NALEDGE aka Mr. Brain

Bio:

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The MCing half of progressive rap duo Kidz in the Hall, Naledge was born Jabari Evans in Cincinnati, OH, but grew up on Chicago's Southside since he was two years old. Raised by two Ph.D.educated parents, the highschool valedictorian academically had an easy time in school and found his niche in poetry and writing. However, it was cousin Memo, one-third of Chicago production outfit the Molemen, that convinced him to transform his writing prowess into hiphop rhymes. He first met his DJ/producer partner DoubleO in 2000 on a recruiting visit to the University of Pennsylvania, and the two became good friends and musical collaborators. While still attending Penn, Naledge acquired a solo deal with Rawkus Records, but ended up bringing the Kidz in the Hall brand under Rawkus management as well, once he and DoubleO finally decided to start the group. Soon after Naledge graduated from Penn in 2004, he released The College Graduate mixtape, which was a nod to Kanye West's breakout debut album, The College Dropout. After a few Kidz in the Hall mixtapes and an aggressive Internet promoting campaign, Naledge and DoubleO dropped their debut, School Was My Hustle, in 2006. Naledge's solo debut, tentatively titled Naledge Is Power, was intended to come out not long after the Kidz in the Hall LP, but the two wound up severing ties with Rawkus and signed on with Boot Camp Clik imprint Duck Down in 2007. Their album, The In Crowd, was releaseed in May of 2008 and features their Masta Ace-assisted underground hit "Driving Down the Block."

Kidz In The Hall - "Jukebox"
Directed By: BB Gun

Member Since:

May 03, 2006

Members:

Kidz In The Hall: Naledge & Double 0

Influences:

Miles Davis, Roy Hargrove, Common, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Al Green, Marvin Gaye and Nas

Sounds Like:

The Future

Record Label:

KOCH-DUCKDOWN-MAJOR LEAGUE ENT