Once my kids had outgrown toddler-pop songs and quiet lullabies, they were ready for music that was a bit more grown up, though not of the he did me wrong/I partied all night long genre. Fortunately, elementary-school kids like mine have a friend in Secret Agent 23 Skidoo who keeps churning out fantastic, age-appropriate, kid-hop CD’s that sound cool-enough for our cool-enough kids, but with lyrics that will keep their heads in the right place. {Keep reading for a chance to win a copy!}
Though my kids have no idea what “street cred” is, I think one of the reasons they love 23 Skidoo is that this guy doesn’t sound like some watered-down version of a “kids’ rapper” with sweet singsongy lyrics. Instead, all those years he spent performing for grown-up audiences gives him an authenticity that comes through the speakers, with plenty of whimsy and fun mixed in so that there is no mistaking the audience to whom this music is directed.
And with his third release Make Believers— my favorite one yet– Asheville’s Secret Agent 23 Skidoo combines killer beats with lyrics that will get kids thinking about what it means to be true to yourself. This isn’t preachy stuff though: 23 Skidoo’s mastery is his storytelling that has him taking relatable experiences like jumping off the high dive, eating hot sauce, or even being a Space Cadet and using them to get kids thinking. And the music—which mixes hip hop beats with quickfire punk, 50’s slow-dance, and even saucy salsa–keeps it all sounding so fresh and different.
As a dad himself, 23 Skidoo really captures how hard it can be for a kid to be different, but he turns that into something so cool, I wish every kid could hear his message and take it to heart.
His skillfully rapping daughter Saki, aka MC Fireworks, is total girl power in Gotta Be You, a song that celebrates the quirky in us all. And, my latest obsession, Shawana from Shine and the Moonbeams brings her soulful voice to Nightmares Disappear, an absolutely gorgeous song about a child finding solace in his parents’ bed after a scary dream. I’d buy the entire CD for this song alone, but thankfully you’ll find a bunch more that are just as great. Don’t miss this one. –Christina
You can buy Secret Agent 23 Skidoo’s Make Believers from his website or our affiliate Amazon. And, catch the super-fun video for Gotta Be You for a little taste of this new CD.
Congratulations to Miranda L! She’s dancing for joy, to the tune of her new cd, Make Believers.
