So, I've been aaaanxiously awaiting the the release of Kid Cudi's newest installment of his Man on The Moon series. I didn't have to money to cop it on Tuesday, November 9th, when it dropped, so I got it on Friday, November 12th. I'm very aware that the CD leaked about two weeks prior, but when it's one of the handful of artists' music that I truly respect, I choose to wait until the release date. I hate ruining surprises. First I went to Best Buy because it's right down the street. I get inside, search aaall around, ask 3 associates, and the fuckers don't have it. They aren't soldout, they DON'T HAVE IT. HOW DO YOU NOT HAVE THIS CD? I leave in utter disgust and drive to Target, and of course, they have it. Oh, and don't let that $13.99 sticker up there fool you, it was a whopping $9.99. I unwrap the CD faster than Paris Hilton unwrapping a condom, and shove the CD into my CD player. What takes place for the next hour or so can only be described as phenomenal.
Kid Cudi has been on quite a trip this past year. From being arrested for possession of cocaine, to becoming a father, Scott Mescudi has definitely endured some changes. At least one positive that came from these turbulent times was this album.
To me, this album embodies everything that music should be. With Emile handling the majority of production, and Cudi's stoner storytelling harmonizing perfectly with each beat, each track feels like a story. On opening track "Scott Mescudi vs. The World", Cudi grabs the listener by the hand and takes him through the speakers and into his world with his opening line:
"What up? How's everyone doing? You are now in the world I'm ruling". Cee-lo's whole "gospel meets star trek" vibe was a great touch for the hook.
"Please Don't Play This Song" gives us a shockingly honest look at Cudi's life with lines like:
"My mom's calling, think I should hit decline, I'm numb-faced while I'm thinkin' 'bout suicide." And with a hook that echoes:
"Wanna know what this sounds like when I'm not on drugs? Please please dont play this song... People think they're really being helpful, telling me please be careful, Yeah right." It's this same emotion that has earned Cudi's music the title of "emo hip-hop". Emo stands for emotional right? Is music not supposed to be about emotion? Cudi is one of the best at putting his emotions into words and making it flow beautifully with music.
When I first saw this video I thought I was gonna be let down by this album. When he said that he had songs like "Marijuana" that only had one verse and then some music, I was thinking that this would be a lazy ass album that he scrapped together just to make some money. But after thoroughly listening to the album, I get what he's talking about. Marijuana is one of the best weed songs I've heard in my life. If you replaced the word marijuana with a name of a person, you would swear this was a ballad to a beautiful young lady. The haunting instrumental is beautifully offset by the thrashing of the guitar, but then tied together with the mellow crooning of Cudi. One of my favorites.
Well shit... they're all my favorites..
On "Mojo So Dope", Cudi effortlessly switches between telling you how many fucks he could give about your lifestyle and telling you about his troubles with his own life as well as his family members over a cool soothing beat, one of my favorites by Emile.
"Ashin' Kusher", "REVOFEV", and "Erase Me" are three noticeably bright breaks from an otherwise dark album. All are great songs, but dark Cudi is my favorite Cudi.
"Wylin' Cause I'm Young" is easily one of the most infectious beats on the album. We find Cudi speeding in his coupe on the way to the club, where he does cocaine and "rages" while getting sloppy drunk, before disappearing to a tropical location with a freak.
"These Worries" is probably the creepiest song on the album. It's eerie to me how fun and vivid Cudi makes it to sing along with him about his life of cocaine and alcoholism. Each verse begins with the sound of a sniff of cocaine before Cudi races into verses like:
"Yeah, the crazy the wizard, so much whiskey all in my liver... I really like the punch it delivers, makes me warm while I high-five sinners." Mary J. Blige was a great touch to both this song, and "Don't Play This Song". Usually I feel like she overpowers songs, but on a beat this epic, a powerful voice such as hers helps to tame the instrumental.
"The End" is a lazy beat with a soulful hook by Nicole Ray. GLC and Chip The Ripper are along for the ride, and each rapper adds their own element to such a unique beat. This is a beat that begs to be blasted in a Cadillac while cruising around town. Cudi comes through at the end, riding the beat with a flare that finishes the song perfectly.
"All Along" is probably my favorite song, sentiment wise. We find Scott Mescudi, not KiD CuDi, taking a good long look at himself and truely baring his soul with us. With lyrics like:
"I don't want what I need, What I need hates me." And a hook that simply states:
"All along, all along, I guess I'm meant to be alone... out here on my own."
The beauty of this song is in it's simplicity. Kid Cudi bearing his soul, and a beautiful orchestra as his backdrop. Perfection.
"GHOST!" is a song that shows how far Scott has matured as a person. He begins the opening verse:
"Gotta get it, through my big head, I was so close to being dead." The eerie, weird, off-kilter beat on this song is almost annoying, but somehow works. I love when producers take risks.
All in all, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that this is the Album of the Year. I won't say best Hip-Hop album because 1) I dont think Kid Cudi is Hip-Hop. I don't know what exactly he is, but he's definitely not Hip-Hop. He's an amazing artist, but I don't consider him a rapper, and 2) I think it would be horrible to put him in one box by categorizing him when his music incorporates so many different sounds and elements. Like I said, this is what music should be. This album is so raw, so true, so different, so unapologetic, so UNradio, it's what we need more of. It is a movie in audio form that leaves you feeling like you truly know Scott Mescudi and have somehow been along for the ride as he's battled all of these demons. I absolutely LOVE this album and if anything, it abundantly exceeded my expectations. If you haven't bought this album yet, BUY it.
Well done Scott, well done.
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