Looking at their track record, you could conclude Kidz in the Hall have been dealt a bad hand. Showing up a tad late to the backpack renaissance, Penn graduates Naledge and Double-O have spent three records now trying on several different hats, none of which fit particularly well or were worn comfortably. Maybe we just expected two Ivy Leaguers to make music that was challenging musically and lyrically; instead we got odes to drunk girls and corny self-esteem lectures. If that's how they want to get down, the more power to them.
Land of Make Believe pitches itself as the most ambitious record of the duo's career, most notably thanks to Double-O's sample-free production. It's a clear attempt to steer from the classic hip-hop staples and try to update the Kidz's sound. Double-O always had a good ear for the soul-driven boom-bap that marked their debut and 2008's The In Crowd, so this route, albeit contemporary, removes a strength from his work. From the flat chip-tune bounce of "Running" (a "Day 'N' Nite" rip if there ever was one) to the diet-disco on "L_O_V_E", most of Land of Make Believe is going for a decidedly pop and "now" look, but one that often feels unnatural.
The long list of guests here indicates a record in need of some padding, but most of these names provide little more than hook fodder. For every Kid Daytona (who does a pretty enjoyable Slick Rick on "Out to Lunch") there's a handful of unnecessary rappers and overly dramatic crooners adding to the already chintzy mélange. Most notable is Canadian goofball Colin Munroe, whose hook on the appallingly schmaltzy, big-album-moment "Take Over the World" (co-produced by Just Blaze) finally confirms that Mr. Hudson's feature fee is as dangerously high as we feared.
Along with a lack of hooks, the real trouble lies with Naledge. He's always sported a decent flow and been able to pull off the occasional clever punch (opening "Intro" is a good example) throughout his career. Between being often either overvalued or undervalued, it's no wonder Naledge spends a good portion of Land of Make Believe explaining how much effort he expends trying to prove himself. Too bad he never really uses any of this space to actually make a case either way.
Instead, most of Naledge's time is spent shrouded behind Cartier shades, talks about getting drunk like he's still a junior in high school, and making grandiose claims about his mic proficiency. Naledge often finds himself tangled in contradiction, or simply stuck in worn conceptual territory. The overwrought sex jams ("Bougie Girls", "Jukebox") and flossing ad nauseam ("Fresh Academy") might be tacky, but he's never as unbecoming as when his braggadocio lies in direct contention to his actual skill set. It's in these instances that the Kidz once again find themselves scrambling to catch up, no matter how they try and convince that they're in the lead.
