Simple but innovative, Chicago’s The Cool Kids live up to their name with The Bake Sale—an ‘EP’ with ten tracks—keeping it cool with repetitive references to ice cream (and other food items) on opening track “What Up Man,” and track two—aptly entitled “One Two.” As for the first, having noticed the track was backed by a beat formed out of what sounds like mashed up vocal samples, the song itself confirms it with the line, “Did ya know I made this beat with my mouth and a bell?”

Another standout is “88” with another immediate food reference: “Shoes on my feet sweeter than sweet peas.” 1988 was notably a pinnacle era for hip-hop, but these cats even throw in a reference to Men Without Hats’ Rhythm of Youth (“We can dance if you want to/We can leave your friends behind/’Cuz if the friends don’t dance/And if they don’t dance/Then they ain’t no friends o’ mine”) . Included in the head nods is a throwback to the Geto Boys’ Yes Yes Yall.

This album takes hip-hop to an awesome new level; relieving us of the Hyphy/Dirty South, and having nothing to do with Turfy/Gangster shit. (On “A Little Cooler,” they brag about sitting on the couch eating Fruity Pebbles and shopping at boutiques as apposed to all the street, club bullshit.)

Bake Sale is the development anyone with discerning taste has been waiting for—although it’s not surprising at all to hear it come from these youngsters (Chuck Inglish is 23 and Mikey Rocks just 19). Since hooking up and knocking it down since ’05 on their self-made Creating Art For Kids Everywhere label, these kids have been leading up to this album obviously for years now.

P.S. – If you’re diggin’ this, get your head around some Kid Sister—Melissa Young—who is the kid sister of J2K of Flosstradamus… AND some Flosstradamus. Chicago’s got it going ON right now!!

www.coolxkids.com

Jef Hoskins | July 2, 2008

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