Sir Michael Rocks

When the Cool Kids emerged in the summer of 2007, they signalled, or, at the very least, embodied a new culture of hip-hop lovers. The bike-riding, sneaker-collecting, videogame-playing duo related to a wide, young audience while garnering the respect of older heads for their pre-gangsta approach to rap. The pair have been doing their own thing for the last couple of years and, most recently, Sir Michael Rocks signed a solo deal with Curren$y's Jet Life imprint. This mixtape, While You Wait..., is aptly titled, as it's intended to hold you over until his debut. Mikey flexes his Chicago swagger, as usual, but also introduces a few new tricks to his arsenal. He follows verses from Ab-Soul and Da$h on the trippy Weeknd-/Beach House-sampling "In A Minute" with his take on a Midwest cadence, still maintaining his unmistakable slow flow, but getting just amped enough to tease breaking into double-time at any moment. On the upbeat "Madness," a radio-friendly Mac Miller duet, he hints at his crossover appeal while, again, staying true to his core virtues. He's always been about fun, with his over-the-top brashness and nonchalant attitude, he just raises his energy to match Mac's, which makes for a cohesive track that reins it in before becoming too pop. It's not entirely clear what the plan is for the Cool Kids, but judging from Sir Michael Rocks' efforts here, their solo ventures will only make them a stronger duo.