“Hi Kids” feels like the moment a cheeky class clown jumps on stage at a school assembly and grabs the mic. Cro slips out of his panda-mask persona and introduces himself by his real first name, Carlo, firing off playful commands: “Hi kids, throw your arms up and say hello!” The song is a tongue-in-cheek ego trip packed with cartoonish flexes, random punchlines and deliberate nonsense. Carlo brags about limitless “Power,” pretends he makes music by sticking his finger in a socket, and jokes about violent antics only to instantly walk them back with “Spaß, ich bin harmlos” – “Just kidding, I’m harmless.” Every boast is undercut seconds later, reminding listeners that hip-hop bravado can be just another costume, as silly or as fun as you choose to make it.
Beneath the jokes, Cro pokes fun at rap clichés – guns he does not own, “Swag” that supposedly hurts, and tough-guy posturing that ends with him still hunting for bottle deposits. The repeated hook makes the track feel like a kids’ chant: inclusive, catchy, impossible not to join in even if you have no idea who Carlo is. It is both a parody and a celebration: a self-aware anthem about not taking yourself too seriously while still owning the spotlight. By the end, the listener is in on the prank, arms raised, shouting “Hallo!” right along with him.
Cro is the stage name of Carlo Waibel, a German rapper, singer, and producer born in 1990 in Mutlangen, Germany. He uniquely blends hip hop and pop to create his self-coined genre called "raop." Known for performing with a distinctive panda mask, Cro began his music journey at 13, mastering piano, guitar, and production.
After gaining attention with mixtapes like Trash and Meine Musik, Cro signed with Chimperator Productions and soon skyrocketed to fame with hit singles such as "Easy," which earned gold certification in Germany. Beyond music, he is an accomplished designer and has his own clothing label, Vio Vio. Cro continues to innovate in the German music scene, captivating audiences with his fresh sound and creative style.