Like mentor Kanye West, Kid Cudi specializes in weirdness. You won’t
find any rhymes about what a badass Cudi is on his debut album, Man
on the Moon: The End of Day. This glasses-wearing rapper from
Cleveland is all about kicking back, toking up and flipping through his
existential angst. West produces a couple of cuts (including the
all-star single “Make Her Say”), but contributions by hipster faves
Ratatat and MGMT reveal Cudi’s real alliance. Taking Lupe Fiasco’s
nerd-rap into darker, spacier territory (Cudi talks about self-esteem
issues), the Kid comes off like a zit-speckled teen simultaneously
bemoaning and celebrating his underdog status in his bedroom. The best
cuts here — the spare, spooky “Solo Dolo,” “Day N Nite”‘s
haunted-house stroll — musically match Cudi’s laments. Split into
five acts, Man on the Moon rides a vague central theme about
anxiety and isolation for nearly an hour. It’s quite a trip —
into new-wave hip-hop and into Kid Cudi’s tormented mind. —
Michael Gallucci
This article appears in Sep 30 – Oct 6, 2009.
