Pursuit of Happiness (nightmare)Feat. MGMT & RATATAT
Hyyerr Feat. Chip Tha Rhipper
Up Up & Away (The Wake & Bake Song)
"Kid Cudi is at the vanguard of a game-changing new generation of artists," said Universal Motown President Sylvia Rhone. "He crosses musical boundaries with an appeal that goes beyond genre, format, race, language, and cu... more »lture. Cudi lives easily in the hip-hop, indie rock, pop, and R&B worlds - a diversity that shows in his innovative music and his all-embracing persona. He is a born storyteller who brings a positive, life-affirming message to his brilliant lyrical flow and compelling music. There are no clichés in what Cudi does. He is a breath of fresh air - a dynamic and important new voice, not only in the next phase of hip-hop, but as a groundbreaking trendsetter who represents the future. I am thrilled to welcome Kid Cudi into the Universal Motown family." KID CUDI released his first mixtape, A Kid Named Cudi, in July, 2008 as a free download sponsored by New York streetwear company 10 Deep, leading to an introduction and signing to Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music imprint, and in turn, to Cudi's co-writing of four tracks on the platinum Kanye West album 808s & Heartbreak, including the Top 5 single, "Heartless" and stepping out in a featured vocal on "Welcome to Heartbreak." He followed this up with his first Official single; "DAY N NITE" "day 'n' nite" dominated with #1 rankings at multiple radio formats.« less
"Kid Cudi is at the vanguard of a game-changing new generation of artists," said Universal Motown President Sylvia Rhone. "He crosses musical boundaries with an appeal that goes beyond genre, format, race, language, and culture. Cudi lives easily in the hip-hop, indie rock, pop, and R&B worlds - a diversity that shows in his innovative music and his all-embracing persona. He is a born storyteller who brings a positive, life-affirming message to his brilliant lyrical flow and compelling music. There are no clichés in what Cudi does. He is a breath of fresh air - a dynamic and important new voice, not only in the next phase of hip-hop, but as a groundbreaking trendsetter who represents the future. I am thrilled to welcome Kid Cudi into the Universal Motown family." KID CUDI released his first mixtape, A Kid Named Cudi, in July, 2008 as a free download sponsored by New York streetwear company 10 Deep, leading to an introduction and signing to Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music imprint, and in turn, to Cudi's co-writing of four tracks on the platinum Kanye West album 808s & Heartbreak, including the Top 5 single, "Heartless" and stepping out in a featured vocal on "Welcome to Heartbreak." He followed this up with his first Official single; "DAY N NITE" "day 'n' nite" dominated with #1 rankings at multiple radio formats.
This album = Dark Side of the Moon for hip hop music
Raymond J. Mendoza | Tampa | 09/15/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I picked this album up on a whim because of its $3.99 first day release price, and I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not a fan of main stream hip hop, more the alternative stuff (the Roots, Talib Kweli, Common, etc.) but the production and overall story concept of this album was pretty interesting. The beats are sparse with a lot of spacey sounds but a lot of them are really catchy (hear "Alive"), and the interludes with Common are interesting because they narrate the story of a stoner, and all the songs fit into different acts within the album. This is the first hip hop album in a long time that is more enjoyable when you listen to the whole album in entirety, it's a steal at $3.99."
An Instant Classic!
J. Legend | 09/15/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album is so innovative that it almost seems before its time. Every track is perfect, and not only that, but the album is also expertly put together from start to finish (with Common's narrating). This genius album will no doubt get nominated for and win multiple Grammys, top most best of the year lists, and earn a spot on most best of the 2000's lists. If I could sum up the album in one word, it would be: FUTURISTIC!"
Futuristic Work - This KiD is The Real Martian
Patjam | 09/26/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"KiD CuDi brilliantly combined hip-hop, classical, trance n electronica and he delivers lyrics full of determination and sympathy with a lazy but very exciting flow. This record is very creative, unique and futuristic... like a hybrid of Pink Floyd, Beethoven and Kanye West.
"The sky might fall" but this boy has this heart of a lion that it can't stop him from flying hyeeer and landing on the moon on a pursuit of happiness.
My top 5 (very hard to make a choice):
1. The Sky Might Fall
2. Enter Galactic - If you can't do what you imagine then what is imagination to you?
3. The Soundtrack to my life
4. As Simple as... (leaves you expecting another verse in vain)
5. My World / In my Dreams
I think he really thought outside the box and I applaud him because few artists can craft such a risky concept especially for a debut album. Hope he keeps innovating his music once he's done exploring the moon and comes back to planet earth... For now PRESS Enter Galactic and fly Hyeeer"
Brilliant; Something NEW and Fresh for 2009
Musac Critic | 10/03/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"On his much anticipated debut album, Kid Cudi truly 'brings the heat'. A conceptual album by nature, it takes a couple of listens for the true genius and beauty of this album to open up to the listener. While in the same vein as Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak, it easily trumps that album in construction and excitability of material. Odd and maybe sometimes too odd, there is an unrequited genius about Man on the Moon, even for the listener who may think Kid Cudi is simply mad. 'Mad' genius proves to be more accurate.
