Ever since Kid Cudi released the single “Day n’ Nite,” very few artists have created such a buzz. With his debut album Man On the Moon – The End of Day, Cudi proves he is much more than just hype.
On “Soundtrack to My Life,” Kudi sings about how he’s “got some issues that nobody can see, and all of these emotions are pouring out of me…this is the soundtrack to my life.” The album really is a soundtrack to his life: a deep, introspective story detailing Cudi’s inner struggles both in the present and as a child.
While most of the album is sad and gloomy, Cudi is at his best when he’s rapping/singing on uptempo songs (and yes, Cudi can actually sing). The infectious upbeat track “Enter Galactic (Love Connection, Pt. 1)” has Cudi singing about lust and will make listeners want to get up and dance.
Also, the album’s diverse production, ranging from Kanye West to electronic duo Ratatat, is stellar.
Whereas most hip-hop albums today feature a few good tracks sprinkled among mostly filler, Cudi provides an eclectic debut with a cohesive narrative. And in today’s individualistic society everyone has enough “lonely stoner” in them to relate to Cudi’s debut.
Rating: 3.5/4 Stars
Release Date: Sept. 15
Label: Dream On/G.O.O.D Music/Universal Motown
Production: Kanye West (exec.), Kid Cudi, Plain Pat, and Emile Haynie (co-execs.), Sylvia Rhone (co-exec.), Patrick Reynolds, Free School, Jeff Bhasker, Dot Da Genius, Matt Friedman of ILLFONICS, Ratatat, Crada