Grade: B

The unlikely duo of Naledge (Jabari Evans) and Double-O (Michael Aguilar) are the latest additions to the burgeoning Chicago hip hop scene, following much the same lines as Kanye West, Common and Lupe Fiasco.

But they bring their own unique spin to the game.

See, Kidz in the Hall may not be the only up-and-coming hip hoppers from Chicago, but they might be the only serious contenders coming from an Ivy League college.

Naledge and Double-O met at the University of Pennsylvania, first impressing their schoolmates, then catching the attention of uber-credible underground hip hop label Rawkus Records, grabbed the ear of super-producer Just Blaze who oversaw “School Was My Hustle,” and who is slated to produce Naledge’s solo debut next spring.

The kinetic production of Double-O is immediately what sets the duo’s debut apart. His beats are straightforward, but he adds little things over time, making the song build and develop — something many producers forget to do.

But Double-O doesn’t carry the whole album. Naledge is a confident emcee without the blustery arrogance that plagues contemporaries like West. His lyrics don’t rely on being either street-smart or book-smart, but rather pop culture-smart — in “Wheelz Fall Off (’06 Til),” he talks about “Tryin’ to be a black McCartney.”

His delivery is sharp and precise, and he comes across as a generally affable fellow. Affable, for those unfamiliar with the word, is not an adjective commonly used to describe rappers… with the possible ironic exception of Common.

“Wassap Jo'” is catchier than 99 percent of hip hop singles on the radio right now, while “Ms. Juanita” might be the most blatant ode to a teacher since Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher.” “Hypocrite” is a lighthearted jab at infidelity, while the closing track “Day By Day” features both Naledge’s smoothest flow and Double-O’s most airy, epic beat.

The lyrics might not be revolutionary, but they’re far from contrived. The beats may be straightforward, but they are anything but predictable or sparse.

Kidz in the Hall are definitely hip hop for students — they don’t have too hard, but they will find endless enjoyment bobbing their heads between classes.

Evan Thorne is a music critic for the Northern Star.