In the mid-2000s, alternative hip-hop duo Kidz in the Hall emerged as the flagship act for the relaunched Rawkus Records, the influential underground rap label that had previously launched pioneering artists such as Mos Def and Talib Kweli prior to suspending operations in 2004. Naledge supplied incisive intellect, vivid imagery, and sharp lyricism while DJ and producer Double O supplied forward-thinking, jazz-tinged beats that evoked the early-’90s style of acts like Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, Gang Starr, and Souls of Mischief.
Chicago native Naledge, born Jabari Evans, had long displayed a creative bent, composing poetry and short stories from age 13 onward, whereas New Jersey-raised Double O, born Michael Aguilar, gravitated toward technology, beginning as a DJ in ninth grade before producing tracks during college. The pair first connected at the University of Pennsylvania; after Double O heard Naledge perform at a campus talent show arranged during a recruiter visit, fellow students directed the rapper toward the skilled turntablist. Over subsequent years the two Ivy League students collaborated frequently and formed a close friendship. Following Naledge’s graduation, he reconnected with Double O, who had moved to Los Angeles to work as an engineer at Sony Studios, and the two formally established Kidz in the Hall. Because Naledge already held a solo contract with the revived Rawkus, he simply transferred the duo to the imprint.
Coverage, largely online, surged once Just Blaze—another technically minded artist, friend, and mentor to Double O—publicly endorsed their work. Naledge and Double O cultivated an extensive Internet presence, issuing multiple mixtapes that heightened anticipation for their well-received Rawkus debut album, School Was My Hustle, issued in October 2006. Their 2008 follow-up, The In Crowd, appeared on the Duck Down label, featured production from Black Milk, and gained notice through the single “Drivin’ Down the Block.” Land of Make Believe arrived in 2010, emphasizing club-oriented material and electro-tinged textures.
