Don't Sleep On Kid Cudi...He's the Next Best Thing

If you haven’t yet heard Kid Cudi’s music, you’re officially sleeping. The 25 year-old rapper from Ohio is the next best thing in the world of hip-hop and probably music in general. Cudi first began making noise with his only mixtape release of A Kid Named Cudi back in July of last year. Showing off his diverse taste in music, Cudi jumps from freestyles over songs like “Spaz” by N.E.R.D to sampling the Band of Horses’ “The Funeral” for his song, “The Prayer”.

The mixtape caught the ear of Kanye West, prompting Kanye to sign Cudi to his GOOD Music label. You heard him sing the chorus on Kanye West’s “Welcome To Heartbreak” from his 808’s and Heartbreak album (see my Feb. 18 blog post).

Cudi is set to release his first and last album, Man on the Moon: The Guardians this summer. With this being his only official release, many fans are disappointed. It seems like the music game is too stressful for him in some cases and he says on his blog that he wants to go back to being an artist. It’s a shame because he brings a simplistic quality to rap that has seldom been seen before. He raps almost very plain-like using simple, but clever metaphors in his rhymes that sometime make him sound like Kanye West. But it is evident that, while he is not Kanye, there is something great and different about Cudi. He doesn’t over-rhyme. He leaves the songs for what they are in some ways. It’s hard to explain.

His first single off Man on the Moon, “Day n’ Night”, has gotten lots of radio play all across the country and the music video is something very different to say the least. The song has been remixed by the Crookers, who created a more upbeat, club version and it comes with an alternate video. For that reason, I’ve decided to post both videos. The original is my favorite. Either way, enjoy both of the videos and Kid Cudi himself while he’s still here.

The first video is the original version.