Kidz in the Hall, The in Crowd

Backpacker hip-hop has long had a bad rap: nerdishness is not a quality that makes for a great MC, and worthiness is off-putting. But like fellow Chicago resident Lupe Fiasco, Kidz in the Hall are smart enough to rise above the cliches and avoid the pitfalls. Producer Double-O is in love with the old school - The In Crowd is propelled mostly by a proliferation of 90s samples and retro arrangements - but he is inventive enough to breathe life into the nostalgia trip; the summery glide of Love Hangover, with its insouciant Estelle cameo, and the rich fullness of The Pledge are testament to Double-O's improvement since the Kidz' debut. MC Naledge, meanwhile, is able to smarten up and dumb down at will; with his smooth, slightly nasal flow, he comes off like a friendlier, more anxious Pusha T.