Kid Cudi’s first solo album, Man On The Moon: The End Of Day, somehow found its way across your friendly, neighborhood TRU Brain Trust’s desk – so we did what we usually do: no holds barred verbal cage fight to see whose opinion reigned supreme. Pop the lid to see what we said about Cudi’s debut.
Andrew:
I’ll be blunt and say it – Kid Cudi is the Lady Gaga of rap. I realized, while watching the VMAs, that my hatred for Lady Gaga was misplaced because I see her as our generation’s Prince. I detest her music but her capacity for performance and her obvious, and possibly misguided, creativity simply cannot be ignored. In the same vein, Cudi’s latest release is exactly that – a creative masterpiece but it falls short in regards to content and execution. Cudi’s self-imposed isolationist attitude makes for interesting and original content but is harped on all album without developing that feeling into a theme that can be dissected track-by-track and show plot. The production was multi-layered, contained excellent variety and amplified the album’s feel, however the production alone can’t save the release.
Joe:
I was really worried going into the album that Cudi would try to rap more than do his melodies. It was an unnecessary anxiety as the album was far from my expectations in many ways. The production (minus “Make Her Say”) is so tight it’s hard to believe it wasn’t handled by one producer. The range of sounds are surprising for such a cohesive project and I gotta say that Scotty really has some great song writing skills. For me the highlights were “Heart of a Lion,” “Mr. Solo Dolo” and “Cudi Zone”. Definitely a great first effort and will have great staying power.
Dom:
Kid Cudi set out to make a cinematic debut – and that he did. The instrumentals are lush, multifaceted soundscapes while the vocals expand beyond hip-hop to the realms of art-rock and stoner emo-rap. A contemplative mind-state is essential as the Cleveland native is unafraid to bear his emotions, moving from dramatic melancholy on “Soundtrack To My Life” to hopeful triumph on “Pursuit of Happiness” with MGTM and Ratatat. The second single “Make Her Say” featuring Yeezy and Common actually disrupts the flow, an eyesore on an otherwise coherent mix of soul-bearing songs. Fans of hardcore rap will likely skim the LP disappointingly and it drags on at times even if you’re in the proper mood, however, those willing to transcend the genre’s typical sound will find Man on the Moon decently enjoyable.
Jaap:
Kid Cudi is a brooder. His debut album seems to trail his transition from depressed outcast to an outcast embracing this status because it grants him certain freedoms (while smoking copious amounts of sticky green in the meantime). The narration by Common (in a role reminiscent of his father on his own) tries to put this very personal story on some kind of epic scale, which might seem quite ridiculous, but he gets away with it due to his honesty and the joy of creation that seeps through most tracks. Cudder has more in common with some indie-pop singer/songwriters than with most emcees as well as a knack for sparse but well-crafted beats. Coupled with his easy switching between singing and spitting this definitely gives him his own sound. In the near future he’ll probably spawn a whole generation of annoying emo-rappers but let’s try and remember that the original was actually pretty good.
Rizoh:
Kid Cudi’s debut album represents a shift in hip-hop towards eerie electro-tinged sound. The beauty of Man on the Moon is that it sounds like a hybrid of 808s & Heartbreak and The Love Below. What Cudi lacks in emceeing ability he more than compensates in melodic singing. His penchant for melodies spawn infectious tunes like “Alive,” “Solo Dolo” and the megahit “Day N’ Nite.” Aside from the misfit “Make Her Say” and the occasional plunge into mediocrity, Man on the Moon is a strong debut.
Overall Rating:
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