kid cudi man on the moon
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Tomaino
Dylan Tomaino
Mr. Williams
English Comp. 1
28, September, 2011
Kid Cudi: A Unique Sound
Upon hearing that Kid Cudi was releasing an album I prepared myself for
something along the lines ofA Kid Named Cudi, which was his first mix tape. This was
the mix tape that made Kid Cudi one of the artists that I listen to regularly. I was not sure
what his first album would be like but I had listened to the pre-released tracks and
decided I would buy it. When I first looked at the CD I noticed the album art was
interesting. It made me want to pop in the CD even more just to hear what Cudi had come
up with. Based on what Cudi had been producing for Kanye West, I had an idea of the
types of things that would be included on the album. When you begin as a producer it is
always a challenge to have originality, but Cudi was able to keep his flow and remain
original. There are many things I look for in an album and Man On The Moon: End of the
Day contained them all, and then some.
Kid Cudi did something on this album that was very interesting and unique. He
took the listeners on an adventure as he told us his story. The album is broken down into
five acts. Common, the rapper/actor, narrates in between songs adding to the theatrics.
The first of these acts is called The End of Day and it is Cudi welcoming you to his
world. He explains his situation through songs like "Soundtrack To My Life" and "In My
Dreams."Act II: Rise of the Night Terrors contains songs like "Solo Dolo" and "My
World." This act is about his use of marijuana. It has a very dark mood and slow tempo.
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Although the first two acts are crucial to the success of this album, the mood can be
boring at times. Once you get to the third act the album begins to gain tempo and become
more upbeat. Act III: Taking A Trip is in reference to Kid Cudi's use of psychedelics with
songs like "Enter Galactic." Act IV: StuckandAct V: A New Beginningare about the
major turning points in his career. The point at which he was able to overcome the fear
and doubts that he had about himself. Having the album set up in this way gave listeners
a chance to not only listen to Kid Cudi but to experience his life through music.
Kid Cudi used many unique sounds and beats in this album which gave it a
"trippy" feel. He incorporated some dark and sinister sounding samples from groups like
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Darkand Menahan Street Band. These samples added to
the intensity of the album. Not only is Cudi's sound unique, but his rapping style is as
well. Jon Caramonica, ofThe New York Times said, instead of rapping or singing Cudi
goes, "puzzling through some third way: a sort of loose, hazily melodic talking." This is
one of the reasons that there is no other rap artist similar to Kid Cudi. He has developed
his own genre of music that combines rap and hip hop with electro/pop style beats. This
style is somewhat comparable to Kanye West's later albums as Josh Cabrido said, "the
album is more 808s and Heartbreaks than College Dropout, a genre-bending release."
The songs on this album all share one main idea which is common in all Kid Cudi
songs. Drug use is the subject that most of his music revolves around and this album is no
different. "Day 'n' Night" was one of the pre-released songs which was very popular and
received over 2,000,000 digital downloads in the United States. This song revolves
around Cudi's life as a "lonely stoner" and how he uses drugs as a way to free his mind.
"Up Up And Away" is known as the "wake and bake song." It is about him using drugs as
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a way for him to escape his harsh reality and get away. The songs on this album all have
meaning and a purpose. They are all used to get a message across to listeners.
This album is part one of a three part series. The CD's are meant to compliment
one another and all be of the same style. Kid cudi released the second CD in 2010 which
was titled Man On The Moon 2: The Legend of Mr. Rager. Instead of bringing you inside
his dreams, Cudi takes you on a journey through his reality in the second album. The
second album also contained five acts. The third album is said to be released in the fall of
2012. Although all three albums are not available yet, this is looking to be the greatest
music CD series of our time. There is little bad that can be said about any of the albums
that have been released thus far.
Overall, Kid Cudi's freshmen album was a success. He used his artistic style to
create a masterpiece that captivated the minds of many. Cudi was able to get his message
across to his audience and develop a new style of music along the way. At times the
album seemed slow and dark. This could have had a negative effect on the album but it fit
in with the storyline that was established. Unique would be the word to describe Man On
The Moon: End of the Day. Cudi brought a whole new category to music and how it can
be relayed to listeners. Based on this album I look forward to future works by Kid Cudi.
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Works Cited
"Best of 2010 - Billboard Top 200". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
2011-09-28.
Concepcion, Mariel (2010-09-17). "Kid Cudi Opens Up About Cocaine Use, Failed Lady
Gaga Tour".Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 2011-09-28.
Alexis, Nadeska (2009-05-29). "To The Moon: Flying High with Rapper & Actor KidCudi".Black Book Magazine. The Access Network Company. 2011-09-28.
Caramonica, Jon (2009-09-14). ''Man on the Moon: The End of Day''.NY Times.
2011-09-28
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