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Cudi is a creative character. From rapping to singing, to acting in “How to Make it in America,” to rockband WZRD, as well as starting his label "Wicked,” the Man on the Moon has been busy expanding. With his recently announced split from G.O.O.D. Music, Cudi has given us Indicud, his latest venture into producing. His own “Chronic,” paying homage to Dre’s album of the same name, said Cudi. Featuring the likes of Kendrick Lamar, King Chip, A$AP Rocky, HAIM and Michael Bulton, it’s a diverse group of musicians that Cudi works well with. Since these features are dope, if Cudi were to make another Indicud here’s some artists he should consider looking into working with.
Phantogram
Phantogram’s ethereal sound gives them a spacey vibe that lends itself well to the deep voice of the Man on the Moon. Cudi fits well into tracks like “Mouthful of Diamonds,” and “You Are the Ocean.” The New York based duo of Barthel and Josh Carter have collaborated with Big Boi on his last album, Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors, so they’re no stranger to Hip Hop.
Mr. Little Jeans
The Norwegian songstress, Monica Birkenes, aka Mr. Little Jeans has a beautifully haunting voice. Her renditions of Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies,” and Arcade Fire’s “Suburbs” are what put here name into the blogosphere, but her cover of “Suburbs,” is why she should be working with Cudi. Her soft yet stirring voice is a grabber that’s reminiscent of Cudi’s “Solo Dolo.” Birkenes’ airy voice would fit nicely tucked into Cudi’s raspy vocals creating a nice ying yang like effect.
Captain Murphy
Flying Lotus' new rap moniker, Captain Murphy took the internet by storm when his mixtape, Duality released last year. The new "mask" gave Lotus the ability to rap about taboos and raunchiness like the kids over at Odd Future do much like Cudi did when he first started. Sex, drugs, and being social outcasts bring the two artists together, and besides, who wouldnt want to hear Cudi over a Flying Lotus beat?
Danger Mouse
Cudi’s already worked Cee-Lo on “Scott Mescudi vs. The World,” so he should complete the deal and work with the other half of Gnarls Barkely, Danger Mouse. The Grammy winning producer has worked with the Gorillaz, MF Doom, Norah Jones, and Electric Guest. Adding Cudi to the list would be a win-win for both musicians. It just seems natural at this point and it should be more of a question of when is it going to happen.
Ab-Soul
Part conspiracy theorist, part philosopher, all rapper: Soul's socially concsious raps bring the energy of Public Enemy back into Hip Hop. Whether it be his spoken word like on Kendrick's "Ab-Soul Outro," or trying to pry open the mind of his listeners like on "Terrorist Threats," the Black Lip Bastard always has something to say whether you like it or not. His lyricism puts him light years ahead of other rappers and his quirkiness defines him. A collab with Cudi would definitly be worth checking out weirdness and all.
fthrsn
If melodic humming melodic Cudi is what you like then a fthrsn Cudi collab is what you need. The Michigan singer songwriter fthrsn, short for Father Son, makes melodic Poppy-ish hymn tribal music. It’s hard to pinpoint his style since he’s all over the place much like Cudi but their creative energies would probably come together to make a nice track or two. Cudi’s darker melodic vibe on Indicud compliments fthrsn’s lighter sound. It’d be interesting to see what these two could cook up.
Empire of the Sun
Empire of the Sun’s fancy futuristic songs should make them a no brainer for a Cudi collab. They were featured on Jay-Z’s “Blueprint 3,” and Wiz Khalifa sampled their song, “Walking on a Dream,” for his “The Thrill.” They no strangers to Hip Hop either, but its their catchy dance tunes that make them a prospect for another Indicud like album from Kid Cudi.
Santigold
Singer, songwriter, producer and former AR representative, the Brooklyn native Santigold is all about doing her own thing. After leaving her position at Epic Records as an AR rep., she started making music and released her debut album, "Santogold." Her music and fashion style set her apart from most musicians, and her creativity puts her on a level most can't achieve. Another out of the box thinker, she could match if not surpass Cudi's energy on a track.
The Black Keys
Their “grass roots” blues sound is perfect for Cudi’s content. Being soulful himself, Mescudi’s vocals would sound impeccable with their simple guitar drum set-up. The Black Keys incorporate elements of Hip Hop into their music and they made a collaborative album with rappers like Mos Def, Q-Tip, RZA, Ludacris and ODB. Their musical creativity teamed up with Cudi’s would make for a full sounding WZRD.
Frank Ocean
Another social outcast, Ocean's musicality is impressive. The critically acclaimed, Channel Orange, took everyone by storm with its chilled spacey R&B vibes. The forerunner in reviving R&B could give the Man on the Moon a couple of pointers on crooning and singing and Cudi could trade some tips on rapping for the singer. Either way, the duo could make a nice slow burner track for fans to listen too. While we're at it let's throw John Mayer into that mix too.
His witty rhymes and tongue in cheek persona coupled with his energy and funny music videos make Macklemore a viable candidate for a Cudi Collab.The two would definitely bring out the best of both emcee’s rhyming styles.
Andrew W.K.
Andrew W.K.’s energy is already off the map, but teaming up with Mr. Rager might just take him higher. A collab with these two would create a party of “Project X” proportions.
Hey Champ
The Chicago Electric Pop band has a slew of original, remixes, and collaborative dance tracks with artists ranging from the Cool Kids to Passion Pit. Their chilled party vibe on “Cold Dust Girl,” is a nice fit to Cudi’s style.
DROPXLIFE
The Toronto producer’s dark electronic hip hop beats already would’ve sounded right at home on Indicud, making this collabo a logical step forward. His dark sound mixed with Cudi’s introspective lyrics would make for another Cudi anthem