Hip-hop fans across the nation soon will be shocked by America’s next great rapper — Kid Cudi. This Cleveland native already has added to the impressive list of Midwest hip-hop stars and will go way above and beyond his peers come the release of his debut album, Man on the Moon: The Guardians.
Cudi already has gained awareness in the hip-hop community for his single “Day ‘n’ Nite,” which peaked on Billboard’s list of “Hot 100” at No. 7. Prior to that in 2008, he impressed a lot of people with the release of his first mix tape, A Kid Named Cudi.
Kid Cudi is signed to Kanye West’s record label G.O.O.D. Music, and to the more widely known Universal Motown Records. In an interview, Kid Cudi referred to his relationship with Kanye West as “a blessing,” comparing it to one he would have with an older brother.
Like Kanye, Pharrell and a number of other rappers who have been brought to the public eye for both their musical talent and fashion awareness, Kid Cudi has a strong passion for clothing, sneakers and all that is hot. Before rapping, he worked for New York City’s A Bathing Ape brand, a well-respected sneaker and clothing manufacturer in the hip-hop community. Similarly, A Kid Named Cudi was officially sponsored by 10.Deep, one of the nation’s top distributors and producers of hip-hop clothing. His keen sense of style and ability to set trends in the world of fashion has added to the appeal of his hip-hop persona.
Cudi has scheduled for Man on the Moon: The Guardians to be released in stores and on iTunes at the end of this summer. Fortunately for us, the majority of the confirmed tracks have already been leaked on the Internet. Cudi will release “Switchin’ Lanes” as the second single off the album, following “Day ‘n’ Night,” which failed to show Cudi’s lyrical talent. In “Switchin’ Lanes”, he raps to a crazy, high-energy beat, creating a great track for both cruising and clubbing.
Cudi definitely could have done a better job at selecting his singles. For example, “I Poke Her Face” — which can be heard on tableau’s blog — is an extremely catchy and well-done track taken off of a hook from Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face.” Also, “Look Up in Da Stars,” which features another up-and-coming lyricist, Wale, received a lot of hype when it was leaked about two weeks ago. But I guess this just gives us more reason to be excited for the album’s release.
I look forward to seeing what will become of Kid Cudi as hip-hop enters a new era of cool. With Lupe Fiasco hinting at retirement and Kanye West focusing his attention away from music, I believe there is a lot of room for Kid Cudi in the world of hip-hop. For a guy who has yet to release an official album, he has done a lot to impress me, not to mention an entire world of hip-hop fans and fashionistas. Having hit Billboard’s top 10 and sparked a lot of hype in the world of pop culture — all before making an official debut in music — Kid Cudi is on track to shatter the records set by his predecessors and redefine what it means to be cool.
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