The wonder boy is back at it again — Kid Cudi that is.
The 26-year-old rapper from Ohio has returned with his second album, “Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager,” after a successful debut with his album, “Man on the Moon: The End of Day.”
This new album is highly anticipated by music fans who have seen Kid Cudi become one of the leading voices in a generation of music that transcends styles and genres. Yes, he’s a rapper, but he’s a skinny-jean wearing, skateboarding, creative, rock-embracing, nerdy-glasses sporting one, who is a hybrid of musical influences. He’s not alone. This new group of musicians includes fellow hip-hoppers, Kanye West, B.o.B. and even Lil Wayne.
Kid Cudi and his peers are unleashing the next wave in the evolution of music. They are fearless in their exploration of styles and sounds that extend beyond stereotypes and push the limitations of labels. They’re also brutally honest and self-deprecating. In this album, Kid Cudi pulls no punches for himself, his image, his fame and the emotional turbulence that comes with his lifestyle. Songs like “Don’t Play This Song,” “These Worries,” and “Maniac” deal with loneliness, youthful angst and, even, Cudi’s former addiction to cocaine.
Even when the subject matter gets heavy, it never gets boring. The production quality on the album is top-notch. It gives the sense that Cudi is a perfectionist who has a hand in everything that goes into every song and makes every track as creative, unique and signature to Cudi as possible.
It’s not all serious though, as evident from the video to the single “Erase Me.” Cudi recruits the talent of Christopher Mintz-Plasse aka McLovin, to create a hilarious video about a fictitious band. Certain tracks on the album have their own recruits though, most notably, Kanye West on “Erase Me,” Cee-Lo Green on “Scott Mescudi vs. The World,” and Mary J. Blige on, “These Worries” and “Don’t Play This Song.”
At the end of the day, what’s most evident is that Kid Cudi is immensely talented and has created an album worthy of much praise. There is never a dull moment. The album is extensive with 17 tracks that will have you struggling to pick a favorite. It’s music like this and artists like Kid Cudi who stand out in an industry that loves to celebrate the formulaic. There is no formula for Kid Cudi; you can’t even contain him to one genre. It’s just great music.
