Baby Loves Hip-Hop

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Kids will dig this tame (but far from lame) CD.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this fun and funky album is a wholesome take on hip-hop, that despite its title, is geared more to the preschool set than to babies. A collaboration between noted hip-hop producer Prince Paul and some of rap music's biggest names, this is the second of a series dedicated to helping parents introduce their kids to the music they love without "dumbing it down." If the term "hip-hop" sends off alarm bells, have no fear -- this is gentle, fun, and definitely not controversial.

  • Initially afraid of T-Rex because he looks big and scary, the other dino kids get to know him and they all become friends.
  • Not applicable.
  • Not applicable.

What's the story?

The title of this album is a bit misleading -- it's not really best for babies, but for younger kids (4 and up). Structured around a bedtime story (sort of a book on tape), as read by a mom to her (slightly whiny) child (both voiced by Grammy winner and poet Ursula Rucker), this is the story of the Dino-5 -- a group of dinosaur kids who go to school, play soccer, and have their own hip-hop band. At first they're all scared of T-Rex, but once they get to know him, everyone is friends and they perform at a school talent show.


Is it any good?

 

Generally, the album is upbeat and the music is catchy and has its own brand of hip-hop soul, courtesy of the many notable artists contributing (Chali Tuna, Prince Paul, Wordsworth). The story presses many of the hot-button issues in kid-world, like making friends with someone who seems "different," and whether or not to eat broccoli, though it's good for you. And, though this hip-hop album is absent of any racial tensions, the clever allegorical allusions to differences in the dino-world gets the message across just fine.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about some of the everyday issues the kids (well, dinosaur kids) deal with on the CD. The group is afraid of MC T-Rex because he's big and scary-looking, but once they get to know him, they realize he's a great guy and a good rapper. Have your kids talk about a time when they misjudged someone because of appearances, and were surprised to find out that they were a lot like them.


This review was written by Amy Weaver

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This review was written by Amy Weaver
Artist:Dino-5
Release date:April 1, 2008
Label:Shore Fire Media
Genre:Children's Music
Parental advisory:No

This review was written by Amy Weaver
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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