The album opens up with the 'sleepy-sounding' "In My Dreams", which proves to be nothing less than curious. Instantly, "In My Dreams" makes the listener think and question where Kid Cudi is going with the entirety of the album. The production is mystical and pleasing and something soothes the listener about this odd track. Great, confusing, minimalist, "In My Dreams" opens the album strangely, yet very captivating. A narration by rapper Common leads into "Soundtrack 2 My Life", a slightly more accessible track than "In My Dreams" (for the more 'straight-forward' listener). Kid Cudi's flow is great here and his sung vocals on the hook are equally enjoyable. "Soundtrack 2 My Life" proves to be one of many standouts on this filler-free album. Autobiographical, Man on the Moon could be the hip-hop interpretation of Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon.
"Simple As" repeatedly loops 'A,B,C,' and '1,2,3' at the forefront, obviously affirming the title 'Simple As', ingeniously. Odd, spacey, stupid and/or brilliant, "Simple As" manages to captivate one's attention from start to finish. "Solo Dolo (Nightmare)" is definitely a valedictory performance from Man on the Moon. Exceptionally performed by Cudi as well as exceptionally produced, "Solo Dolo" is different, 'stream of conscious', and plain different. By all means, it is nothing less than brilliantly conceived. Mostly sung, though spoken in pitched vocals at specific times, there is something that connects with the listener within this mysterious fourth track.
"Heart of a Lion" finds a slightly more hardcore Kid Cudi, obviously representative of the title 'Heart of a Lion'. The song lays as a tone poem lays within the orchestra trying to convey a portrait musically. Cudi excels with flying colors. "My World" featuring Billy Cravens again confuses, shocks, and impresses the listener with more autobiographical information about Kid Cudi. "Day N Nite", the left-field smash hit that helped propel Man on the Moon to a #4 bow on the Billboard Charts remains timeless here. It could be argued its the album's best track, but with so many interesting, cutting edge cuts, it proves to be just one of the best of Man on the Moon.
"Sky Might Fall" is equally as captivating as anything else. "Enter Galactic (Love Connection Part 1)" proves to be as strange as the oddest tracks ("In My Dreams", "Solo Dolo", etc.), but is also as solid as everything on this fine album. "Alive (Nightmare)" featuring Ratatat, is catchy and accessible - well as accessible as this conceptual album goes. "CuDi Zone" is another production showcase and also another solid performance from Kid Cudi, though it is showstopping proceeding tracks "Make Her Say" and "Pursuit of Happiness" that are stronger. "Make Her Say", which lifts an obvious Lady GaGa sample ("Poker Face" from The Fame, features an all star cast (Kanye West and Common). Ingenious, it has the distinction of being one of the best from Man on the Moon. Similarly, the MGMT featuring "Pursuit of Happiness" is haunting, strange, and beautiful. Along with "Make Her Say", "Day N Night", and "Solo Dolo", it is among the best of Man on the Moon.
The rest of the album ends strongly. "Hyyerr" has a smooth, soulful quality to it while "Up Up & Away" closes the strange yet interesting narrative that Cudi has so intricately developed on Man on the Moon.
Overall, Man on the Moon: The End of the Day is a brilliant album, deserving many accolades. It is one of few hip-hop albums of today that stretches the boundaries of the genre past lyrics about clubs, women, and drugs. Conversely, it can be argued this album transcends hip-hop and isn't truly a 'rap/hip-hip album'. All trivializations aside, this is one brilliant album that I personally will be playing for years and years to come."
One giant step for Rap-kind...
Nse Ette | Lagos, Nigeria | 09/17/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Kanye West's protege KiD CuDi finally releases his debut album proper (after releasing some mix tapes) and it is a sprawling ambitious project featuring CuDi's laid back sing song rapping style set to a bleak futuristic soundscape.
A concept album of sorts, interspersed with narrations by Common and broken into five "acts", the album opens with the trippy sounding ballad "In my dreams" ("Welcome, you're in my dream now" says Cudi), followed by the woozy rap "Soundtrack 2 my life". "Solo dolo (Nightmare)" is a stripped affair that sounds bleak and beautiful, while "Heart of a lion" is a genty pulsing number, while "My world" is a dreamy melancholic sounding song laced with tender piano.
The bleep-filled spooky sounding "Day N night (Nightmare)", the lead-off single has already hit the US and UK top 10 (and is also available in the excellent upbeat British-sounding Crookers Remix), while picking up the pace somewhat is the superb Kanye West produced "Sky may fall" (which reminds me of Kanye's "Welcome to heartbreak"). "Enter Galactic (Love Connection Part I)" is a galloping Disco-tinged song and is one of my favourites.
"Alive (Nightmare)" features electronic music duo Ratatat and has a synth/Rock feel, while "CuDi zone" has techno-style strings set to a slowed down beat. "Make her say" is the current single and features Kanye and Common, as well as a sample from Lady Gaga's "Poker face". It sounds like a nursery rhyme set to "Golddigger"-style beats and it works. "Pursuit of happiness (Nightmare)" is another swirling synth/Rock number, this time featuring MGMT. "Hyyerr" featuring Chip tha Ripper is a string-swathed ballad that sounds like some seventies soul classic, and closing is the pulsing guitar-driven "Up Up & Away (The Wake & Bake Song)".
Experimental, and accessible at the same time, I would say CuDi has more than lived up to all the hype. This album should shoot his star well into the stratosphere."
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1
