We'll start by saying that while there are a number of artists making hip-hop for kids ("kid-hop," a term which I find as generally uninspiring as the term "kindie" but have come to accept the inevitability of), Secret Agent 23 Skidoo stands at the top of that heap. There are other artists who match his beats and music, or his rhyming and rapping ability, or the subject matter, but he's the best at combining all of those into a potent musical stew.
So if I say that his latest album The Perfect Quirk, isn't his best album, that's only because Skidoo has set the bar so high. To be clear, there is nothing wrong with the music here -- Skidoo can still record songs that defy categorization, like "Imaginary Friend," a klezmer/sea chanty/horn-assisted rap partially sung from the perspective of an imaginary friend. And on "Time Machine," he and daughter Saki (AKA Mc Fireworks), trade verses about growing up. But the album is mellower than some of his other albums, and while a song "You're It" has the same theme of self-acceptance found in some of Skidoo's best songs like "Gotta Be Me," it's more the exception than the rule here. (There's a song called "PJs All Day" here, for example.)
The 38-minute album will appeal most to kids ages 5 through 9. I should re-emphasize that The Perfect Quirk is a good album. If your family likes kid-friendly hip-hop (OK, OK, kid-hop) or y'all have previously enjoyed Skidoo, then, yes, you will like this album, too. If you're new to Skidoo, I'd recommend starting with one of his other albums. But just because this album might not make your kid want to save the world (or take an amazing journey around your house) right now doesn't mean you're still not going to enjoy it. Definitely recommended.
