Despite only being known as “the Day N’ Nite guy”, or “the guy from Cleveland not named Lebron”, KiD CuDi is offering up his first major label debut entitled, Man on the Moon: The End of Day. Upon hearing his lead singleDay N’ Nite during the spring of 08’ many internet fans began following the Cleveland native, who’s real name isScott Mescudi. Shortly after that, the release of his first mixtape “A Kid Named CuDi” earned him a guest spot onKanye West’s last album, 808’s and Heartbreak’s, and also a deal on West’s label G.O.O.D. music. With a major artist co-sign; many internet fans and critics wondered if CuDi had what it took to make a name for himself outside of the internet realms. Although that is yet to be seen, with his first two singles landing in the top 50, is it fair to say that Mr. Cudder is headed towards an out of this world career?…

Production 7 – If traditional club or street bangers is what you’re looking for than you have picked the wrong CD. This is not to say that the beat selection was poorly done, it’s just that the album has a completely different vibe. The overall feel is “different” the production gets you in a very mellow mood, and for those of you who indulge in the occasional blunt; this will be an out of mind experience. The sounds that fill your speakers are much more horn friendly; there is nothing that really compares to it. If CuDi was going for a unique sound he definitely fulfilled his objective. Most of the beats use snare drums and futuristic components that can either get really annoying or really infectious. There are a few tracks that give off a very bass friendly vibe, that will put your speakers to work and will have you turning the volume up. It is important to remember that just because something sounds different, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s great and that’s what you get upon first listen. However, in the chance that you do get in the zone this will completely satisfy those superdelic needs.

Lyrics 6 – There is nothing lyrical bout this CD, in fact when listening to it I questioned if this was even a real “hip-hop” album. With more singing and infections hooks than anything else, CuDi seems to forget that fans want actual verses from him. There are no real standout metaphors or double entendres; and with artists like Kanye andCommon in his camp you would think that rapping would be a staple. Unfortunately the few times that CuDi does rap, on tracks like “Cudi Zone”, his singing overshadows it and you find yourself humming along to his catchy adlibs. This should come as no surprise to those who are fans of Scotty. It is very apparent that his lyrics are not what make him appealing. On his second single “Make Her Say” the kid says, “Ay I Mean Stand Like A Grouper Cuz You Gotta Beeper // I Mean Prime Might Be Sayin’ You Ain't Joggin’ Either”, if you get the line; it is clever, but has no “wow value”. The album leaves you wishing for another Common feature or even another verse fromChip the Ripper, who absolutely owns his feature track “Hyyper”.

Songs 8 – The content and concepts of all the songs follow the same category, which can be either negative or positive depending on the listener. For some, the discussion of family problems, drug uses and self doubt may be too much. Songs like “Mr. Solo Dolo” and “Sky Might Fall” as well as “Soundtrack 2 My Life” all have a very negative and depressing feel to it, which have KiD CuDi sounding both self-conscious and filled with self doubt. Although in a complete turn around, tracks like “Heart of a Lion” and “Up, Up and Away” have CuDi brushing off the haters with a sense of invincibility. The most obvious thing about all these songs is their emotionally heavy content. CuDi struggles to deal with personal issues and is not shy about addressing them in almost every song. At the same time the majority of the songs concepts deal with drug use, which seem to make the album feel really repetitive. However, music wise they are very solid and flow very well together as an album should.

Conclusion 7 – For his first major label attempt Kid Cudi has offered a decent album. But that’s just it, it’s just decent. There are several knocks one can take up towards The Man on the Moon, for one the lack of lyrics and his excessive and repetitive content. The album has substantial and quality songs, but is it a hip-hop album? I say yes, but it’s a new type of hip-hop; one that many on the internet have dubbed “Emo Rap” whether you agree with the term or not there is no questioning the amount of emotions CuDi puts into each song on the album. The unique sound and feel of the CD give the listener something completely different and unexpected. It allows the fans to connect with Mr. Solo Dolo himself on a much more personal and real level that is omitted in today’s watered down hip-hop sense. Although as previously stated in order to come full circle The Man on the Moon will need to come down to earth and demonstrate growth lyrically or he will always stay just a normal artist with amazing hooks.