As the sequel to his 2009 critically acclaimed debut, Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager drags the listener deeper than ever before into his mind. Taking a sharp step away from the senseless repetition that constitutes most of today’s hip-hop music, Cudi further steps into an unknown genre-blending sound that he began to explore on his previous album.
From the opening track, “Scott Mescudi vs. The World,” the album takes the form of a narrative that brings the listener on a journey through the anxieties and personal problems that Cudi has had to overcome. From the loss of his father at a young age, the mental issues stemming from that loss, and extensive drug abuse, Cudi promotes emotional transparency rather than a “thug” or “gangster” exterior that most rappers are categorized as today. He even touches on his troubles finding love with the rock themed “Erase Me” and the family ties and new found self-security that has kept him somewhat grounded in “Mojo So Dope.”
Another strong element of the album is the rebellion against the previously mentioned “thug” exterior that constitutes most rap today. In the catchy “REVOFEV,” Cudi slyly asks, “Where will you be for the revolution?” In “MANIAC,” Cudi admits to his dark side that has emerged through drug abuse stating that he “is a maniac, a ghoul, the monster in the corners of your room.”
Yet, as the album begins to wrap up, Cudi shows his sensitive side in songs such as “All Along,” where he croons “All along, all along, I guess I’m meant to be alone,” and in a similar song “GHOST!” he sadly murmurs “All the people I’ve met and places I’ve been have made me the man I so proudly am, but I need to know one thing. When did I become a ghost?”
Though Cudi is classified as a rapper throughout most of the LP, he dabbles in singing much more than rapping. This may take some getting used to by old Cudi fans, but the lyrical/musical quality has not dropped at all. In fact Cudi has far surpassed expectations in his sophomore album further catapulting himself higher in the hierarchy of hip-hop music and music in general. With this album The Man on the Moon proves to all earthlings that he is here to stay. Pick up the album which hits stores Nov. 9.
