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2/22/2006 First off, congratulations for signing with Rawkus... Naledge: Thank you very much. The negotiations have been an arduous process and I'm glad it's finally done. Now we're ready to proceed to change the game. Double-0 (Producer): It is definitely a good day How have HipHopGame and the internet played in getting you some notoriety and eventually this deal? Naledge: The internet was key in Kidz In The Hall going from a local crew to a national movement. The internet has no boundaries or time constraints and allows you to reach a niche market easier. Being that our movement was very rooted in the college market, we knew that the best avenue to attack was through the internet. HipHopGame was the very first hip-hop site to take a real chance and consistently post my music on their site even though I didn't have a deal. They never tried to charge me to get on their site, or bullshit me about why they weren't able to post my music. I've had label meetings purely based on an A&R peeping my songs on HipHopGame. I feel like y'all broke me to a lot of people. People in the street also recognize me from HHG. I'll forever pub this site. It's the realest site. Double-0: This is a lesson to all those cats trying to promote themselves on a shoe-string budget. The internet if used correctly is an excellent tool for self promotion. You just have to be smart and creative about doing things. The support of sites like HipHopGame is crucial. If you align yourselves with the proper brands and respected entities people will take notice. A lot of people thought Rawkus was no more, what can you tell us about the 'new' Rawkus? Rawkus was on hiatus for about 3 years when they broke their deal with Geffen. The new Rawkus will be the platform for the Kidz in the Hall movement and it will continue the legacy it has always had as the most innovative underground brand in hip hop. I hope to help lead that movement. How does it feel to resurrect the legendary Rawkus brand? Naledge: We haven't done anything yet. To me, Rawkus won't be resurrected until an acclaimed product is released in stores. There's a difference between being invited into a fraternity and being the president of a fraternity. The real work begins after induction. Double-0: Sometimes when I sit back it is absurd to think that you are now at the forefront of a brand that you grew up on and admire so much. Now that we are 'in' the next step is making sure we put our best efforts into this project. To breathe life back into such an acclaimed brand is a huge undertaking. I believe that this is the perfect climate for the return of Rawkus and we have the music to do so. Who else is on Rawkus today? Naledge: As far as I know just The Procussions, a Christian rap group out of Colorado. There are other deals in the works... What kind of deal did you sign with Rawkus? I signed my deal through a joint venture between Hustle Period and Rawkus. Hustle Period is run by John Monopoly, who is one of Kanye's managers and is President of G.O.O.D. Music and Datu Faison, who manages Consequence and Carl Thomas. The deal is unique because although my solo will be the introduction, the Kidz in the Hall project is also a priority to the label and it will follow my debut. Double-0: The joint venture, I believe, will allow us to attack on all cylinders. Hustle and Rawkus both understand how to take something from a grass-roots movement to a mainstream phenomenon. Will Just Blaze play a role in the recording process of your album? A big role. Besides giving beats, he will play a great role creatively in just providing his input on the songs we have and helping me to mold a cohesive album. Just is involved in my project to make sure I create the best songs musically to get my points across. He has seen a few classic albums during their creation, so his help is invaluable. Double-0: We knew from Day 1 that we wanted Just involved. There are few people producing at that elite level, so to have him on our team is a great honor. His knowledge of hip-hop is rivaled by few. You've also worked with Rhymefest, any songs in the works? Naledge: Fest is the big homie. We will definitely be working together. I actually laid a verse on the street remix of his single Brand New. A few DJ's have spun it and he allowed me to perform it with him at an Adidas party here in Chicago. I wish Fest the best of luck with his shit. He is very underrated. The work atmosphere surrounding you sounds perfect: Just Blaze, No ID, Sa-Ra, etc... what can we expect from your first album under Rawkus? Naledge: I think I have the sleeper album of the year. I will stop at nothing but to create something that I feel is classic. Having people like Double O, Just and Taz around will help because they care about the music as well. I aim to make an album that gives me the same feeling I had when I popped in Resurrection for the first time. Expect no frills raw Chicago hip hop. Double-0: I think we are going to surprise a lot of people. We are both so prepared to put together the best product possible. We've recorded so many songs already but we are still going to record more. Then go back and tweak every syllable, snare and bass line possible. This is a great year to be 14-16 years old. I really feel like this album will be that album that makes you fall in love with hip-hop. Double-0, how do you feel about splitting production duties with Just Blaze and Memo? To a certain extent I am the newbie in this project. Just Blaze and Memo have made a name for themselves in their respective communities already. This is also going to be my opportunity to solidify my name and production with those of the greats. At the same time to have a great overall product you need to have a unified product not just 12 dope beats. We are all working together to get the best out of each other and create a cohesive product. And I'm going to steal all their drums kits (laughs) nah just playing. You're both Ivy-leaguers; do you think it is a blessing or a curse in today's industry? Naledge:: Being Ivy League means nothing more than us having a label to brand us as intelligent or "conscious" but Double O and I are intellectual individuals anyways. We didn't need our degrees to validate that. At the same time, the Ivy League is an elite community that few kids from the inner city are given entry. In this industry, anything that makes one unique is a blessing. As long as you own your identity and maintain your hustle, the music will be the only thing that matters. As long as people buy into your message and believe it, you're good. Double-0: To me it's definitely been a blessing. Not even just being Ivy-Leaguers but specifically being UPenn graduates I think has been a great benefit. The campus is built on success, but not just 9-5 successes. So many of the graduates before us carved their own niche; whether it be an internet start-up, invention, music career or teaching, Penn's lineage is full of go-getters. When you spend 4 years in that mentality you cannot help but want to create your own lane. Do you want to appeal to a specific type of fan base? Naledge: Nope. I hope to inspire the masses. Anyone who will listen to me, I will have a song that can speak to them. You know people say, 'you can't please all of the people all of the time'? Well, that's my goal. Unfortunately, the label will target the market that they feel will be more likely to buy the record. Double-0: As an artist or musician you want everyone to hear what you have to offer to the world. There is no reason to limit your listeners. I know this statement is clich? but music IS a universal language. Look at how Hip-hop in such a short span has crossed every national border and been heard or heard of by so many races and nationalities. We just want to continue that progress. A lot of people compare you to Lupe Fiasco, can you tell us what separates you from Lupe? First off, shouts to Lupe. He, Fest and Saigon are the only new rappers who inspire me these days.... To answer you, what separates us, is that we are two very different people with much different life experience. I don't skateboard, I don't proclaim to be a nerd and I'm not Muslim. At the same time he's not the son of two doctors, a Jack and Jill type or an Ivy League graduate. That being said, our point of view will be somewhat different. The thread that makes us similar is that we care about our lyrics the utmost degree and we are often said to rap "over people's heads." I think people compare because we are both new artists from Chicago who are not mainstream. How do you feel about the current state of Hip-Hop in Chicago? Naledge: Industry wise it's better than it has ever been. Talent-wise, I think we always had tons of talented artists. Some of the most versatile rappers are in Chicago. The one thing that troubles me is that we don't support each other enough. If we banded together like Atlanta or Houston, the game would have a problem.

By Dee Jekyll

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Click here to read Kidz in The Hall's first interview on HHG Also check Kidzinthehall.com