By EVAN ORTIZ, editor
Mr. Cudder has always taken his time with the production of his albums with meticulous planning going into the lyrics and vibe of the beats to purvey a certain emotion with each track. No less has been done for his newest masterpiece “Indicud.” Released on Apr. 16, “Indicud” proved to be a top-selling album off of pre-orders alone, regardless of the early leaked versions of the album surfacing around the web as early as Apr. 8. Nonetheless, the new album proved to be worth paying for in the end.
Hailing from Cleveland, OH, Scott Mescudi’s style of rap music has always been looked at as a bit different, ranging from his lyrics to the type of producers he works with like Plainpat, Emile and Ratatat. Cudi was raised by two hard-working parents until his father passed at the early age of 11.
This proved to be a life-altering moment for him, as it subsequently revealed to him the harsh realities of the world which he openly raps about in his music. He went on to attend college for just a year until deciding to make the move to the “Mecca” of rap music, the Bronx, at the ripe and naive age of 20. Moving to the harsh region of New York with only $500 and an early mixtape he’d been working on, it was apparent that it was make it big or bust. Luckily, he quickly gained some local recognition from the rap scene up until 2008, in which his initial mixtape “A Kid Named Cudi” reached critical acclaim and gained him a spot on Kanye West’s rap group G.O.O.D. Music, securing him a future in the rap world.
While Cudi isn’t known for his club anthems, he still has managed to produce a nice handful of popular hits such as Day N’ Nite, Pursuit of Happiness, Teleport 2 Me, Jamie and most recently Just What I Am which is featured on the new album. “Indicud,” as with most of his albums, paints a very different picture than most are used to, using alternative beats and extended singing, contradictory to the more common spoken word style. This style proved enough to keep Cudi from gelling with his G.O.O.D. Music companions, resulting in a split from the group late in 2012. His distaste for the group is openly spoken on Cold Blooded off “Indicud.”
Staying with his usually dark vibe, “Indicud” really takes his down and out mentality to a new level but at the same time offers tracks speaking of hope and prosperity. Several songs focus on his recent delve into harder drugs, resulting in very fresh feelings from both a lyrical and instrumental standpoint, giving the listener a very streamlined listening experience. Songs such as Solo Dolo ptII featuring Kendrick Lamar really hit on a lyrical basis, explaining the trials and tribulations of his current life, speaking of the troubles of trying to live life to the fullest and hoping to aspire to all he can be. Due to several drug and sexual references, the album did earn a parental advisory warning label. Aside from the ostracized lyrics dejected by many run-of-the-mill rap fans, “Indicud” offers a look into the mind of the lonely stoner and is still relatable to the everyday adolescent struggles throughout the realities of life. Longtime Cudder fans will surely appreciate the obvious effort put into the album. This is simply a taste of what is to come for his next release, the much anticipated ending to his trilogy of misogyny, “Man on the Moon III” which is set to drop in the very near future. Copies can be purchased on iTunes.
