to the album, and really listen to it.

Naledge: I just don’t like everybody rushing everything.

“Land of Make Believe” will go on sale March 9. Kidz in the Hall will be in the area on March 11 at the Crofoot in Pontiac, Mich. for The Crowd Control Tour which features 88-Keys, Izza Kizza, and Donnis, as well.

Check out, “Out To Lunch,” featuring The Kid Daytona from Land Of Make Believe.

“Out To Lunch” ft. The Kid Daytona by duckdown

Spread The Good Word!

•