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The singer/rapper/actors addition to the record, most notably his bellowing hook on Father Stretch My Hands Pt.
Today, that moment smacks of nostalgia, despite being only two years old.
Slavery, in Kanyes eyes, was a choice.
Donald Trump is a source of admiration.
But what does it all mean for Cudi?
It was an emotionally raw letter that was striking in how much it centered on shame.
But whats always drawn fans to Kid Cudi is his perceptive form of vulnerability.
Cudis music has always been earnest, born from a place of honesty.
Covers of his music abound, and his influence is generally recognized, if only after some reminding.
But a handful of missteps over the years have made his legacy an open question.
It was 2008s version of having Drake find your SoundCloud link.
It was as if the smooth-voiced musician from Ohio had effortlessly tapped into the nascent Obama-era Zeitgeist.
But he also found himself mired in what seemed like a combination of indecision and music industry malfeasance.
In 2012 he released an album for the projectWZRDwith his longtime creative collaborator Dot da Genius.
), WZRD was met with skepticism.
Kendrick Lamar, Father John Misty, and Haim all appear.
It was his delivery of a blockbuster, label-pleasing proof of concept, and it was a commercial success.
Muffled guitar riffs drown out decidedly depressed lyrics.
Words like end and alone jut out like mantras.
2016sPassion, Pain & Demon Slayinarrived as a ray of hope.
The record marked something of a return to the bang out of music Cudi fans were accustomed to.
That same year, Cudi launched into aTwitter tiradeabout new generation of rappers clearly influenced by him.
Gotta watch these lil rappin ass niggas.
Thats why i dont fuck with nobody.
Niggas wanna wear your skin, he said.
Needed to address this madness.
Cause I explore other musical realms everyone wanna act like I aint show these niggas the path.
It is true that its hard to imagine acts like Lil Uzi Vert or Lil Skies without Cudi.
Even his contemporaries, like Drake and Kanye, owe their crossover appeal to his earlier musical exploration.
But what is the value of being first?
Will Kid Cudi make a triumphant return, or will the antics of his collaborator overshadow his vision?
IsKids See Ghostsan album for Cudi, or for Kanye?
