Scott Mescudi, famously known as Kid Cudi, is a Grammy-winning rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer from Cleveland, Ohio whose music is known for its blend of haunting, melodic rap and alternative rock. Cudi's songs often revolve around his mental health, influenced by his traumatic childhood. His father's early death from cancer and his own struggles with substance abuse channel his deeply emotional and introspective music. In the early 2000s, Cudi moved to New York to pursue his music career. In 2008, he dropped his first single “Day n Night (Nightmare)” which ultimately went diamond, solidifying his rise within the hip-hop scene.
Cudi has since gone on to release ten studio albums, with his latest being Free, which came out at the end of August. The album is a solo, pop-driven, 13-track project exploring liberation after periods of darkness. Free landed at #192 on the U.S Billboard 200 and now has 34 million Spotify streams as of December. The cover art of the album is inspired by the movie The Truman Show as it shows an image of him leaping towards the sky, symbolizing freedom from confinement and resembling the last scene of the movie where Truman escapes his controlled world by walking through a door in the wall of the giant dome. The songs "Truman Show," "Mr. Miracle," "Deep Diving," "Neverland," and "Salt Water” are the fan-favorite tracks on the album for their hopeful, pop-rock sound, being the quintessence of Cudi's new musical direction and personal themes of freedom and peace.
Most fans and critics had positive comments about his new style and genre. However, some saw the new sound by Cudi as “cheesy.” I think that Cudi's vulnerable storytelling – much like Mac Miller, the artist featured in November's Album of the Month article – sets him apart from many modern hip-hop artists, especially with his incorporation of contemporary rock influences.
The style of Kid Cudi’s music has changed and evolved in this album likely due to the stage of life he is in. Cudi got married in June, and two months later, he came out with this album which portrayed a change in emotion compared to his past albums. An example of his new positive outlook on life can be shown through the lyrics of his song “Grave” where he sings, “I stopped running to the grave” and “I’ve got everything to lose, I'm staying.” Similarly, in “Neverland,” he sings about immortality in the lyrics: “We’ll never die, you and I.” As some say, the new style is “cheesy;” as a Kid Cudi fan myself, I celebrate his evolution and look forward to the art that he will create in the future with newfound positive inspiration.