After a decade, Kid Cudi returns with his 3rd and final album in the ‘Man on the Moon’ series
March 17, 2021
Amerie Diaz
Staff Writer
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, also known by his stage name Kid Cudi, is an American actor, rapper, record producer and singer-songwriter from Cleveland.
Kid Cudi’s music career began in 2004, when he moved to Brooklyn, NY to become a musician.
“I was heavily influenced by New York: it’s cinema and its hip-hop. And I knew it was a place where I could grow and meet interesting people because that’s what I was really yearning for. I was pursuing a career in music and going into acting; I wanted to be around people who were like me and there were no people like that in Cleveland. New York is definitely where I shed my skin,” Kid Cudi said in an interview with Music Connection Magazine.
Cudi rose to fame with the release of his debut mixtape “A Kid Named Cudi,” which gaining attention from rapper Kanye West, who soon signed Cudi to his record label G.O.O.D Music in 2008.
From there, Kid Cudi’s debut single “Day ‘n’ Nite” reached #3 on the Billboard charts and was a worldwide hit, selling over 5 million copies.
Kid Cudi has had various hits such as “Pursuit of Happiness” and “Soundtrack 2 My Life.” He is most known for “Man on the Moon: The End Day,” an album released in 2009, which certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. “Kids See Ghost,” a collaboration album with Kayne West that was named among the best albums of 2018, and “The Scott’s,” a single released in 2020 with Travis Scott, earned Cudi his first No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.
Kid Cudi has had an influential music career, impacting modern-day hip-hop, delivering something new for rap fans by expressing his vulnerability and openly discussing in his music his struggles with mental health and depression.
Kid Cudi’s highly anticipated “Man on The Moon III: The Chosen” was released on Dec. 11, 2020. It is his seventh studio album and the third and final installment of his “Man on the Moon” series. The album consists of 18 tracks and features artists such as Phoebe Bridgers, Popsmoke, Skepta and Trippie Redd. During the week of Dec. 26, the album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard charts.
The album was first announced on Oct. 26, when Kid Cudi uploaded a video teaser to Twitter. On Dec. 7, Cudi revealed the album’s title and release date as well as another video teaser. Soon after, he revealed the cover art, tracklist and features. On Dec. 28, Cudi teased on Twitter that the deluxe version of “Man on the Moon III: The Chosen” is on its way.
The album is separated into four acts: “Return 2 Madness,” “The Rager, The Menace,” “Heart of Rose Gold” and “Powers.”
Kid Cudi has had an influential music career, impacting modern-day hip-hop, delivering something new for rap fans by expressing his vulnerability and openly discussing in his music his struggles with mental health and depression.
Like the previous albums in the “Man the Moon” series, “Man on The Moon III: The Chosen” explores topics such as addiction, depression, loneliness and recovery.
The album starts off with “Beautiful Trip.” “Beautiful Trip” is a short, 37-second opening to the rest of the album that features Cudi’s iconic hums. “Beautiful Trip” breaks the record of Billboard’s shortest song.
In “Tequila Shots,” Kid Cudi raps about his past struggles and asks God for assistance. He raps, “Lotta demons creepin’ up, they livin’ underneath & Askin’ God to help or are you hearin’ me?”
In “4 Da Kidz”, Kid Cudi dedicates the song to his young listeners who look up to him and can relate to his struggles. He raps, “Stars in the sky, they will light your way through / Feelin’ alone, just know you are not We won’t leave you alone, oh-oh / o” advising his listeners that they are not alone with their hardships.
Solo Dolo III focuses on Kid Cudi’s struggles with isolation, loneliness, and addiction. He raps, “Many nights I spent gettin’ f**ked up, livin’ a lie / Prayin’, I’m just fed up, this tequila in me.”
“Another Day” is the worst song on the album, the song itself isn’t too bad, but it didn’t grab my attention and didn’t top the other songs on the album. In “Another Day,” Kid Cudi raps about his old lifestyle: partying, drinking alcohol and doing drugs. He raps, “Ain’t much change in me, y’all (Yeah) /Seem like ain’t nothin’ change in me, y’all.”
The best song on the album is “Lovin’ Me (feat. Phoebe Bridgers).” “Lovin’ Me,” explores the topic of self-love. Kid Cudi sings, “At times I really didn’t show / What was wrong with me, wrong with me / I told myself I cannot grow / Without lovin’ me, lovin’ me.”
Overall, “Man on The Moon III: The Chosen” certainly highlights Kid Cudi’s talent and uniqueness with the mixing of his old and new style.
