Creativity is King

The first time I came to know of Cleveland Native, Kid Cudi, was about a year ago now when I first heard Day and Night. Within three weeks I had ruined both the song and the repeat button on my walkman. At that time Kid Cudi was on the radar as an artist to watch for. His first “mix tape”, A Kid Named Kudi, was incredible. If you haven’t heard it, do so. Yesterday Kudi dropped his first solo album titled, Man on the Moon: The End of Day. As the album leaked almost two weeks early I’ve had a great deal of time to listen to the album and have a grown a great appreciation for. With the help of producers Plain Pat, Ratatat, Kanye West and Emile and collaborators like Ratatat, West, Common, Chip the Ripper, Billy Cravens and MGMT, Cudi takes his listeners through a dark, ambitious, self-reflective 15-track set – broken down by acts and narrated as dreams and nightmares – revealing his deepest fears, hopes and dreams.

A lonely stoner with issues no one can see. If I’ve ever been able to relate to someone, Kudi is my dude. Rapping not about violence and lavish obsessions but his own mind’s meanderings and turmoil. Sure to some he seems like a “Whiney Brooklynite hipster” but he paints a vivid picture of his emotional downturns, the loss of his father and subsequent struggle to follow his dreams despite being a paranoid insomniac which I know many can relate to more so than canary diamonds and bentleys. With that being said, the album lacks much as far as lyrics go and any real good verses. More singing and infectious hooks than actual “rapping” was a slight disappointment but his mellow sing-songs create a unique vibe that I have found to be quite compelling.

The production fit oh so well with Kudi’s energy. Cudi’s beats are never less than rich, often full of ear-catching detail, shaming the cheap, mechanical beats of “Soulja Boy-era hip-hop.” The likes of Kanye, Plain Pat, Emile and Ratatat provide creative samples and a downtempo, spacey, electronica feel throughout most of the tracks. Maybe I’m biased, but both of the Ratatat songs are among the albums best which is surprising since I rarely see laptop beats and singing work together. If nothing else, Kid Cudi is original. I guess what I appreciate most is that the music isn’t just a critic or fan pleaser but it’s clear that what the artist wanted most was to make a recording that actually carries some vestige of meaningful personal depth.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say that the album is great, but for a first album that I had weary expectations for, it is very, very decent if not good.

Grade: AB