Album Review: Kid Cudi, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager

November 9, 2010Edward Bowseralbum reviews, music0

Kid Cudi

Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (released Nov. 9, 2010)

The answer is: Wiz Khalifa, B.o.B., and Jae Millz.

Alex, what are “Overhyped rappers I could care less about?”

Right, for 200.

It’s not that the rappers I mentioned above are bad – they’re miles ahead of the Waka Flockas and Roscoe Dashes of the industry. They’re just part of a young movement of artists with huge fan bases but not much substance. I think that the bar has been set so low that any artist who slightly goes against the grain (i.e., can actually form complete sentences) is suddenly heralded as a superstar.

Feel free to add Kid Cudi to the list. I remember a couple of years ago when his breakout single “Day ‘n’ Nite” was on everyone’s lips. When I finally heard it I was a bit disappointed. It was certainly different – its foreboding atmosphere was a stark contrast to the era’s rambunctious ringtone rap – but I couldn’t get into him. He seemed to lack charisma and energy, something even his less-talented peers had in spades.

Still, I didn’t turn down the opportunity to check out his sophomore album, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager. I came away with one conclusion – this is one pitiful hipster. Just look at the mopey neo-soul album cover. Dude looks like he lost the scarf that he planned to wear in 90 degree weather.

If you’re into emo hipster rap, this album is your Illmatic. The album plays out as Cudi’s descent into depression. Sometimes, the theme works. “Don’t Play This Song” and “These Worries” both feature Cudi wallowing in his misery. Both tracks, expertly crafted by Emile, coincidentally feature vocals from Mary J Blige – R&B’s resident expert when it comes to depression. I also got a kick out of “MANIAC,” where Cudi proclaims that he “found a monster in me when I lost my cool.”

The single, “Erase Me,” is easily the most accessible song on the album. It has that rock-pop vibe that B.o.b. and his peers love, and are starting to run in the ground. The video is guaranteed to show up on MTV, between episodes of 16 and Pregnant. I wasn’t too keen on Cudi’s constant singing – I like my rappers to, you know, RAP. Cudi’s mentor Kanye West drops in to drop off a few bars, thankfully.

And speaking of singing – bad singing, that is – this album is full of it. “Mr Rager,” “REVOFEV” and “All Along” are among the culprits, with the latter sounding like it was lifted directly from Drake’s last album. In fact, most of the disc sounds like an eerie Thank Me Later – darker and duller.

Near the end of the album things pick up a bit. The posse cut “The End” actually has a little bit of energy, helping it stand out among the whiny, muffled lyrics of “Mojo So Dope” and “Marijuana.” And the (slight) positivity of “GHOST!” and “Trapped In My Mind” actually offer a glimmer of hope in Cudi’s pity party.

You may notice that I haven’t touched on Cudi’s actual lyricism in this review – that’s because it’s largely unremarkable. Sure, he drops a decent punchline here or there, but his lack of charisma is a big detriment.

Cudi’s fans will LOVE this album and call me a hater. That’s cool, I’m used to it. Cudi certainly has an ear for beats (the production is the album’s saving grace) and he shows flashes of artistic brilliance (I do admire how Cudi’s collection has an actual theme and is not a bunch of random singles masquerading as an album) but in my eyes, he still has a long road to travel before living up to the hype.

Now I’ve gone and depressed Cudi even more.

Best tracks: “Don’t Play This Song,” “MANIAC,” “These Worries”

3 stars out of 5

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