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 of A 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.

Tomaino 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: Stuck and Act V: A New Beginning are 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 Dark and 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, of The 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

Tomaino 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.

Tomaino

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 Kid Cudi". 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