Chances are if you're familiar with Kid Cudi you have a strong opinion about him. Ever since the release of his debut album Man on the Moon it seems like the kid named Cudi has gone out of his way to eliminate any casual fans. You are either with him or against him. There once was a time when Kid Cudi seemed like the next big thing in hip hop. He successfully blends elements of rap, rock, and psychedelia to create a sound all his own. Cudi became the self appointed "Big Brother" of all the loners and stoners and had the entire music world anxiously waiting on his next move. His second album Man on the Moon II more than lived up to the ridiculously high expectations and is considered by many to be one of the best albums of the last decade.
But that's where things start to become strange...
Cudi has always been very vocal about his struggles with depression, fame, addiction, and general existential angst. While this may all sound like the typical artist cliché, his music began to sound like anything but typical. For those of you familiar with Cudi, it is no surprise that he believes he shares a kindred spirit with another existentially depressed musician, Kurt Cobain. In 2012, Cudi formed a rock band with a close producer and released a hardcore rock ablum entitled WZRD. While the album does have it's high points and highlighted the instrumental talents of the kid named Cudi, it was largely a critical and commercial failure.
It sure seemed like Cudi learned his lesson when he followed up WZRD, with his next album, Indicud which was a return to more traditional hip hop sounding songs. Happy ending right? He tried something he was interested in and it didn't work out, so he stuck with what he knew? Right? Wrong...
Cudi's latest album which came out earlier this month entitled Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven is the controversial artist's most polarizing work yet. The album is a complete departure from hip hop, in fact the album is Cudi's attempt at reviving 90's era grunge music. The entire album contains no synths, no beats, no features, and above all else, no rapping. Every song is just Cudi and his guitar.
In the months leading up to the album, Cudi made it very clear that his music was going in a completely different approach and even told fans that if they are not on board to "abort ship" and "don't buy my album." The album is shocking at times and beautiful at others. Regardless of whether you like it or not, you have to admire Cudi's commitment to the genre, he sings rather painfully over slowly strung guitar chords and at times shrieks his lyrics. While the sales are not there (he only sold 10k copies the first week compared to his first album which sold 100k) the emotion certainly is.
The album definitely lost Cudi fans, but so have his last three albums. If anything else, Speedin Bullet 2 Heaven shook loose the last few fans who considered themselves die hards but couldn't commit to the mercurial artist anymore. Perhaps more valuable then anything else, the album highlighted something Cudi has that any musician would be envious of; a fiercely loyal (almost to a fault) fanbase.
Say what you want about the album, and believe me people have been very vocal about, but something that cant' be questioned is the pure emotionality of the piece of work. Songs like "Handle With Care," "Embers," and "The Nothing" may not be your cup of tea but you have to admit that these songs make you feel something, and after all, isn't that what music is all about?
