By Ahmad Awadallah
Kidz In The Hall shares the name of a hilarious Canadian sketch comedy group. What they also share is a fun-filled, devil-may-care attitude infused in their music.

They have quickly become the most consistently fun group in Hip-Hop despite their short time in the game. Their newest LP, Occasion, features tracks that push for the crossover and avoid the mean mugging spectacle that saddles so much Hip-Hop music these days. However, the album sports more crossover material than their past works, which ultimately hinders its cohesiveness.

The duo has historically linked up with fellow Hip-Hop artists to create music magic (we all remember the Sean Price and MC Lyte joints from the last two albums) and Occasion is no exception. “Pour It Up,” featuring Southern vets Davis Banner and Bun B is one of many standout records on the album. The track has an upbeat, get hammered premise, while concurrently paying homage to the late great Pimp C. The Kidz keep it in the dirty, teaming up with Killa Kyleon on the track “Crash Dummy.” Killa’s dynamic flow strangely fits with Naledge’s slow-paced style, but the beat lacks that low-end oomph for the headnodders.

CTE member Freddie Gibbs comes through sparking some blunt-inspired bars on “Players Of The Century.” Again, Double-O throws-up another commercially-viable, mainstream soluble track with solid but unspectacular production.

One song that’s sure to bump through the popped speakers of college students’ cars is  “Break It Down.” The song is heavily Rock-infused with a vigorous, commanding Naledge who raps:

Smoking in that mind field/99 percent of our fans wear high heels/99 percent of these bands don’t sign deals/ask anybody in my hood, I’m signed-sealed,

Certainly, one of the few tracks that both have that timeless appeal and can achieve a significant amount of radio spins.

Anton Genius suffuses his gracious aura on “Won’t Remember Tonight.” Double-O applies jubilant trumpets meshed with a rhythmic drum pattern. The production is crafted smoothly and demonstrates Double-O’s versatility as a producer. It is another track that definitely has the ability to crossover with industry backing. “I Swear” and “Star” both possess the vintage sound that captivated the underground years ago and adds some much-needed balance to the LP’s “college radio-friendly” sound.

The duo was definitely seeking a chill feel and they were successful in their attempt. Unfortunately they lacked the balance present on their past albums. Not their best effort, but the overall album is proof that the Kidz aren’t playing.

3 out of 5

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