Album Review: Kid Cudi's Man on the Moon 3
By: Brandon Foster
Whether you like it or not, Kid Cudi’s sound has been engraved into hip hop and pop culture ever since his debut album, Man on the Moon: The End of Day, dropped in 2009.
A trailblazer for hip hop artists like Drake and Travis Scott, the Ohio rapper has spent his career creating a kind of musical vulnerability that can still be heard alongside the next generation of rappers.
The third installment in the series, anticipation for Man On The Moon III: The Chosen, traces back almost a decade. In 2011, Cudi announced production on the third volume before seemingly falling into an on-and-off again relationship with the album.
An open book on this voyage, Cudi’s unique brand of storytelling is full of peaks and lows - from the personal battles he’s faced to his experiences with substance abuse, mental health, and isolation, the album injects it’s listeners into his own dark reality.
Showcasing his signature humming on the opening track “Beautiful Trip,” the distinctive sound has quickly helped it become a fan favorite.
My personal favorite is “Elsie’s Baby Boy (Flashback).” Hopping into a country and rock-infused zone, the song touches on both his childhood and personal relationship with his mother, Elsie. The last half of this record is sonic bliss.
The standout collaboration on this album is “Show Out,” when Cudi also taps the late New York drill rapper Pop Smoke and UK rapper Skepta. His signature autotuned voice mixed with drill is a risk taken, and then rewarded. Even Pop Smoke and Kid Cudi’s back-and-forth chorus banter was an album highlight.
As for the other collaborations, they could’ve stayed in the vault. Trippie Redd and Phoebe Bridgers didn’t add much to the project, when other collabs could’ve certainly strengthened his sometimes - average choruses.
But every album has pitfalls. One issue on this project was the overpowering power of production - a large portion of songs feel like they were being carried by the producers.
As someone who enjoys all the technical aspects of a rapper, I want the flow, delivery, production and lyrics to grasp me in, and on multiple tracks, Cudi falls short.
Although some tracks feel tedious, this could arguably be his best solo project in years. Intertwining flaring production and avid story tropes, Kid Cudi’s contribution to 2020 comes out as smooth and chilling as a late night drive.