- Easy
- Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, $19
When North Carolina rapper Secret Agent 23 Skidoo became a dad, he set his sights toward creating hip-hop he and his daughter could enjoy equally. The result, Easy, is a revelation. Plenty of artists have taken a stab at "kid-hop" before, but not one has produced such an unqualified success. This is real hip-hop, with thumping funk grooves that wouldn't seem out of place on adult radio and the kind of playful rhymes that came from Will Smith back in his Fresh Prince days (so it's accessible even to those who may not consider themselves rap fans). The lyrics are pure kid stuff—the songs radiate positivity, promoting self-esteem and curiosity via stories about dragons and mermaids—but it's all so masterfully delivered that it doesn't feel the least bit corny. Secret Agent 23 Skidoo has set a new bar for the genre.—Ages 4 to 9
