Kid Cudi’s third solo album Indicud might be a hit among his current fans, but if he hasn’t won you over yet with Man on the Moon: The End of Day and Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, then I doubt this will do the trick.

As a Kid Cudi fan, I almost feel guilty for saying this, but after listening to the album all the way through, my first thought was “OK, I get it!” It’s clear he still has the same loner “solo dolo” attitude because he is still going on about his personal demons. With The End of Day and The Legend of Mr. Rager, although criticized for being too whiny, his songs were relatable and he gave fans at least a couple of good “hang-out” anthems. This time around with Indicud, the lonely and reckless tone is a bit redundant.

The album starts out in his usual mellow fashion with his intro song “The Resurrection of Scott Mescudi” and leads into the second track “Un****wittable” quoting a line from the film The Good Son: “Once you realize you can do anything, you’re free… you could fly.” Right off the bat, it has a very dark feel that sets the mood for the rest of the album. I couldn’t help but think that his brash attitude in the first two tracks has something to do with his controversial decision to be the sole producer on the album. Despite the gloomy intro, there are a few songs that make Indicud worthwhile.

Track 3, “Just What I am,” is probably one of my favorites off of Indicud because it has that unexpected chill yet upbeat tempo, providing that cool vibe and style that only Kid Cudi can pull off. It reflects the side of him that attracted his fans in the first place. Similarly, the song “Immortal” is reminiscent of the care-free Cudi who listeners fell in love with back in 2009 when Man on the Moon I was released. It has a catchy hook and funky beat; two attributes that define Kid Cudi as an artist.

Another track that stood out was “Red Eye” featuring indie rock band Haim. If you want to hear Kid Cudi the rapper, you should probably skip this song. It is actually more so of a Haim song barely featuring Kid Cudi with melodic vocals all the way through, which I did not mind at all. I have to give Cudi his props for this one; featuring an allgirl indie band is a bold move for a rapper, but it just shows that he is not afraid to think outside the box–a quality fans love about him. It is a very refreshing switch up from the rest of the album and is perfectly placed in the middle at track 10 to keep the audience interested in listening to the remaining songs. “Red Eye” definitely put Haim on my music radar as a new artist I need to check out and that’s always a plus!

Other than that, the first word that comes to mind to describe the album is ‘familiar.’ This is not a bad thing if you love Kid Cudi, but because the style is so similar to his previous work, but I was left wishing it was just as good. So if you’re looking for the next “Day N’ Nite”, “Pursuit of Happiness,” or “Mr. Rager,” you won’t find it on Indicud.

FINAL GRADE: B- (for keeping avid Cudi listeners happy, but failing to produce a track that is likely to attract new fans)

TRR MUSIC REVUE by Bessie Duckworth

About The Author

Dean Rogers

Editor-in-Chief/Entertainment Reporter

I knew early on that I wanted to take my place among the stars. One day, my mother saw me reading The Washington Post at a very young age. Who would have known that it would be the building blocks of my journey? Since that day, I dedicated my life to learn all that is learnable. I read everything from encyclopedias, to books, to dictionaries, to magazines. I’m also an avid consumer of television, with my favorite genre being game shows. If you’ve seen me on Who Wants to be a Millionaire or Wheel of Fortune, then you know that this interest has served me well!

My unique style of reporting began back in junior high school, when I started to chronicle the events that shaped my life. Whether it was the annual family vacation or the local science fiction convention, I shot numerous pictures and recorded my thoughts so I could truly appreciate the history. During my senior year at Friendly High, I wrote what was to be my first masterpiece, “Advanced Space Academy – A One Week Journey.” I sent the eleven-page article back to the U.S. Space Camp staff. The article was highly praised for being “one of the best written articles in the history of U.S. Space Camp.” From then on, I knew what I wanted to do for rest of my life — to be a reporter.

Since then, I have trained in Broadcast Journalism at Bowie State University (2008) in Bowie, MD earning a B.S. in Communications. I gained experience in news production and editing through field experiences with Bowie Community Media Corporation, Prince George’s Community Television, and Bowie State University Television. I also wrote scripts for a variety of quiz shows for over five years.

As a lifelong movie buff, I now see close to 100 films every year. I took this love of movies to the next step when I became a co-host for Eclipse Magazine TV in the fall of 2005. While at EMTV, I interviewed celebrities, worked red carpets, and attended a wide variety of movie screenings. In January 2009, I took a leap of faith and started my own entertainment news magazine, The Rogers Revue. Shortly afterward, my life-long journey of studying the silver screen and writing about what I learned finally earned me a place in the Washington Area Film Critics Association.

All of this has led me here, giving you the latest entertainment news for the DMV and the entire nation, and I am truly excited for whatever will come next.

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